WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL

BERLIN: It would have been a classic World Cup final.

Germany versus Argentina in Berlin’s 72,000-seat Olympic Stadium, a showdown between two football powers with five titles between them.

Instead today’s match is only a quarter-final clash.

“In terms of potential, this could easily be a final,” said Franz Beckenbauer, chief of the organising committee, who twice faced Argentina in the World Cup as German coach.

“It’s a shame, but both of us are going to consider it a final. “We are looking forward to this match, it’s a very special occasion,” Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann said yesterday. “We are full of energy and enthusiasm, we are very confident, although we have great respect for Argentina. It’s one of the best teams in the world.”

“There is no trace of overconfidence in our team. We will go in with total aggression and total passion and we’ll see how Argentina reacts,” he said.

Germany are playing at home and it’s only logical that they want to win their fourth title, Klinsmann said, promising that his team will use all its “power and vehemency” to reach the July 9 final.

Captain Michael Ballack, fully recovered from a slightly swollen ankle, believes Germany have a 60-percent chance to win the match.

“With the performances we’ve shown here, we don’t need to hide from anyone,” Ballack said. “If we produce our best, we have a realistic chance of winning. We are very hungry to play three more matches.”

“The game will be very hard fought and close,” Argentina’s 22-year-old striker Carlos Tevez said. “It’s going to be very tough for us — and for them.”

There is plenty of World Cup history between Germany and Argentina, apart from contrasts in style.

A few things to ponder.

— Germany and Argentina have met twice in World Cup championship matches, each winning once — Argentina 3-2 in 1986 final and West Germany 1-0 in 1990.

This will be their fifth match in all World Cup play, and Germany has won two, draw one and lost one.

— Argentina coach Jose Pekerman and Klinsmann, both widely criticised, have proven the skeptics wrong. Both have gone with relatively young teams.

— It will be Germany’s size against the relatively small and much quicker South Americans.

— Both teams feed off two topflight midfielders— Argentina’s Juan Roman Riquelme and Germany’s Ballack.

Germany and Argentina have played attacking football throughout the tournament, so there should be goals. They’ve both scored 10, although six of Argentina’s came in a 6-0 landslide over Serbia.

Argentina are likely to keep the ball on the ground and try to beat Germany’s bigger defenders that way. Germany will go after Argentina’s small defence, which doesn’t have a player over 1.82 metres (6-foot-0).

“I’ve been playing against players who are always bigger than me for a long time, so I’m used to it,” said striker Javier Saviola, who is 1.69 metres (5-foot-7). Fellow strikers Tevez and Lionel Messi are in the same height range.

“We have to the keep the ball on the ground, be quick and play as we did against Serbia,” Saviola added. “If we play well, if we impose our game, we are difficult to beat.”

Argentina’s only tall potential starter up front is Hernan Crespo, who is 1.84 metres (6-foot-1).

The Germans will start with two towering defenders in Per Mertesacker and Christoph Metzelder. Mertesacker is 1.96 metres (6-foot-5) and Metzelder is 1.93 metres (6-foot-3).

The Argentina backline of Roberto Ayala, Gabriel Heinze, Juan Pablo Sorin and Nicolas Burdisso could be tested. Burdisso practised on Wednesday and could return from a knee injury. Another injured player, midfielder Luis Gonzalez, also might play on Friday. If both are fit, Pekerman could start the same line-up that smothered Serbia.

Germany and Argentina played twice last year, and both matches ended in 2-2 draws. One was played in Nuremberg in the Confederations Cup and the other was a friendly in Duesseldorf.

Germany played both of those matches without Ballack and striker Miroslav Klose, both times coming close to winning. Klose leads the tournament with four goals Klose said he and Ballack hope to dominate the air in front of the Argentina goal.

“The captain is back and will lead us,” Klinsmann said. “We are going to give them a great fight and we want to win.” We’ve made great strides since then and we are playing good football now.” (AP)