SO WHAT do we know now? Germany clearly got lucky against Australia and they're no good after all? Perhaps not. The Germans were good enough to dominate this match with 10 men - they created chances, controlled the midfield and missed a penalty that would have earned them a point, which was the very least they deserved.
They didn't take a step back and the way they attacked in search of an equaliser meant that despite the defeat, no one left the stadium with anything other than admiration for Joachim Loew's side.
Results over the past couple of days will mean Argentina are seen, understandably, as the tournament's top side, but no one should be fooled into underestimating the Germans.
What we now know for certain is what most of us feared when the draw was made back in December - the Socceroos' battle was headed for a steep incline from the start.
Group D is unexpectedly even, with three teams on three points and Australia on none with a goal deficit of minus four. There are two ways to look at the scenario. Those of a glass-half-full persuasion will see this as an opportunity to get back on level terms through a convincing victory against Ghana tonight. Those of the glass-half-empty mindset might be inclined to fear the worst - if Serbia can beat Germany and Ghana can beat Serbia, then what can Ghana do to Australia?
The extent of the German win over Australia means victory tonight would probably still leave the Socceroos having to beat the Serbs. No mean feat.
They have conceded one goal - from a penalty after a stupid handball. They say a sure sign of madness is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result, so either Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic has gone a bit soft in the head or he should have learnt from his teammate's mistake and known what would happen if he handled the ball in his own penalty area. They were fortunate Germany, unlike Ghana, failed to convert from the spot.
The Serbs made changes to the line-up and system that was unfortunate to lose to Ghana, sacrificing Ajax striker Marko Pantelic for an extra midfielder. Behind the central pair of Milos Ninkovic and Zdravko Kuzmanovic, sat Inter Milan's Dejan Stankovic who was there to suffocate the attacking threat of Germany's advanced midfielder Mesut Ozil. It left the 202cm-framed Nikola Zigic as a lone striker and a target for the wide attacking threats from either flank with Milan Jovanovic on the left and Milos Krasic on the right. It was these three who combined for the opening goal and, while it came in the immediate aftermath of Klose's red card, it would be harsh to claim the striker's absence was responsible for the Serbs' success. Krasic got past his marker and flighted in a dangerous cross that Zigic got his head to, cleverly setting up Jovanovic who finished well. Klose would have had no influence on the outcome.
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