Germany beats England 4-1 in World Cup

Bloemfontein, South Africa - World Cup final victory for Germany against England will be remembered not for the brilliant goals, but for those who do not count.

Ask everyone - players, coaches, thousands of fans in the stadium and millions more watching on television - and there is little doubt that Frank Lampard put a shot into the net late in the first half, that would have tied the score.

But referee Jorge Larrionda waved play on, and two second half goals Germany used by Thomas Mueller for a 4-1 victory Sunday. The Germans head to the quarterfinals. The English are shaking their heads in disbelief.

"It's unbelievable," England coach Fabio Capello said. "We played with five referees and they can not decide whether a goal or no goal. The game was different after this goal. It was the fault of the linesman and I think the referee from the bench because I have the ball saw go (in). "

Germany coach Joachim Loew can not argue that point.

"What I saw on television, the ball was behind the line," said Loew. "It must be given the goal."

It was not.

"The goal was very important," Capello said. "We could have played a different style.

"We have a number of mistakes when they played the counterattack. The referee made an error greater."

Larrionda and the assistant referee Mauricio Espinosa were not available for comment. FIFA said in a statement that it "will not comment on the decisions of the referee in the field of play.

Soccer-making rules panel agreed last March not to experiment with technology that can help referees goal-line decisions to continue.

Germany was on goals from Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski for England Matthew Upson made it 2-1 in the 37th minute.

Lampard not the goal came one minute later. After the ball landed over the line but spun back into the arms of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer Germany. Capello initially celebrated what he thought was an equalizer through clenched his fists and shaking his arm. But his face changed when he realized the goal was not given.

If the players head off the field at halftime, Wayne Rooney ran a linesman and gestured with his hands how far he thought the ball crossed the goal line.

In 1966, England and Germany were 2-2 in extra time in the World Cup final when Geoff Hurst shot hit the underside of the crossbar, bounced down and spun back into the game. That time, the referee consulted his linesman who awarded the goal.

Hurst scored third goal in England 4-2 victory at Wembley.

This time it was Mueller had two goals.

"We heard that the ball was behind the line, we were happy," said Mueller of Frank Lampard's shot. "For the last two goals, the game hung in the balance, England was the press."

The 20-year old German counterattacks from two fast finish within 3 minutes to England hopes of beating Germany in the World Cup for the first time since '66 that the final sink.

Germany will play the winner of Argentina-Mexico, which was later Sunday.

"In the knockout stage, Germany is always there," said Podolski. "We have fought and ran a lot, just fantastic today."

Klose added: "We were aggressive from the first minute and it was a deserved victory. Our goal was to reach the semi-finals and that's what we want to achieve."

It was the most lopsided loss in England a World Cup.

Mueller scored on the counterattack in the 67th minute, after the move began after a long clearance by Jerome Boateng. Mueller passed to Bastian Schweinsteiger, who dribbled upfield patient and ran the 18-yard line of the unguarded Mueller feed. His shot hit the hand of England goalkeeper David James and went inside

Three minutes later, Mueller hit again after a break on the left wing of Mesut Oezil.

"I think we played well at 2-1, but after the third goal was a bit disappointing," said Capello. "Germany is a great team. They played a good game."

Klose scored his 50th goal in 99 games for Germany - his 12th World Cup goal - by out muscling defender Upson to a bouncing ball from a goal kick. Podolski gave the three-time champions a 2-0 lead, allowing the ball through James' legs.

Upson management in a cross from Steven Gerrard to make it 2-1, then Lampard's shot was not rewarded - a decision sure to be raised for as long as international football is no video playback.

"I think if you look back at the game as a whole, we were beaten by the better team," England captain Steven Gerrard said. "At 2-1, Frank ball had stayed, I think it would be a great turning point in the game."