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Germany good but not great en route to Women's World Cup semis

MONTREAL - It was minutes from the end of Germany's round of 16 clash with Sweden when Simone Laudehr went down with an injury. She stayed down. She winced and grimaced. She was in pain. She had suffered a slight abdominal tear. But her teammates didn't put the ball out of play. Instead, they kept going. There was a chance of a counter attack and they wanted a fifth goal. It said much about this German side and a mindset they've had since the very start of this Women’s World Cup.

At the time, it was hard to read too much into their 10-0 group-stage win over Cote d'Ivoire – a game that was over inside the first 30 minutes. But the following day, I was with Norway coach Even Pellerud and we discussed the German performance.

“The most impressive thing was maybe not the first half or the scoreline but the way they concentrated on keeping going”, said the former Canadian coach.

“They never took their foot off the gas.”

In the last 20 minutes of the game, when other dominant teams usually sit back and empty the bench, Germany were scoring another four times. And that definitive opening result went a long way to ensuring top spot in the group – goals that ultimately proved the difference between themselves and second-placed Norway.

Still, it has been a strange few weeks for the side. Like so many other teams, they've struggled with consistency. Some days, they've been the complete cliche: resilient, relentless and remarkable. But sometimes, it just hasn't clicked at all.

Against the Norwegians, they controlled the opening period and should've scored more than just one goal. Oddly, as the half wore on and they continued to create chance after chance, they began to enjoy themselves. It was all very non-German. There was some showboating, some flicks and tricks. The crowd loved it.

OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 11: Maren Mjelde #6 of Norway celebrates her goal on a direct kick with team mates during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group B match between Germany and Norway at Lansdowne Stadium on June 11, 2015 in Ottawa, Canada.  (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 11: Maren Mjelde #6 of Norway celebrates her goal on a direct kick with team mates during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group B match between Germany and Norway at Lansdowne Stadium on June 11, 2015 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)

But there was no end result. Instead, Norway grew in confidence. It should've been 1-1 at the break and when Maren Mjelde finally equalized with that sumptuous free kick on the hour mark, it was richly deserved. Throughout the second half, Germany were anxious and impulsive and fortunate to escape from Ottawa with a point.

And the stickiness continued. Prior to their final group assignment against another minnow, Thailand, coach Silvia Neid was ominous with her pre-game talk. When pressed on whether Germany would take it easy, she played the archetypal villain, scoffing at the concept.

“Mercy is a funny term”, she said. The coldness of the opening remark was beautiful.

“Of course we want to show mercy but not when you're in a soccer match in a World Cup. All you're thinking about is to seize the opportunities you have. In the end it's about feeling self-confident after the game.”

The words were hardly prophetic though and it was all a bit underwhelming against the Thais. Until the hour mark, it was still a one-goal game before Germany finally pulled away. Inevitably, particularly after her pre-match declarations, Neid was frosty afterwards, admitting her side were far from superior.

As they were against France in that breathless, magnificent quarter-final in Montreal. How Germany survived was a minor miracle. They were out-thought, out-fought and still managed to rescue a result. They still gave themselves a chance. And, as it showed in the subsequent penalty shootout, in a battle of nerves and character the Germans will usually win.

Germany's Celia Sasic, right, celebrates with teammates Simone Laudehr, left, and Dzsenifer Marozsan after scoring from the penalty spot against France during the second half of a FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal soccer game, Friday, June 26, 2015, in Montreal, Canada. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Germany's Celia Sasic, right, celebrates with teammates Simone Laudehr, left, and Dzsenifer Marozsan after scoring from the penalty spot against France during the second half of a FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinal soccer game, Friday, June 26, 2015, in Montreal, Canada. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

It said much that when Dzsenifer Marozsan stepped up to take Germany's fourth penalty, she had an injured ankle that was badly swollen. Still, she walked to the spot and delivered when it mattered.

But the group isn't stupid. They're aware that they've stumbled far too often at this tournament already. Following the win over France, goalkeeper and captain Nadine Angerer said:

“We sang a few songs (in the locker room), we weren't dancing on the tables and chairs but we are happy”.

The general feeling is of relief and that doesn't sit well with Germany. They're relieved to have reached a semifinal. They're relieved to still be here, playing the Americans on Tuesday night for a spot in the final. Yet, they'd much rather this feeling than the one they had four years ago.

It's a subplot, certainly. On their own turf, they showed grit and determination to push through an immensely difficult group stage at the last World Cup. They picked up plenty of praise and plaudits for winning all three opening games and making such a firm statement of intent. And then, they lost to Japan in extra time of their quarterfinal and the dream was over. Just like that. When Karina Maruyama delicately tucked home what proved the winning goal, the camera cut to Neid on the touchline. She put her hand to her face, turned her back and shook her head. It made little sense.

And now her team are one game from another final and there's special significance attached. It's Neid's World Cup swan- ong, having confirmed that she'll be moving on in 2016 after 11 years in the job. And if Germany are to win it for her, they'll do it differently than before. Eight years ago in China, they eased through the knockout stage – scoring eight goals and conceding none on their way to the title.

This has been a slog. Quite frequently it's been unimpressive. But they keep going. And as long as they do, they'll always have a chance.