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Outstanding Subs At a World Cup where substitutes have made more impact than ever, it was fitting that Mario Goetze came off the bench to win it, and another replacement supplied the perfect cross. Goetze’s extra-time goal to beat Argentina and win the cup was the 32nd scored by a substitute in Brazil. The previous best, 23 at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, is not even close.
Dejected Fans Thousands of Argentine soccer fans gathered on the golden sands of Copacabana beach gasped and then fell into silence when Germany scored a stunning extra-time goal to claim the World Cup title. More than 70,000 Argentina fans packed into Rio de Janeiro in recent days, many traveling upward of 40 hours by car and seemingly all wearing their team’s sky-blue jerseys and chanting day and night.
Leaders Jeered Brazil President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA President Sepp Blatter were jeered and whistled by spectators before they presented the trophy at the World Cup final. Whistling noises were heard from the stands at the Maracana Stadium when they were shown on giant screens. Rousseff and Blatter jointly handed over the trophy to Germany captain Philipp Lahm. (AP)
Goals scored in Brazil, equaling the World Cup record set in 1998 in France — which was the first played with 32 teams over 64 matches. That averages at 2.67 goals per game. (AP)
World Cup With two quick and sublimely deft touches, Mario Goetze ended Germany’s 24-year wait for another World Cup title. Goetze scored the winning goal in extra time to give Germany a 1-0 victory over Argentina on Sunday in a tight and tense World Cup final that came down to a few moments of individual skill. Goetze, who wasn’t born when West Germany beat Argentina in the 1990 f ina l, controlled a cross with his chest in t he 113th minute and in one fluid motion volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Sergio Romero and inside the far post from five yards out. It was a goal that gave Germany its fourth World Cup title in its eighth final, and left Argentina star Lionel Messi still walking in the shadow of his compatriot Diego Maradona, who led his country to the 1986 title. Goetze came on as a substitute for Miroslav Klose toward the end of regulation time, and the 22-yearold midfielder’s fresh legs made the difference. Andre Schuerrle broke down the left flank, sending his cross into the area, and the Bayern Munich player did the rest with a clinical finish.
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Germany’s Mario Goetze scored the game-winning goal in extra time Sunday.
For Germany, the victory ends a string of near misses since winning its last major title at the 1996 European Championship. The team lost the 2002 World Cup final to Brazil and lost in the semifinals in both 2006 and 2010. “It’s incredible. The team did it beautifully,” Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said. “At some point we’ll stop celebrating but we’ll still wake up with a smile.” It is Germany’s first World Cup title as a unified nation, having won as West Germany in 1954, 1974 and 1990. It was also the third World Cup final between these countries and had been billed as a matchup between the perfect team and the perfect individual, pitting Germany’s machine-like unit against the brilliance of Messi, the four-time world player of the year. But in the biggest game of his career, Messi came up short. He had one good chance to score when he was sent free in the area just after the halftime break, but he sent his shot wide of the far post. “It’s incredible how hard we worked and what a performance we produced,” Germany captain Philipp Lahm said. “It’s an incredible feeling.” MAT TIAS K AREN (AP)
Golden Ball: Lionel Messi, Argentina
Golden Glove: Manuel Neuer, Germany
Messi received the award for best player of the World Cup minutes after his Argentina team lost the final 1-0 to Germany. Messi was selected ahead of Thomas Mueller of Germany and Netherlands forward Arjen Robben by FIFA’s technical study group of coaching analysts. Messi, the four-time world player of the year, scored four goals in the group stage but none in the knockout rounds. (E XPRESS/AP)
Neuer collected the best goalkeeper prize after he allowed just two goals in four knockout-round games and four goals in the entire World Cup. The 28-year-old had 25 saves and an 86 percent save rate in the tournament. In other awards, James Rodriguez of Colombia got the golden boot as top scorer with six goals, and the best young player award went to Paul Pogba of France. (E XPRESS/AP)
NBA Refusing to stagger after the stunning defection of Trevor Ariza to the Houston Rockets, the Wizards shook off the disappointment and made a shocking deal of their own by landing Paul Pierce. Pierce, a 10-time A ll-Star and likely Hall of Famer, agreed to sign a two-year deal for the full mid-level exception worth $10.8 million, according to a multiple people with knowledge of the situation. He has a player option for the second year. The 36-year-old Pierce spent the first 15 years of his career with the Boston Celtics, winning a championship in 2008, and his former
Paul Pierce averaged a career-low 13.5 points a game last season with the Nets.
teammate and current Wizards assistant Sam Cassell played a huge role in recruiting him to Washington. He averaged a career-low 13.5 points last season in Brooklyn, but he gives the Wizards a proven big-game performer and another
veteran mentor to help expedite the progression of franchise building blocks John Wall and Bradley Beal. Pierce announced his arrival on Twitter by stating, “Obama, J Wall here I come.” The Wizards didn’t want to take
any steps back after advancing to the second round for the first time in nine years and quickly found an answer at the small forward position after Ariza spurned them to rejoin the Rockets. Pierce has averaged 21.3 and 5.9 rebounds over a 16-year career. Adding a player with his track record proves how much the organization has grown into a relevant destination. Pierce won’t be looked upon as a primary scorer, but he is certainly capable of creating his own shot and can help 21-year-old Otto Porter Jr. ease into his transition as a rotation player after playing sparingly last season. The Wizards do not expect his presence to stunt Porter’s development in any way. Coach Randy Wittman could also use Pierce as a small ball power forward, a position in which he was able to thrive last season with the Nets. MICHAEL LEE (THE WASHINGTON POST)
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Former Nets forward agrees to 2-year deal worth $10.8 million ISSAC BALDIZON (NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES)
Vladimir Putin chatted with Angela Merkel, and David Beckham, above, hugged Pele at the World Cup final. Tom Brady looked on from the VIP seats when his wife Gisele Bundchen brought the trophy on the field before the game. Mick Jagger and LeBron James were also in the Maracana Stadium.
Goetze’s extra-time goal sinks Argentina in World Cup final
Wizards Lose Ariza But Add Pierce Where Did They Go? You may have heard that LeBron James is returning to Cleveland, but here are some other deals you may have missed after a busy weekend in NBA free agency.
Pau Gasol, above, announced on his verified Twitter account that he reached an agreement with the Bulls. The Grizzlies signed Vince Carter to bolster their outside shooting. The Jazz matched Charlotte’s four-year, $63 million offer for Gordon Hayward. Jeremy Lin joined the Lakers in a trade with the Rockets. Luol Deng agreed to a $20 million, two-year deal with the Heat. The Suns acquired point guard Isaiah Thomas in a sign-and-trade deal with the Kings. (AP)
GMAT waived Anthony, a ‘Knick at Heart,’ Enroll in Stratford’s Decides to Stay in New York Entrepreneurial Masters Program,
and become your own
NBA Carmelo Anthony wanted to be a Knick a few years ago, and nothing has changed now. Anthony is staying in New York, announcing his decision Sunday in a posting titled “My City, My Heart” on his website. “This organization has supported me and in return, I want to stay and build here with this city and my team,” Anthony said. He explained that he owed it to himself to explore all his options as a free agent, and thanked the teams he met with for their interest. “Through it all, my heart never wavered,” he wrote. The Knicks can pay the All-Star forward nearly $130 million over five years, though Anthony has said he would be open to taking less than the maximum salary if it would help build a winning team.
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Carmelo Anthony averaged 27.4 points and 8.1 rebounds a game last season.
Anthony met with Chicago, Houston, Dallas and the Lakers after terminating the final year of his contract and becoming a free agent July 1. “I will always remember this chapter in my life,” he wrote. “In the end, I am a New York Knick at heart.” BRIAN MAHONEY (AP)
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