Two nations chasing World Cup glory will do battle today in an epic clash between Germany and Argentina. The 2014 World Cup final scheduled for 3 p.m. ET will be held at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro and can be live streamed here free. A free Spanish language stream of the match can be found here. Free radio coverage here. Additional TV coverage can be found on ABC, Univision and ESPN Deportes.
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After watching Germany humiliate the host nation, Brazil, 7-1 in the semifinals, Argentina enter today's match as underdogs in the eyes of many. Being able to crumble such a well-oiled German machine remains the priority for head coach Alejandro Sabella. The native Argentine understands that it will take the perfect match in order for his men to do so.
"We have to remain very concentrated and close all the spaces open to them," Sabella said (via FIFA). "Most importantly, we can't give the ball away cheaply. Germany are always very strong physically and tactically. For that reason, they are the team that has won most titles along with Brazil and Italy."
"They use the ball very well and play the ball between the lines," he added. "They also use the space behind fullbacks very well, especially with [Philipp] Lahm. We have to play a perfect match."
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Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: The effectiveness of Philipp Lahm will determine the 2014 World Cup. At right-back, the 30-year-old creates the required width and prevents Germany from being predictably narrow. His ability to open the match up will create a more aesthetic final for today's viewership and possibly a German victory.
Germany's Projected Lineup (4-3-3): Neuer; Howedes, Hummels, Boateng, Lahm; Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Khedira; Ozil, Klose, Muller
Argentina's Projected Lineup (4-3-3): Romero; Rojo, Garay, Demichelis, Zabaleta; Perez, Mascherano, Biglia; Lavezzi, Higuain, Messi
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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