Germany rebounds for third place, 3-1

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored twice against the Portuguese.
STUTTGART, Germany (AP) -- This third-place game had meaning -- for Germany, at least.
Capping a jubilant World Cup in style, the hosts defeated Portugal 3-1 Saturday on two goals by Bastian Schweinsteiger.
He also set up the third, when his free kick was deflected in for an own-goal by Portugal's Armando Petit.
Winning the consolation game was the next best thing to playing in today's final. It was also an unexpected achievement when the young German team began play behind innovative coach Juergen Klinsmann four weeks ago.
Schweinsteiger's two goals were almost identical.
Dynamic duo
In the 56th, he retreated from the corner of the penalty area on the left side and worked to the middle of the field, and from 25 yards launched the ball without rotation, a frozen blast beyond the reach of a leaping goalkeeper Ricardo.
Six minutes later, the midfielder -- who didn't start in the 2-0 loss to Italy in the semifinals -- set up the own-goal as Petit deflected his free kick behind Ricardo.
In the 78th, he again sent a rising shot sailing over Ricardo's hands. With this one he doffed his shirt, drawing applause from the sellout crowd of 52,000.
The Germans have won the World Cup three times, and they are always a threat. They've reached the semifinals a record 11 times, and this is their third consolation prize.
Portugal failed to match its best World Cup, falling just short of the third-place finish in 1966. Eusebio, a member of that 1966 team, was on the bench -- but couldn't rally a victory.
Portugal winger Luis Figo came on as a late substitute and, at 33, surely has played in his last World Cup.
It's also likely to be the final World Cup game for 37-year-old German keeper Oliver Kahn, who got his first start after sitting on the bench for six games behind Jens Lehmann.
Portugal winger Luis Figo came on as a late substitute and, at 33, surely has played in his last World Cup. It's also likely to be the final World Cup game for 37-year-old German keeper Oliver Kahn, who got his first start after sitting on the bench for six games behind Jens Lehmann.
German newspapers called this the "Little Final," but it had a big feeling in a stadium awash with Germany's black, yellow and red national colors. One handwritten poster read: "Thanks for being our guest," shorthand for the feel-good factor in this tournament.
The biggest question for Germany is the future of coach Klinsmann. The California resident has been noncommittal about his plans. But even the tabloid Bild, his biggest critic a month ago, has begun a write-in campaign to keep him.
Other newspapers like the Berliner Kurier carried this headline: "Klinsi, please stay." A poster hanging from the team's hotel in Stuttgart read: "Thanks guys for a wonderful four weeks."
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