World Cup: Germany vs Spain: Halftime arrives, but the goals have yet to come

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Wonder if Kobe Bryant is enjoying this game?

After all, the Laker star is a Barcelona fan and there are no fewer than eight Barcelona players on the Spanish roster.

Not that it has done much good so far. The Spanish have yet to find a way to break through the German lines.

Meanwhile, Germany is becoming slightly more adventurous. Its first shot came from Piotr Trochowski and was good enough to force Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas into a diving save to his left, the keeper just managing to turn the ball around the post.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, predicted a 2-1 victory for Germany. That means the second half had better provide some goals because the first half, which has just ended, has failed to do so.

Germany’s Mesut Oezil tried to draw a penalty kick by going to ground in the area, but the referee would have none of it. Pedro took a fierce shot for Spain, but it was straight at goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and came to naught.

Which is where we stand, at nought-nought, or nil-nil, or 0-0.

-- Grahame L. Jones in Johannesburg, South Africa