by Our Sports Desk

POWERHOUSE Germany were dumped out of the Women’s World Cup by the US in the early hours yesterday with many giving credit to the tactical masterclass from manager Jill Ellis.

The Germans will leave the tournament undoubtedly feeling hard done by after an awarded penalty, put wide by star striker Celia Sasic, didn’t yield a red card for the foul on one-on-one Alexandra Popp by Julie Johnston.

Gemany coach Silvia Neid said after the game: “The rule says yes, but she didn’t get a red card.“Tonight, I believe it will be very hard for all of us.”

Had the US side been forced to play the rest of the match with 10 players the outcome may have been different.

But instead, the incident was followed by a controversially awarded penalty at the other end of the field which was converted by Carli Lloyd in the 68th minute to break the deadlock, before substitute Kelley O’Hara stabbed in a second to seal the win.

Disputing the decision to hand the US a penalty for a challenge that seemed to take place outside the box, the manager said: “It was clearly outside the penalty area and it could be seen quite clearly on the television.

“Of course, I’m very, very sad about this, that this penalty shot decided the match. What am I going to do, though? A referee decision is something I have to live with. I am very sad about it, but I cannot change it,” she continued.

After the final whistle German forward Anja Mittag stuck up for her compatriot Sasic’s miss — Sasic had scored six goals in Germany’s first five games —  saying: “It’s not the reason we lost the game, because of her.

“She was the reason we’re here to play in the semi-final.”

Meanwhile, the jubilant US team, who began the tournament ranked second in the world to the Germans, won praise for their game-winning tactics from men’s star Landon Donovan who tweeted: “Full credit to Jill Ellis. Changed to 4-3-3, took a big chance by bringing Rapinoe off, substitute O’Hara scored second goal.”

But US manager Jill Ellis who had tweaked the team’s formation for the match, deflected the praise onto her players: “It is not about the system it is about the players on the field. They did a great job and played their hearts out. We prepared very well. The players executed, that is the key.”

Victorious team captain and US penalty-taker Carli Lloyd said of her heroics in front of the 51,176 crowd: “I just remained with my eyes on the ball and slotted it home [the penalty]. I knew what I had to do. We came out and played well. The more we knocked it about the better it was. We just kept our foot on the pedal. It is a dream come true. It is what we trained for; the blood, sweat and tears, My eyes are on the final now.”

It was the fourth time the teams have met in the World Cup and each time the victor has gone on to lift the trophy.

“We didn’t come here just to make the final,” said Lloyd, who is known for producing the goods in important games having scored the winner in extra time to win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics and scored both goals in the final of the 2012 London Games. “We came here to win it, so we’re going to go after it.”