Uruguay line-up: Muslera, Lugano (c), Godin, Fucile, Cavani (Abreu, 88'), Suarez, Forlan, Perez (Gargano, 77'), M.Pereira, Arevalo, Caceres
Germany line-up: Butt, Jansen (Kroos, 81'), Friedrich, Aogo, Khedira, Schweinsteiger (c), Ozil (Tasci, 91'), Muller, Mertesacker, Cacau (Kiessling, 73'), Boateng
Germany just manage to sneak third place after a game with many twists and turns. Without any pressure on this game, we were treated to free-flowing football and a highly entertaining game throughout. Looking at the team sheets it was quite clear who was taking this most seriously but the weakened Germany team still wanted to win without any doubt. Both teams came out on the front foot as the rain poured from the heavens in South Africa. Muller and Cavani were the first to fire their warning shots to let everybody know they mean business. However it was Germany who came closest early on after Arne Freidrich fired a header from an Ozil corner onto the crossbar. Just under twenty minutes played and Germany were ahead; Bastian Schweinsteiger blazed a shot from thirty yards and keeper Muslera could only parry it in front of him, Thomas Muller was the most alert and despite cries of offside from the Uruguay defence Germany were correctly 1-0 ahead after Muller's tap-in. This meant Muller had scored five goals for the tournament putting him level with Sneijder and Villa for the Golden Boot. Uruguay were undeterred by the goal and came back fighting for the equaliser. Germany's Ol' Reliable, Per Mertesacker kept Germany ahead after he headed a Forlan far-post header away to safety. Uruguay were to get their equaliser just four minutes later when Germany's deputy captain Schweinsteiger dallied on the ball and was dispossessed by Perez, he found Suarez who played the ball through to Cavani. He shot on his second touch and fired it into the bottom corner and Uruguay were level. Suarez had a glorious chance of putting Uruguay ahead just minutes before the break but after drawing Butt out of his goal, Suarez could only fire wide from a tightened angle.
Butt played a vital role in keeping Germany level in the second-half making himself big in one-on-one situations against Cavani and getting fingertips to a curling Suarez shot. But just six minutes into the half and Uruguay were to have their deserved lead, Arevalo played a cross onto the edge of the box where Diego Forlan was on hand to volley past the helpless Butt. This spectacular goal also put Forlan on five goals for the tournament making it even more interesting for the Golden Boot. But this time it was Germany's turn to be undeterred and they came searching for the equaliser. It came just five minutes after going behind; Muslera looked uncharacteristically nervous in goal and failed to collect a Boateng cross, it looped over him where the waiting Jansen headed the ball into the empty net. The game became very stretched as both teams looked to take the lead again, this left a lot of open spaces for swift counter-attacks. Again Butt made himself big to stop Forlan and again saved neatly to prevent Suarez from getting his goal. Kiessling had a great chance for Germany when they countered via a breathtaking passing masterclass but Kiessling fired over from fifteen yards. The winning goal was somewhat sloppy from another Ozil corner, Muslera and the Uruguay defence failed to clear and ball bounced up to Khedira who looped his header over the diving Muslera and Uruguay were 3-2 down. Forlan nearly forced extra time with the last kick of the game when they were awarded a last minute free-kick, it hit the crossbar and went behind, leaving Germany with the Bronze medal.
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