Germany defeated Uruguay 3-2 to clinch third place in the World Cup.

Germany defeated Uruguay 3-2 Saturday to clinch third place in the World Cup.

Midfielder Sami Khedira headed home the winner eight minutes from time in front of a crowd of 36,250 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Germany opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Thomas Mueller coolly taped in the ball from eight metres after Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera parried a shot from captain Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Uruguay equalized nine minutes later when Diego Perez dispossessed Schweinsteiger on the half-way line and passed to Luis Suarez, who set up Edinson Cavani to steer the ball home from inside the area.

Striker Diego Forlan volleyed home his fifth goal of the tournament on 51 minutes to put the South Americans ahead, but a header by Germany’s Marcel Jansen levelled the scores five minutes later.

Khedira’s winner in the 82nd minute meant that Germany finished third for the second World Cup in a row after narrowly failing to reach the final both in South Africa and on home soil four years ago.

Line-Ups:

Uruguay: Fernando Muslera, Diego Lugano, Diego Godin, Jorge Fucile, Maximiliano Pereira, Diego Perez (Walter Gargano 76'), Egidio Arevalo, Edinson Cavani (Sebastian Abreu 88'), Martin Caceres, Luis Suarez, Diego Forlan.

Germany: Hans-Joerg Butt, Marcell Jansen (Toni Kroos 81'), Arne Friedrich, Per Mertesacker, Jerome Boateng, Thomas Mueller, Dennis Aogo, Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Cacau (Stefan Kiessling 73'), Mesut Ozil (Serdar Tasci 90').