But [M]Germany found a way to survive[/M], with Kroos’s goal, on a finely orchestrated free-kick play, giving it a vital three points in its four-team group.
There were just 18 seconds between Germany’s fate at this World Cup being taken out of their hands and Toni Kroos scoring from a dramatic free-kick to complete an extraordinary comeback and turn the group on its head.
Just 18 seconds between Germany facing the very real prospect of exiting a World Cup at the first hurdle for the first time in 80 years and dealing the cruelest of blows to an impressive Sweden side who were left to nurse a sense of injustice on a spellbinding night in Sochi.
Just 18 seconds between Joachim Low fearing the curse of recent world champions might soon extend to his side and the German bench sparking fury among their Swedish counterparts by celebrating wildly on the touchline.
As if defeat was not bad enough for Janne Andersson, the Sweden coach, the sight of Low’s staff milking the moment was as hard to take as the stonewall penalty his team had been denied in the first half. “Some of the German bench celebrated by running in our direction and rubbing it into our faces by making gestures and that really got me annoyed,” Andersson said. “We fight it out for 95 minutes and then you shake it out and leave so I was very angry about that. This is probably the most crushing end to a game I have experienced in my career.”