Leander Schaerlaeckens: Enjoy the next one. We'll be back at 4 p.m. ET.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Thanks for following along with us, everybody!

Chris Jones: Well, that was fun. The Internet will now destroy me and everyone I care about.

Jeff Bradley: All those Americans who think it's all about the EPL. Check out some Bundesliga action this year.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina is out!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It's over!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: He was into the box and got a shot off, but it was no use.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi just can't get his goal here.

Jeff Carlisle: Looks like Uruguay will likely be flying the flag for South America in the semis. Who would have thunk it?

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Fine. Contract or no. One minute of extra time.

Chris Jones: I predict they'll win this one, 4-0.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Chris...

Chris Jones: You know, this German team is pretty good.

Luke Cyphers: No cheering in the press box.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: No, they'll settle for holding the ball.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany again!

Jeff Bradley: The Deportes Gang, to their credit, still cheering hard for Diego's kids

Luke Cyphers: That was a pretty good volley, though.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Ozil over the top on the cross to Klose, who had only to stick it in.

Jeff Bradley: Diego: Germany cheated

Chris Jones: Yeah, I knew that was coming. Luckily, I get paid by the hit.

Jeff Bradley: That goal was a clinic

Jeff Carlisle: Ballack is smiling now.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Nice summersault, which was harder than the finish.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: What ease.

Luke Cyphers: And Klose sticks the landing!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Podolski!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: 4-0!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany on the break, four against three.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina isn't caving, but it's not much use.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Aguero, who has come on for Di Maria, slaloms past a man or two but loses it thereafter.

Chris Jones: Josh has maximum wisdom, but rolled only a 6 for charisma.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Friedrich gets it away from Messi, who steps on his knee.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: 't Would, Paris. But Germany has to get past Spain, I presume.

Jeff Carlisle: I'll be content to wait for the Spain/Germany semi.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Pastore with a shot from distance. It didn't have a prayer.

Chris Jones: No using Dutch words, Leander.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany now playing with the insouciance of certain semifinalists.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Scored the opening goal here, and had a very big hand in the second.

Chris Jones: If Germany seems good now, wait till 2014.

Chris Jones: That's nuts.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Twenty years old.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: What a sensation he is.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Muller is off for Piotr Trochowski.

Jeff Bradley: Serbia just raised a glass for their victory over this great German team

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie taunting Argentina now, standing still on the ball.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi on the top of the box, but he loses it far too easily to Muller.

Chris Jones: The over, Alex.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: My money was on Klose too.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Klose in a footrace with Burdisso, but he slips.

Jeff Carlisle: Can't say that I blame Ballack though. If only...

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Podolski's subsequent cross sails over the head of Muller.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Kroos with a good shot from afar, but it's a simple save for Romero.

Luke Cyphers: No, really, the Diego presser ticket is golden.

Jeff Carlisle: Michael Ballack looking a bit subdued in the stands.

Luke Cyphers: I've got a golden ticket!!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie spots Podolski a pass but his shot is well wide.

Jeff Bradley: It's all over but the Diego presser!

Jeff Carlisle: He'll miss the next match. Whenever that is.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Mascherano gets a yellow for taking down Klose on the run.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: And fat.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Pastore waits too long to cross on the left and loses it. On a second attempt, he slips and loses it again.

Luke Cyphers: Suddenly, Argentina looks quite short.

Jeff Bradley: The key for Germany after taking the lead was to absorb. Argentina is still a great team. Despite Argentina's dominance of the ball, I'm trying to remember clear chances

Chris Jones: Yeah, but I'm here, and you're not. How crazy is that?

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Muller on the run, feeds Klose but the cross is cleared.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Toni Kroos is on for Sami Khedira.

Luke Cyphers: Luckily, I couldn't file my Maradona is ready sidebar to Chris' column because of bad Internet at my hotel. Phew.

Chris Jones: Stupid Internet... Making me look stupid forever.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Tevez's shot sails over.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Yes, Jeff, but Argentina has dominated the vast majority of this match, and take many more chances.

Jeff Bradley: Who was the idiot for espn.com who wrote that Messi is the best player in the tournament?

Chris Jones: Can somebody take my Diego Maradona story down, please? Anyone? Let's just pretend that never happened...

Luke Cyphers: And Lionel Messi still hasn't scored.

Jeff Bradley: I disagree Leander. Early goal, great defending, then pounce to finish them off. Comprehensive at this level

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina with a dangerous cross, but everybody was either a little too early or a little too late.

Jeff Carlisle: Look at who Schweinsteiger beat. Di Maria and Higuain among others. What the heck were those guys doing defending on that play?

Leander Schaerlaeckens: This has to be the least convincing destruction ever.

Chris Jones: Guy next to me just keeps saying over and over again: "This is football."

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie cut past everybody and slipped it into Friedrich's path to goal, he had but to tap it in!

Chris Jones: Argentine defense looked like pylons. Just walked in.

Jeff Bradley: That's Freidrich's first ever goal for the national team

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Another favorite stranded in the quarterfinals!

Jeff Carlisle: Game.Set. Match.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Arne Friedrich!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It's all over!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: 3-0!!!!

Chris Jones: Stats! Oh... It's you.

Jeff Bradley: Germany can play some mean tight-space keepaway

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina has never won a World Cup game when trailing at halftime.

0-8-1

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Jansen sent in a cross but it was too low.

Jeff Carlisle: I wonder what Maradona will call Mueller in the post-game press conference. Luke, you should goat Diego. C'mon. You know you want to.

Luke Cyphers: Boateng played well.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: A left back for a left back.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Boateng is off for Germany for Marcell Jansen.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Wins a throw-in.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie on the right.

Luke Cyphers: I believe you're right, Jeff. And he's also best ball boy.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: That officially makes him the best rookie of this tournament.

Jeff Carlisle: Looked like Muller with the ball to Podolski in the lead up to Klose's goal.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: An Argentinian cross zips past Neuer after Mertesacker makes a bad decision and lets it go.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Pastore is an attacking midfielder. He'll take the place of a defender.

Chris Jones: Somewhere, Paul the Octopus is smoking a cigarette.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Otamendi is off for Javier Pastore.

Jeff Bradley: You know guys, a two-goal lead is the most dangerous lead in sports. Just saying.

Jeff Carlisle: I was wondering the same thing, Leander. Great ball completely unlocked the Argentine defense.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Podolski breaks out again but his shot is right at Romero.

Luke Cyphers: I think Ozil had a sports drink

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I wonder whose excellent ball that was to Podolski.

Chris Jones: I believe Diego is about to do something dramatic and impulsive.

Chris Jones: He walked that into the net.

Chris Jones: 100 goals, and that might have been his easiest.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Podolski fed close on the verge of offside after a man had fallen over but played Podolski into space anyway!

Jeff Bradley: Clint Dempsey thinks he's off

Chris Jones: She's still looking for her neck, though.

Luke Cyphers: Angela Merkel claps!

Jeff Bradley: Number 100 for Klose!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Wonderful finish!!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: 2-0!!!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: GERMANY!!!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: GOAL!!!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: On a very long ball Muller almost wins the header and would have had a nice path to goal.

Luke Cyphers: Leander loves Ozil as much as he hates the Defense Pole.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Too low.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie behind it at the corner of the box. 22 yards.

Jeff Carlisle: Even more surprising is that Low has not gone to his bench.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Podolski wins a free kick just outside the Argentinian box after a good ball from Mr. One Step Behind Everything.

Chris Jones: Germans look to be fading pretty fast here. Kind of surprising for such a young team.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Di Maria cuts in from the right but his shot too is right at Neuer.

Luke Cyphers: Ozil looks like he needs a sports drink. he's a step behind everything.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina has Germany trapped really high though.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The corner is headed away.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi's shot from the edge of the box is blocked and Lahm prevents Higuain from getting to it one-on-one with Neuer.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: My neighbor has given up on typing and is now just shouting instructions.

Chris Jones: Great ball by Messi. Higuain might have done better with that shot.

Luke Cyphers: Not sure how long Germany can withstand this pressure. Their giveaways not helping.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi plays Higuain the ball on the left, but his shot is at Neuer, who clutches it in two attempts.

Chris Jones: There's a yakuza joke there somewhere.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I hope a finger-transplant is covered by my insurance..

Jeff Bradley: Deportes gang not happy with that decision by Tevez

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Tevez with a long shot! But it skips into Neuer's arms.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Higuain almost connects with Messi in the box!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina fails to break away and gifts it back to Germany, which sees Muller send a bad cross.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie into the wall.

Chris Jones: I have to say, that super slow-motion camera makes every tackle look like the most brutal thing ever.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: 25 or so yards.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany wins a free kick as Mascherano clumsily hip throws Muller.

Jeff Bradley: Game is opening up

Leander Schaerlaeckens: What a delightfully deviant game!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi almost breaks through at the other end!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: But his cross is tame.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Lahm into the box!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Low getting animated on the sidelines.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Boateng tramples Higuain and doesn't get penalized.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina on the break!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Ugh.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Nobody say it...

Chris Jones: The Germans formed a giant wall there. I think eight of them were between Messi and the goal.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: At the other end a Podolski cross, easily recognizable for the yellow shoes it came off, finds nobody in front of goal.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi almost cuts through traffic with those furious little feet of his!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Or the tip of his shoe.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Boateng with a lovely cross into Klose, who saw Romero's fists get to it before his forehead did.

Chris Jones: How dare you! He's a nice lady!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Maradona is despairing.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It wasn't much indeed.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Surely not by much.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Higuain is offside on a lovely ball through!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Slowed by the wall and scooped up by Romero.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Long free kick for Germany. Podolski looks like he'll take it.

Chris Jones: He looks like Heinze now.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Operation succeeded. Congratulations doctor Tevez.

Luke Cyphers: Leander doesn't like the Defense Pole.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: In the replay you can see his whole face ripple, and emerge from it more symmetrical and with higher cheek bones.

Jeff Carlisle: German passing has gone completely in the toilet. Podolski's passing percentage must be plummeting.

Chris Jones: Leander's ice cold today. Yowza.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The corner is cleared and Argentina again gets in the box on the subsequent play, but Neuer does a well enough job to get rid of the cross.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: A high cross into the German box and Rodriguez chested it down for Tevez to shoot. But it was off Mertesacker's face, which got prettier.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi with the ball in the box, but he can't win the corner.

Jeff Carlisle: Which suits Germany just fine.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: This game is getting bogged down by physicality.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: A cross-field pass -- a cross, if you will -- goes over Messi's head, as many things in life do.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie then bowls over an opponent and almost gets the yellow he must absolutely avoid.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie with a great all to Ozil, who wins a throw-in.

Chris Jones: Unfortunately, Stats was harpooned late last night. He was mistaken for a narwhal.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina picks it up where they left off in the first half, by gobbling up all the chances.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Sails just wide!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Di Maria with a tailing shot from afar!

Jeff Bradley: Sharp start for Argentina

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi with the ball in the box! But it's tapped away.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Rodriguez had the ball in the box but he dallied on it for too long.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina had 55 percent of possession in the first half.

Chris Jones: That was comment serendipity right there. Well done, everybody.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The second half is up and running.

Chris Jones: So if we take Shaka's job, and Drew takes our jobs, who gets Drew's job?

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Like I said: nailed to the ground.

Luke Cyphers: Jeff and Chris want Shaka Hislop's job.

Chris Jones: You're right, Jeff. Just caught flat-footed. Have to stay on your toes on a ball like that. His cleats in the turf, his weight over top, no chance to kick out the right leg.

Jeff Carlisle: Just watching the replay of Muller's goal. That was some pretty shoddy keeping from Romero. He just didn't anticipate any kind of deflection at all. The ball even hit him on the way in. Poor.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Beautiful scenes on the concourse. Several Muslims made us of the intermission for their sundown prayers. This truly is the World's Cup.

Chris Jones: I'd like to see a post-game review of flagrant dives, too. The Spain-Portugal game comes to mind. A two-game suspension for that might curb it.

Chris Jones: That's true John... Not thinking clearly this morning. Straight red, hard to justify his not missing the match. But Muller is uncool.

Chris Jones: Yeah, the accumulated yellows... Maybe that should end after the Round of 16. Suarez missing, Muller possibly missing (if Germany advances)... It kind of sucks.

Luke Cyphers: Argentina started closing down better on Mueller later in the half, but they're still giving Germany a lot of space in midfield.

Jeff Bradley: Two things. Argentina's marking on the German goal was hideous. Secondly, the yellow card to Mueller is a travesty. If Germany wins, he misses the semi and that's a shame.

Jeff Carlisle: It will be interesting to see if Diego changes things here. If I were him I wouldn't. After a shaky first 15 minutes, I thought Argentina settled into the game pretty well, and had some good spells of possession. If Maradona does change things, I would think he'll bring on Veron.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The gods fear they haven't the time to explain it to him.

Chris Jones: Would love to hear that halftime chat.

Jeff Bradley: Diego is ticked

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Diego asks the gods what he did wrong.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi with a shot but it sails over.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: One minute of added time.

Luke Cyphers: Heinze's cheekbones are filled with rage.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The shot goes over.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinsteiger with a shot from distance as Heinze flips his own giant lid.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Diego with another superb touch. The crowd cheers.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany's corner is cleared.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: On the other end, Muller gets lots of time in the box but his shot is too fancy and deflects for a corner.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina's pressure is to no avail, as it can't get through the final lines.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi almost gets a shot off but it's blocked, as are most of Argentina's attempts.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It's been a bloodbath for the offside cloth.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Another lineman's flag bites the dust!

Chris Jones: Pants! Chocloate! Stratford-On-Avon!

Luke Cyphers: Jabulani!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Ozil's shot is over.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Now Germany again.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina on the other end but Klose robs them of it.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Ozil loses it.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany on the break as Muller finds Ozil.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Mertesacker gets to it.

Jeff Bradley: Tiro de esquina, otra vez

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Played short and sent in but Neuer got his fists to is. A long shot is deflected for another corner.

Chris Jones: Call me Ishmael.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Topsy-turvy game here.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Corner to Argentina.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Don't let your writing get too herky-jerky, Chris.

Jeff Bradley: Tiro de Esquina

Chris Jones: I love a good argy-bargy, almost as much as I love a slappy-dappy.

Jeff Carlisle: Germany needed that little spell there. Argentina were really controlling things for a while.

Luke Cyphers: Good ole Schweiny. Good ole Poldi.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: A long Podolski shot whistles just wide!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Trying to ride out the half by keeping possession.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinsteiger is calming the game down for Germany.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: When Germany quite blatantly deserved the free kick.

Chris Jones: Quite a lid, too, Leander.

Jeff Bradley: I'd like to say to the Deportes gang, "Tranquilo"

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Tevez flips a lid and almost gets a yellow.

Jeff Carlisle: At least four guys were offside there. Easy call for the assistant referee.

The Boss: Cheering is allowed in the IBC, apparently.

Chris Jones: Yeah, this is easily the loudest media center I've been in.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: After the free kick went into the wall, it was played through to several, but they'd been trapped offside.

Jeff Bradley: Seroiusly, my eardrum just burst. The Deportes Boys are up in arms

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Four of them were offside.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentinian goal disallowed!

Luke Cyphers: That's a goal against Mexico.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Offside!

Jeff Bradley: That's a harsh card.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Again, 22 or so yards for Tevez or Messi.

Chris Jones: Muller misses the next match, looks Gazzaesque.

Jeff Carlisle: I think Argentina have largely done that. The game seems to be at Argentina's tempo. They seem to be finding more spaces in the German defense.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Tevez got the ball, played it out to Di Maria whose cross was headed away. Messi controlled it but Muller used his arm to take it away.

Luke Cyphers: Germany finally slowing down, and Argentina finding some room.

Jeff Bradley: Here comes the equalizer

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Again in a promising spot.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Free kick to Argentina!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: No luck.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It was Higuain, he zipped past two men and shot at the short corner.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Di Maria again!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I'll relay the message.

Jeff Bradley: Deportes crowd at the IBC shouting "tranquilo" to Argentina. Want them to calm down

Leander Schaerlaeckens: His pass is intercepted.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi on the ball.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinie attempts it from long, but it' blocked at the outset.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Rushed that play a little, I think.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Right at Neuer.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Di Maria with a shot in the box!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Burdisso gets Khedira off the ball well on the edge of the Argentina box.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Sporting a University of West Virginia hat, for some reason.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Leonardo Di Caprio is here!

Chris Jones: I think Argentina will score before the 90-minute mark.

Luke Cyphers: Too many defense poles.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: By a lot.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Zips over the far top left corner.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi behind it.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: That's problematic for Argentina right now.

Jeff Carlisle: Looked like Tevez received a face wash from Podolski on that one.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I'm noticing that Messi is having to drop to right in front of his defense just to collect the ball.

Jeff Bradley: Tevez made a meal out of that

Chris Jones: Here it comes... Right on time...

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Free kick for Messi from, oh, 22 yards.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Tevez is fouled by Podolski.

Chris Jones: Leander's starting to write like Herman Melville. Trouble's brewing.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Di Maria stretches a wee challenge into three rollovers but doesn't get the call. He gets a throw-in though.

Jeff Bradley: I think adidas had a closeout sale, FC

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Maradona peers at the setting sun, and know his time will soon come, if an answer isn't found.

Chris Jones: I think they're making it work.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Di Maria to Messi in the center, who plays it wide to Heinze, but his shot is hopelessly off.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: At length Messi escapes but his cross goes behind.

Chris Jones: Germany just stacking the box.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina is tapping it around with little urgency, to the consternation of my neighbor.

Chris Jones: I still have three minutes to look like a genius.

Luke Cyphers: What press?

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinsteiger is given an awful lot of time on the ball here. Argentina's press seems to be off.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It was a double-kick, one with each foot.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: No card.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Khedira puts the smack-down on Di Maria.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi zips it on to Higuain, but his dribble stalls before it starts, playing it out too far in front of himself.

Luke Cyphers: Germany's attackers not really bothered very much by Argentina's "defenders" right now.

Jeff Carlisle: What a let-off for Argentina. Klose will be having nightmares about that one.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Klose is rightly disgusted with himself.

Chris Jones: See, Klose's mistake there was he used his feet. He should have been lying flat on the ground and headed it.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Muller picked up a loose ball, charged into the area and fed Klose whose finish went just over.

Luke Cyphers: Thanks for not making a Klose pun

Leander Schaerlaeckens: SO CLOSE!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany's ball now.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: No foul.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Neuer was a fraction earlier but got clipped on the arm by Higuain.

Jeff Bradley: Bien! Bien! Bien!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi with a splendid ball through to Higuain!

Chris Jones: Um, Pete? That's my job.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Rodriguez's run was blocked off, but Germany couldn't connect the dots on the counter.

Chris Jones: Saturday is your day, shotty.

Jeff Bradley: Back here at the IBC, some very agitated Deportes folks

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Otamendi again on the right, but the ball is too deep.

Chris Jones: Argentina will score before the 30 minute mark.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Higuain twisted past a man byt Mertesacker was there to cover it. Or was it Lahm?

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The Argentinian contingent is waking up here.

Chris Jones: Diego knows not from panic.

Jeff Carlisle: It wouldn't be the first time. He's known to be very impulsive with his subs.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Could Diego be panicking? Five Argentinians are warming up.

Chris Jones: Argentina seem to be giving up on some of these attacks, just stalling.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Three Argentinians offside on the next ball over.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Maxi's cross is headed away.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: His cross was deflected for a cirner.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: He played it to Higuain who found Otamendi free on the right.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Messi on the ball.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina now settling onto the ball in the German half.

Luke Cyphers: Podolski another block.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentinian neighbors mumbles something after a cross fails to be sent.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Fire, incidentally, comes both in yellow and red colors.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina is really playing with fire on their tackles.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I've not seen much of Messi yet. He set up one counter-attack, but little else.

Jeff Carlisle: Argentina looking vulnerable on the flanks.

Chris Jones: Neck of God.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I'm hearing that Tevez's shoe came off.

Chris Jones: And Hamburglering. Hey-YO!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Bierhoff and Ballack spotted in the stands, by the way.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Klose almost gets to a cross from Lahm!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Then Mascherano blocked the counter with a savage tackle on Schweinsteiger.

Luke Cyphers: Podolski's a defense pole, only shorter.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina with a promising attack but the pass to Higuain in the box didn't arrive.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: He seems to be operating like a very advanced defender.

Luke Cyphers: Two nice blocks by Podolski to stop an Argentine break.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Otamendi seems to be begging for a red.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The corner is cleared.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Soites.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Otamendi was holding only a third as much as the Americans were being held against Slovenia.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: To be retaken after a scuffle between Otamendi and Muller.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Ozil behind it.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany with a series of dangerous touches at the edge of Argentina's box, but in the end Podolski's shot is deflected for a corner.

Jeff Bradley: I've got news about an impending tabloid headline...not really.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Podolski sends a cross over the head of Klose.

Jeff Carlisle: Yep. I can confirm that.

Chris Jones: Thanks for rubbing that in, Leander.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It could be heard in a media center in Johannesburg.

Luke Cyphers: Nothing worse than bad crack.

Chris Jones: That foul made a bad cracking sound.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Tevez on the right but he loses it. Otamendi shows up and gives Friedrich a kicking. Yellow.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Unlike his suit.

Chris Jones: Silky smooth.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Diego gets a touch, handing Otamendi the ball for a throw-in.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Maxi Rodriguez goes on a long saunter to nowhere in particular.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Well tackled by Lahm to stop the attack.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Set up by Messi!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina on the break!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Headed away.

Luke Cyphers: Germany just flat outrunning Argentina right now.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Corner to Germany.

Jeff Carlisle: Where or where is the Argentine midfield?

Leander Schaerlaeckens: On a lovely run in which Podolski was sent flying, Khediro almost made it onto a ball into the box.

Chris Jones: Is Germany wearing black or dark blue? They look terrifying.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany close!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: What a game this already is!

Luke Cyphers: Yes, JB, Mertesacker looks like a defense pole, which is his roughly translated nickname.

Jeff Carlisle: I wonder if that handball from Di Maria was "instinctive"?

Jeff Bradley: Our college and pro basketball guys would say Germany has great "length". Very long team

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Argentina at the other end.

Jeff Carlisle: Germany not letting up at all, going for the kill early.

Luke Cyphers: Germany looks waaay more athletic right now.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Danger averted.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: A shot goes wide.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinsteiger with a shot from distance on another handsome Germany attack. It's blocked but Germany still has the ball deep.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Romero was there though.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Khedira almost runs onto a through ball!

Chris Jones: Brian = Not the Amazing Kreskin.

Luke Cyphers: Said like a true U.S. follower.

Jeff Bradley: Nothing better than an early game to spice things up

Jeff Carlisle: Great delivery from Schweinsteiger to Mueller. Otamendi was left trailing the play.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I might have spoken too soon about Romero, he was nailed to the ground there!

Chris Jones: Romero got dummied a bit there.

Luke Cyphers: Third minute.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Nodded it on and off the crossed-up Romero's foot!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Schweinsteiger curls it in and Muller scores!

Luke Cyphers: Quickly

Leander Schaerlaeckens: GERMANY!!!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: GOAL!!!

Chris Jones: Yeah, that was a real foul.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Podolski is knocked down by Otamendi at the other end. CZould have given a yellow for that.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Di Maria managed to retain the ball past a handful of men on the left, but he couldn't get past the last.

Jeff Carlisle: Very reminiscent of the play that got Klose sent off against Serbia, although on that occasion it was a second yellow.

Jeff Bradley: Guten Tag, Buenas Dias

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It was Ozil with the run.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany with an early advance, but Klose steps on Mascherano's heels.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: My Argentinian colleague from ESPN Deportes next to me clutches his fist as his countrymen kick off.

Chris Jones: Here at the Media Center in Johannesburg, some people just clapped for the start of the game. That's... unusual.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: This game is underway!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: He's reading along. I might have to actually cover this game.

Chris Jones: The Boss is a fickle mistress.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Easy on the hyperbole there, buddy.

The Boss: I love editing everything everyone here writes. Now back to work!

Chris Jones: I love a referee from Uzbekistan. Everything is falling nicely into place.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: But was it fun to edit? Where's The Boss when you need him?

Chris Jones: Hey Erik, thanks. Fun to write, too.

Chris Jones: Luke Cyphers, ladies and gentlemen. Hit his head getting into the van this morning.

Luke Cyphers: Oh, wait, thats Xavi who looks like Jackie Gleason.

Luke Cyphers: Or a young Jackie Gleason

Jeff Carlisle: I can't decide if Mesut Ozil bears a closer resemblance to Peter Lorre or Marty Feldman.

Luke Cyphers: I really like the Argentine anthem, especially the boogie-dwon part.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Sing-along turned hoe-down.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Good on you Argentinians in the stadium. That was quite the sing-along.

Chris Jones: After yesterday's fantastic quarterfinals, today's will be hard-pressed to match up. But this one... this one... oh please oh please oh please.

Luke Cyphers: No fair commenting during anthems.

Chris Jones: 4 feet of coiled awesomeness.

Chris Jones: Oh Diego, I have eyes only for you.

Chris Jones: I won't be happy unless cannons somehow become involved.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Anthem time.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: If this game is tied after 90 minutes, a sword duel will follow. And then, penalties!

Chris Jones: Here to watch this blood-soaked fight to the death... I mean, soccer game.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Yeah, I'm street like that.

Jeff Carlisle: I think he means "phat".

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The players are out, and Argentina is getting pelted with ticker tape by its fans.

Luke Cyphers: You use the word "fat" often in describing Diego, Leander.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Diego is in the tunnel wiping off sweat, but not until he's given all of his starters a fat smooch on the cheek. No such love for his bench players.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Blanket disclaimer: Cyphers does not mean these things seriously.

Luke Cyphers: I would be really surprised and upset if anyone dies.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: The flags are out.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I think so. This should be a battle to the death! Or at least to 90 minutes.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It really would have been easier to mention those that didn't have a yellow going into this game.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: For Germany:
Friedrich
Khedira
Schweinsteiger
Ozil
Muller
Lahm
Cacau

Leander Schaerlaeckens: For Argentina:
Heinze
Mascherano
Bolatti

Luke Cyphers: Hello. This is quite a day for a soccer match. That's the last astute thing I'll write today, I predict.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Quite a few of them BOJO:

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Prescient answer there.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: No. But it's on my bucket list.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: No. Don't count out Spain.

Jeff Carlisle: Make that enmity. First typo of the day out of the way!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: More GRE words from Jeff!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It's a ton of fun to go to an Argentina game. They have such a dedicated and gung ho fan base.

Jeff Carlisle: Greetings everyone. Can't wait to see a match that harkens back to my youth. The 1986 and 1990 finals involved these two teams. If the quarterfinal match from 2006 is any indication, the emnity has not abated in the ensuing years.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: It's pretty even in terms of support it seems, which is impressive, because Argentina is always mightily-well supported.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Germany's going to want to set its pace and keep it very tight in the back. If you let Argentina play its own game you're going to get in trouble.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Remind me not to bring my poodle to you on a game day. Except if I'm sick of having a poodle.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I think Romero is better than people give him credit for. You can tell he still gets very nervous for Argentina's games because he hasn't been around for very long. But he's been great in the Dutch league.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Depends on where your surgeon is from.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Because throwing your hands up in elation could seriously damage a thing or two.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: And take the knife out of your patient when somebody looks like scoring!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Don't lose anything inside your patients!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Ha!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: What do you do man? Only sports writers and, erm, you, work on Saturdays!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: There there.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I've officially blown through my freshman Spanish now.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I not only have power today, I have internet and a table too. A screen is blocking my view, but I'm happy to peer over it. Can't have everything! And when you get to go to a game such as this one, you already have a lot.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: And Statsie should be here too!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I'd tell you who they are, but the surprise effect will be all the stronger when heavy hitter after heavy hitter materializes.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: I'll be joined by all manner of ESPNists at some point.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Bringing you the fattest of affairs: Argentina versus Germany!

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Here we are, at Cape Town's translucent and resplendent (would you have guessed that I did poorly in the GRE verbal section?) Green Point Stadium.

Leander Schaerlaeckens: Morning, America!