Germany survive Chile onslaught to win Confederations Cup

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Julian Draxler celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the FIFA Confederations Cup REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) - Germany survived a whirlwind assault by Chile and capitalised on an awful mistake by the South Americans to claim a 1-0 victory in a pulsating, bad-tempered Confederations Cup final on Sunday.

Germany won the title for the first time after Lars Stindl scored the only goal in the 20th minute when Chile midfielder Marcelo Diaz gave the ball away on the edge of his own area.

Chile, playing with their trademark high octane style and driven forward by another relentless display by Arturo Vidal, dominated the match but were let down by poor finishing.

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Sandro Wagner celebrates with the trophy and team mates after winning the FIFA Confederations Cup REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

A dramatic game featured missed chances, defensive howlers, scuffles and two video reviews, one producing a highly controversial outcome in the second half.

Chile defender Gonzalo Jara elbowed Timo Werner by the touchline and Serbian referee Milorad Mazic, alerted by the video assistants, let him off with a yellow card instead of a red.

Shortly afterwards, Mazic turned down Chilean appeals for a penalty, stood by his original decision after another review incident and booked Eduardo Vargas for drawing an imaginary television screen.

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Timo Werner, Chile’s Claudio Bravo and Germany’s Julian Draxler pose with their Golden Glove, Boot and Ball awards after the game REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

It was a remarkable achievement for Germany to lift the trophy with a young, experimental squad, although it could also be a bad omen as no team has ever won the World Cup after winning the Confederations Cup the year before.

"The fact that these young players have won this tournament makes it an historic achievement, it's unique in Germany's history, it's outstanding," said Germany coach Joachim Loew.

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany players form a guard of honour for the Chile players REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

OPEN GOAL

Chile flew into the game in their inimitable style and Alexis Sanchez should have put them in front, but shot wide from close range after keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen parried Vidal's shot.

Germany struck almost immediately as Diaz lost the ball on the edge of his penalty area to Timo Werner who slipped it through for Stindl to score into an open goal.

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Chile’s Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez embrace at the end of the match REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Chile kept missing their chances, continued to look vulnerable on the break and nearly gifted Germany another goal before halftime when Jara gave the ball away in defence, but this time Claudio Bravo saved Leon Goretzka's shot.

Germany were happy to contain Chile and play on their mistakes in the second half, although they were living dangerously at times.

Substitute Angelo Sagal scooped the ball over the bar from close range and Ter Stegen pushed away an Alexis Sanchez free kick in almost the last action of the game.

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Shkodran Mustafi and Jonas Hector celebrate winning the FIFA Confederations Cup while Chile’s Alexis Sanchez looks dejected REUTERS/Darren Staples

"We put our ideas into practise," said Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi. "We took the initiative, we took control and created chances.... but because of one of those things, those accidents, that happen in football, it was our turn to lose."

(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Shkodran Mustafi consoles Chile’s Alexis Sanchez (L) at the end of the match as Gary Medel and team mates look dejected REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Matthias Ginter and team mates celebrate winning the FIFA Confederations Cup REUTERS/Grigory Dukor

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Chile’s Alexis Sanchez shoots at goal from a free kick REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Lars Stindl celebrates scoring their first goal as Chile’s Claudio Bravo looks dejected REUTERS/Grigory Dukor

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Chile’s Alexis Sanchez shoots at goal from a free kick REUTERS/Darren Staples

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Chile’s Gonzalo Jara and Alexis Sanchez in action with Germany’s Emre Can REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017. Chile's Claudio Bravo reacts after Germany's Lars Stindl scored their first goal. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Germany’s Joshua Kimmich and Sebastian Rudy appeal to the referee Milorad Mazic as Chile’s Alexis Sanchez gestures REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017. Germany's Lars Stindl and Chile's Gary Medel in action. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Chile’s Alexis Sanchez in action with Germany’s Emre Can REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Soccer Football - Chile v Germany - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 - Final - Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia - July 2, 2017 Chile’s Gary Medel and Gonzalo Jara try to grab the ball from Germany’s Emre Can REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov