1 2 ET PEN T
Germany 0 1 0 4 1
Argentina 0 1 0 2 1
BERLIN (AP) -There's no end to Germany's resourcefulness and tenacity at this World Cup.
The Germans relentlessly wore down Argentina in the quarterfinals Friday, taking advantage of a backup goalkeeper with a late goal to tie the game 1-1 and then winning the penalty-kick shootout 4-2 as Jens Lehmann stopped two shots.
''It's a thriller, like a Hitchcock movie,'' coach Juergen Klinsmann said. ''Obviously you're the happiest person in the world if you win it and the saddest if you lose.''
The hosts had seemed headed for a devastating loss, down for the first time in the tournament and frustrated by an Argentina team that dominated possession.
Rather than getting desperate, however, the Germans pressed the attack and fortune turned their way. Argentine goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri was injured in a collision with Germany's Miroslav Klose and replaced by Leonardo Franco, playing only his third national team game and his first minutes in a World Cup.
Nine minutes later, in the 80th minute of the match, Germany captain Michael Ballack lofted a pass into the penalty area and substitute Tim Borowski blindly headed it across the goalmouth. Klose ducked inside Argentina captain Juan Pablo Sorin, dived toward the net and headed it past Franco into the far corner.
After a scoreless extra time, Germany grabbed a spot in the semifinals opposite the Italy-Ukraine winner by dominating the shootout against Franco, who never came close on any of the shots.
So the party heads to Dortmund on Tuesday as the hosts seek their fourth world title. Argentina heads home despite controlling the ball for most of the game.
''It was a very emotional game, worth a quarterfinal,'' said Argentina coach Jose Pekerman, who resigned afterward. ''Argentina played like a favorite, played well, even though they lost.''
This was most anticipated match of the World Cup so far, pairing Germany's resurgent offense against the team that had scored two of the most spectacular goals of the tournament. But as classic soccer, it was a major disappointment early - even the 72,000 fans seemed let down, and the usual fervor was missing.
That changed as the drama built, right into the shootout.
Oliver Neuville , Ballack, Lukas Podolski and Borowski scored easily on Franco. Lehmann stopped Roberto Ayala , who in the 49th minute had put Argentina up, and Esteban Cambiasso , and the German celebration was on.
''We have a strong belief in Jens Lehmann ,'' Klinsmann said. ''As a former striker, I don't want to face him, and he proved that.''
When Lehmann made the final save by diving to his right, German players who had been standing arm-in-arm on the field sprinted to mob him. The crowd, which less than an hour before sensed an early end with their team down 1-0, erupted with singing, flag-waving and chants.
Several players twirled towels and their jerseys as they toured the Olympic Stadium pitch in exultation.
The Argentines trudged off with a painful defeat. The end was marred by pushing and shoving on the field, with several Argentine players posturing as if they wanted to fight.
By the end of extra time, the Argentines had slowed to a snail's pace, and the Germans - particularly limping captain Ballack, who several times headed away Argentine crosses out of the box - didn't have much left. Several times, Ballack couldn't even chase loose balls.
Yet the Germans found the strength to make their penalty kicks.
Argentina put Germany behind on Ayala's lunging header off a corner kick. But Germany resolutely pressed and finally took advantage of Franco with a header of its own.
The visitors controlled the ball for two-thirds of the first half, dictating a slower pace that frustrated the Germans. Even so, the hosts created the only true scoring chance in the half, with Ballack putting a header wide and high in the 16th minute off a brilliant lob by Bernd Schneider .
Ballack began limping midway through the period, but at least he was noticeable. Klose, the leading scorer in the tournament, touched the ball just a few times, while Argentina's dangerous Hernan Crespo was practically invisible.
Klose was involved in Argentina's first goal. Juan Roman Riquelme, who orchestrates the methodic Argentine attack, sent his corner kick into the middle of the Germany box, and Ayala soared over Klose to head it home.
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