OH BALLACKS! My disappointment at Germany's victory over South Korea yesterday was two-fold.

Firstly it meant the poorest German team I can ever remember seeing is somehow contesting the World Cup Final while England, who beat them 5-1 in Munich last September, are watching at home.

Let's face it, they were beaten by Wales - yes that Wales - in the build up to the World Cup with the mighty Robert Earnshaw of even mightier Cardiff City getting the goal.

Secondly, having seen them win their previous two knockout games 1-0 I did not follow my instincts and put on what would have been my first successful bet of the tournament.

So when Ballack netted at the second attempt to put his country through to the final I was once again able to respond by shouting the name of the scorer very loudly to relieve my frustration, as I did six years ago when Germany equalised in the semi-final of Euro 96.

Anyone who remembers the scorer's name will know what I am talking about.

I cannot believe how easy the Germans have had it from the moment that Saudi Arabia decided to roll over and die in the opening game, gifting them an 8-0 victory.

Since then they have lived up to their often over used image - efficient.

Only the Republic of Ireland has really managed to ruffle their feathers and even they had to wait until the 92nd minute to score the only goal that Oliver Kahn has conceded in the whole of the World Cup.

Their keeper is the only player that I would have in a World XI made up of the best players in the tournament. He has been absolutely magnificent from day one and is the single biggest hope they have of kicking off the next World Cup as both the holders and the hosts.

That is because their other star player, yesterday's scorer Ballack, will be suspended from the final after getting a second yellow card in the knockout stages.

It is in the second phase that I cannot believe the Germans luck. They survived a scare when Cameroon missed a host of good chances in the first half to eliminate them altogether at the first hurdle.

Fair play, they came back well with ten men to top the group and set up a meeting with Paraguay in the last 16. The South Americans were next to hopeless and did nothing but defend until a late German winner.

Next up, oh yes the mighty United States who promptly out-played Rudi Voller's men yet lost out to a Ballack header and had a blatant penalty not given.

As the Germans were creeping up the blindside the hosts, with a little help from their official friends, were getting rid of the major threat of Italy and Spain.

Okay they had to beat South Korea yesterday but given all the hoo-ha about bias and poor decisions there was never any hope they would have got anything against the Germans.

So, for the seventh time, they are in the final. With that record it can't just be luck but with this team that particular lady has certainly played her part.