Kahn and Germany are in the last four (Allsport).
RESULT IS EVERYTHING FOR KAHN
By Paul Walker, PA Sport in Ulsan
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Oliver Kahn's wonder show sent Germany to the World Cup semi-finals with the
veteran goalkeeper claiming they had at last consigned their Euro 2000 misery to
history.
The Germans went out of the European Championships in the first round and were
ridiculed back home, with their game slumping to a crisis that was highlighted
by England's 5-1 win back in September in their World Cup group qualifying
clash.
But with Germany on their way to the Seoul semi-final and with England on
their way home after the Brazil defeat, Kahn said: "Taking stock of German
football after the disaster of Euro 2000, I am happy to say that now we have
consigned that to history.
"We can now be proud of a team with some great young players in it who will
only get better here and then be ready for 2006."
Kahn, and a large percentage of this current squad, will probably be too old
for their own finals in 2006, but they could well be hosting them as holders if
they continue their current, hugely predictable, march to glory.
And Kahn dismissed claims that the Germans were lucky.
He said: "Yes, the America were fantastic, they almost pulled us to the
ground. But in two days' time nobody will remember, nobody will ask about the
losers.
"Nobody will ask what went wrong at times for us in this one, the basic thing
is that we are in the semi-final. Anybody who does that belongs in the top four
teams in the world."
Kahn produced a string of magnificent saves to keep the States at bay, and
then revealed the intense pressures experienced by goalkeepers.
He said: "There was such mental pressure, it was immense, goalkeepers can
just stand and watch and that's not good for your mental well being.
"You get exhausted just watching, and exhausted with the tension and
pressures.
"You saw that in the England match, in the second half they were barely able
to move anymore, that's how it seems.
"I will do anything for the success of Germany and will do my bit, but I have
a very good fighting crew in front of me who give their all."
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