The assumption had been that Germany would go through. Germany always went through. Germany never messed this sort of thing up. Germany had never failed to make it through the group stage. It had gotten past the first round in every World Cup it had entered since 1938. And yet after 90 minutes of its third group game in Russia, it was drawing 0–0 with South Korea, a result that, with Sweden leading Mexico 3–0, meant Germany was on its way out.
Still, a goal would have taken Germany through, at Mexico’s expense. But when a goal came, it was for the Koreans.