Germany broke the jinx to become the first team to retain the Women's World Cup title after beating Brazil 2-0 in the final in Shanghai on Sunday.

"After the penalty save, I felt it was meant to be," said Germany coach Silvia Neid after the match, referring to Marta's 64-minute penalty saved by his sublime goalkeeper Nadine Angerer."

"We worked hard for each other. It was a great team performance. It was important to work against Marta, and we did a good job in pushing her to the sidelines."

"Brazil have more chances than we did. But we played like a team and defended well," she added.

"When we made the first goal, my players realised that they can hold the match and to play such strong teams like Brazil."

His counterpart of the Brazilian team did not complained about his players.

"I believed all my players have tried their best on the court and I'm just disappointed with the result," said Jorge Barcellos.

"The German goalie is an excellent girl keeper to save the penalty shot by Marta, because under the situation, you will feel much pressure," he added his comment on Angerer.

The final finished in 90 minutes and made the 2007 tournament the very first one without extra-time match.

Germany, walking through the tourney with an incredible clean sheet, thus extended their record of conceding none to 619 minutes and topped the scoring tally of the tournament with 21 goals for and none against.

The 2003 champions had a possession of around 40 percent throughout the game but earned the crucial opening goal, as their star striker Birgit Prinz received a fine pass inside the penalty box from fellow forward Sandra Smisek and right-footed the ball to beat Brazilian keeper Andreia in the 52nd minute.

Simone Laudehr dived in a header on 86 minutes after Fatmire Bajramaj forced a corner and Renate Lingor swung it in the box to give Laudehr a perfect angle to shoot.

The victory for Germany, on the other hand, pricked the dream of Brazil into bubbles as they had expected to become the first South American side to take the trophy.

Unchallenged candidate for Golden Shoe prize Marta failed to give Brazil an upper hand first in their first ever World Cup final.

The FIFA's Player of the Year in 2006 made a superb run in the 59th minute when goalie Andreia's release after clearing a Germany attack stunningly found a quick reacting Marta back in the rival's half and the 21-year-old talent brought the ball down into the penalty box before being stolen by the all time following defenders.

Marta again earned her chance to win an equalizer after Cristiane was tackled down in the box by Linda Bresonik on 62 minutes, but Marta's penalty kick was perfect blocked by German goalie Nadine Angerer.

The World Cup trophy seemed to be against Brazil in the following minutes, as the South American team, from the country deemed a traditional soccer giant, made near perfect build-ups and hopeful shots against the Germans' goalmouth for five times in five minutes but none of them was converted into goal.

Brazil controlled the game in the first half and showed their eye-catching skills and the potential for winning a world trophy.

Prior to the half-hour mark, the Athens Olympic runners-up ran a series of attacking attempts as regular starting forward Cristiane started the wave by forcing a corner from Formiga in 18th minute after making a ball chasing against two German defenders down to stretch.

Four minutes later, Elaine kicked off a lock ball near the right line to pick up Formiga in the midfield before the latter's long shot was easily saved by German goalie Nadine Angerer.

After a failed build-up from the Germans towards Brazil's goalmouth, the South Americans made a third effort in five minutes, which was followed by a link-up in seconds, as Daniela's volley with her left foot was denied by the left post before the Saad midfielder again got control of the ball with Cristiane's setting and heading it far higher from the bar.

In the next minute, the tournament's leading scorer Marta hardly broke the deadlock but her superb solo run, initiating from 33 meters away down to the right post, was just seen off by a desperate clearing-up from a massive pack of the rivals.

Germany's chances in the first half mostly came from their midfield core Lingor, who launched a building up with a four-touch pass at 14 and again created a scoring opportunity on 16 minutes for Birgit Prinz before the former Golden Shoe winner lost the ball inside the box.

Golden ball winners for FIFA Women's World Cup

 

Following are the golden ball winners for FIFA Women's World Cup since 1991:

 

1991 China: Carin Jennings, United States

 

1995 Sweden: Hege Riise, Norway

 

1999 United States: Sun Wen, China

 

2003 United States: Birgit Prinz, Germany

 

2007 China: Marta Vieira da Silva, Brazil

(Xinhua News Agency October 1, 2007)