BERLIN-Oliver Kahn has once again reminded Germans why he is probably one of
the best goalkeepers in the world, even if the Bayern Munich captain is no
longer Germany's number one.
Kahn made a spectacular one-handed save from a shot he never saw to ensure
Bayern's 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup final on Saturday
that followed his heroics in the semi-final two weeks ago.
Kahn of Bayern Munich
shouts to his team during the German soccer cup DFB-Pokal final in
Berlin.[Reuters]
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Kahn, who has been
relegated to Germany's bench for the World Cup behind Arsenal's Jens Lehmann,
had his vision blocked by several team mates and only caught a glimpse of
Ioannis Amanatidis as the Frankfurt striker fired from close range.
But Kahn instinctively stuck out his left hand and got a finger on the shot
to deflect it away.
"I needed a little bit of luck on Amanatidis's shot," said Kahn, who recently
lost his job in the Germany goal to Lehmann after leading the side to the 2002
World Cup final.
"I didn't see a thing. It was a great feeling."
The normally intense Kahn has undergone an astonishing metamorphosis,
becoming the epitome of tranquility since Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann made
Lehmann his first choice.
Though heartbroken by the relegation, Kahn has surprised his doubters with an
altruistic attitude and said he would accept the back-up role to Lehmann to help
Germany's cause.
Kahn has also watched from a distance Lehmann's uncanny clean-sheet streak in
the Champions League and his heroics in last week's semi-final against
Villareal.
"As unfortunate as it was for me from a sporting perspective to find out I
won't be playing at the World Cup, I have to say that I have not felt so
liberated inside and or felt so much joy about my job as I do now," said Kahn,
36.
Kahn had shown unfamiliar signs of sloppiness towards the end of the battle
against Lehmann, making a number of costly or embarrassing errors for Bayern and
for Germany in recent months.
After Klinsmann stripped him of his captaincy and made Lehmann his equal in a
goalkeeper rotation in 2004, Kahn had been anger personified. Their tense battle
had divided the nation clearly into pro-Kahn or pro-Lehmann camps.
"I'm not thinking about the World Cup now," Kahn said after leading Bayern to
their third Cup in four years and fifth in the last nine years. It was also his
record fifth Cup victory.
"I'm an employee of Bayern Munich and that's my focus now. We have a chance
to defend our double and that's all the motivation I need right now. No one has
ever done that before."
Bayern are five points clear at the top of the table with three matches left
and are chasing their 20th German championship. Landing back-to-back doubles
would be a unique feat in Germany's Bundesliga era, dating back to 1963.