Alberto Undiano’s decision to send off Germany’s Miroslav Klose against Serbia was harsh. Anyone for netball? Miroslav Klose is the man who saves his best for the world stage. Impotent for Bayern Munich over the course of this past season, the striker flicked the switch in Germany’s opening group game against Australia, scoring his 11th goal at World Cup finals to close in on the Brazilian Ronaldo’s record of 15. Onwards and upwards, everyone predicted, with Germany widely fancied. Yet he and his team were stopped brutally in their tracks here. Klose’s red card was one of those moments that had eyes widening and mouths opening all around the stadium. Already on a booking for a trip on Branislav Ivanovic, as the Serb had burst out of defence, Klose’s challenge on Dejan Stankovic was nothing more than a nibble at ankles. Yes, it was a foul, but a second yellow card? Stanovic was not about to spark a Serbian attack and there was certainly nothing nasty in Klose’s intent. But you knew that the referee Alberto Undiano was going to do it by the way that he rushed in. • Follow the Guardian’s World Cup team on Twitter • Sign up to play our great Fantasy Football game • Stats centre: Get the lowdown on every player • The latest team-by-team news, features and more The Spaniard had possibly made a rod for his own back by dishing out five yellow cards in the first 32 minutes but his application of the strictest letter of the law drew gasps. The Germany players, it ought to be said, were commendably restrained in their protests. What will they make of the decision at the referees’ headquarters in Pretoria? Each of the four-strong teams of officials from the various nations are based there and, after every performance, there is an extensive debrief involving them all. Could it be that the furore over Cristiano Ronaldo’s call for greater protection had an influence? The consensus here was that if Klose’s second card were merited, football would be entering the realms of non-contact sports. Anyone for netball? The World Cup had so far been notable for an absence of controversy. Undiano appeared keen to compensate and, as he continued to keep the whistle to his lips in the second half, so the blood pressure of the Germany manager, Jogi Löw, rose. At full time, Löw marched straight off down the tunnel, gesturing angrily. The dismissal shaped the game, although it should not detract from an encouraging performance from Serbia, whose football was compact, committed and laced with no little enterprise. Their three starting midfielders held a narrow line, with the captain, Stankovic, in the middle, ever available for the short ball out of defence. On the flanks, Milos Krasic and the new Liverpool signing Milan Jovanovic impressed, Krasic particularly so. The CSKA Moscow winger is a summer transfer target for Juventus and he would have added to his value. His crosses and trickery were a delight. Serbia sometimes offer the impression that their finger is never far from the self-destruct button. The vital penalty that Zdravko Kuzmanovic conceded for handball in their opening game defeat against Ghana was utterly needless and Nemanja Vidic, inexplicably, aped his team-mate to concede another one. Mercifully for Serbia, Vladimir Stojkovic saved Lukas Podolski’s 60th minute kick. Germany showed great character with 10 men and Löw the boldness to chase the game with attacking substitutions. But his players, as they diced with conceding a second on the counter, could not fashion the equaliser. Löw was keen not to turn his team’s final group game, against Ghana on Wednesday, into a drama. Thanks in part to Undiano, he has been denied his wish. Germany Serbia World Cup 2010 Group D World Cup 2010 David Hytner guardian.co.uk
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Miroslav Klose’s red card crucial as Serbia fail to hand it to Germany | David Hytner
