Stuttgart, July 9 (DPA) Bastian Schweinsteiger was the hero as hosts Germany ended their World Cup campaign on a winning note Saturday with a 3-1 win against Portugal here in the play-off match for third place.
At the end of the match the victorious German team received their bronze medals from UEFA vice president Michel Platini, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German President Horst Koehler.
Also on hand to congratulate the players, who celebrated their win as if they had won the World Cup itself, was the President of the local organising committee Franz Beckenbauer and the President of the German football association Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder.
After receiving their medals, the team went on a lap of honour during a powerful and colourful firework display and most of the 52,000 fans in the stadium stayed for well over 30 minutes applauding the players who seemed reluctant to leave the field.
Defender Christoph Metzelder said that he felt proud to have been a part of the team. 'We had a terrific time and Sunday when we say thank you to our fans in Berlin it will be another highlight.'
Blatter said the second half of the match had been some of the best football seen during this tournament. 'Credit goes to both sides, who really went into this match wanting to win and I think it was a terrific performance from them.'
Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann was forced to make several changes, with defenders Arne Friedrich and Per Mertesacker, as well as midfielders Tim Borowski and Michael Ballack all out through injury, while Jens Lehmann made way for former captain Oliver Kahn who captained the side in Ballack's absence.
Middlesbrough defender Robert Huth, who was drafted into defence for Mertesacker injured himself during the warm-up and had to be replaced by Jens Nowotny at short notice. It was the 32-year old's first-ever World Cup match.
Although fielding several newcomers in the side, Germany began lively and in a fluid game had their first opportunity in the fifth minute when Christoph Metzelder's shot after a corner appeared to hit Nuno Valente's hand, but referee Toru Kamikawa waved play on.
Portugal, who were out to equal their previous best-ever performance by finishing third as they did in 1966, also played enterprising football and went in search of goals.
Kahn, who won the Golden Ball as the best player in South Korea/Japan four years ago, prevented his side from going behind in the 15th minute when he did well to save Pauleta's shot.
Ten minutes later it was Kahn's Portuguese counterpart Ricardo who was called upon to make a save when he pushed aside Lukas Podolski's powerful freekick.
Schweinsteiger gave his side the lead in the 56th minute with a long-range effort that seemed to change direction in midair and fly in past the outstretched hands of Ricardo.
The Bayern Munich midfielder set up the second goal just four minutes later when his freekick was deflected into his own goal by Petit, who had come on at half time for Costinho.
The 21-year-old scored his second in the 78th minute with another shot from outside the area.
Nuno Gomes pulled one back with a diving header in the 88th minute from a Luis Figo cross, giving the Portuguese captain who started the match on the bench at least something to smile about.
Figo, who is expected to retire after the tournament, said that he was disappointed with the outcome. 'It is difficult to end like this, but I did what I could.
We played well, but Germany deserved the victory.'
He did not want to commit himself towards his future immediately after the game. 'I will think about things and then decide what to do.'
Klinsmann brought on Thomas Hitzlsperger and Mike Hanke - who apart from Nowotny and third-choice goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had been the only players before the match not to have played in the six preceding matches - in the second half.
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