RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- It just wouldnt be the World Cup without Germany in the semifinals. Harnessing all their big-game experience, the Germans delivered a performance of maturity and efficiency to hold off France 1-0 on Friday and become the first team to reach four straight semifinals in the sports marquee tournament. Defender Mats Hummels scored the winning goal in the 13th minute, outmuscling his marker at a free kick to glance a header in off the underside of the crossbar. Criticized for poor defending in earlier matches, Germany selected a more robust lineup and restricted a flat France team to only a handful of clear-cut opportunities in muggy conditions. "There was not much in it," France coach Didier Deschamps said. But, "we dont have the international experience Germany has." While Frances young players slumped to the ground and some shed tears after the final whistle, the Germans soberly saluted all corners of the Maracana Stadium. One job done, nothing more. And next up for Germany is a meeting with host nation Brazil, which beat Colombia 2-1 later Friday. It will be Germanys 13th appearance in the semifinals in 20 editions of the World Cup. "I guess were playing the kind of football which will give us a chance to win," said Hummels, who produced a couple of decisive blocks to snuff out two good chances for France striker Karim Benzema. "We defended well today . I think we deserve to carry on." France struggled to impose the kind of attacking game that made the team one of the most exciting in Brazil during the group stage, although Benzema -- the teams chief attacking threat -- squandered chances in both halves. Late in the first half, the Real Madrid striker seized on a rebound following Manuel Neuers save from Mathieu Valbuenas shot but his close-range effort was deflected wide by Hummels. Then, in stoppage time, he created space for himself about eight yards out at an angle, but a fierce shot was swatted away by Neuer. "We played like a team again," said Germany captain Philipp Lahm, who returned to right back in one of a string of tactically astute changes made by coach Joachim Loew. "Overall it was a good performance from us." In Loews eight-year tenure, Germany has reached the last four in every major tournament it has played -- but remains without a title since winning the European Championships in 1996. While the German team seemed comfortable at this level, the occasion was perhaps too much for a young, revamped France team playing together at the World Cup for the first time. And it continued Germanys recent dominance over France at World Cups. The most notorious of those previous meetings was in the 1982 semifinals in Spain, when Germany won on penalties following a 3-3 draw in a match marked by a late and high tackle by Germany goalkeeper Harald Schumacher on France defender Patrick Battiston that escaped punishment. That went down as one of the most riveting matches in World Cup history, but the rematch -- 32 years on -- couldnt have been more different. A turgid first half was illuminated by the goal from Hummels, who held off Raphael Varane and met a typically dead-eye delivery from Toni Kroos with a header that gave goalkeeper Hugo Lloris no chance. The warm and humid conditions played a part in the slow tempo of the game but France stepped up the pressure in the second half. Benzemas late chance got French fans excited but Germany should have been 2-0 ahead by then, with Lloris saving a low shot by substitute Andre Schuerrle on a counter-attack. "We just werent efficient enough," said Valbuena, who sat, dejected, on the field after the final whistle. "Our efforts just werent enough, its incredibly disappointing." Lineups: France: Hugo Lloris; Mathieu Debuchy, Raphael Varane, Mamadou Sakho (Laurent Koscielny, 72), Patrice Evra; Paul Pogba, Yohan Cabaye (Loic Remy, 73), Blaise Matuidi; Mathieu Valbuena (Olivier Giroud, 85), Antoine Griezmann, Karim Benzema. Germany: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, Benedikt Hoewedes; Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger; Mesut Ozil (Mario Goetze, 83), Toni Kroos (Christophe Kramer, 90), Thomas Mueller; Miroslav Klose (Andre Schuerrle, 69). Balenciaga Shoes Wholesale China . Wheeler scored at 4:58 of overtime, with Scheifele getting an assist, and the Jets beat the slumping Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Sunday night. Discount Balenciaga Shoes . Mauer drove in two runs before leaving with an injury, Eduardo Nunez homered and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 10-2 on Tuesday night. http://www.discountbalenciaga.com/. - A Tuesday funeral is planned in Toronto for 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford. Balenciaga Shoes Sale Online . Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were each convicted on four charges of aggravated rape, one of attempted aggravated rape and two for aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg was also found guilty of tampering with evidence as well as an unlawful photography charge. Balenciaga Shoes Cheap Sale . James Harden wasnt worried and told his coach as much. "He was fired up but I told him: Its OK. Were going to be all right," Harden said. And they were. Houston scored 17 straight points after that timeout, led by 10 from Harden, to take the lead and roll to an easy 129-106 win.A busy day for Paul Maurice ended with a win as he made his debut behind the Winnipeg Jets bench. It was win number 461 of his career, in his 1085th game as an NHL coach. The win snapped the Jets five game losing streak. The Coyotes opened the scoring on a power play, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson getting his fifth of the year, but 36 seconds later Olli Jokinen with his 12th would tie the game, with Dustin Byfuglien getting the assist. Late in the first Zach Bogosian forced a turnover, with Eric ODell notching his second in as many games as the first period ended 2-1. Coach Maurice reconfigured the lines going into the game, with Devin Setoguchi joining Jokinen and Byfuglien. Michael Frolik moved to the right side with Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd, Mark Scheifele centered Blake Wheeler and Chris Thorburn, with ODell between James Wright and Anthony Peluso. Evander Kane remained out of the lineup with a hand injury, while the defence remained the same as it was Saturday. Shots in the first were 12-7 in the Jets favour. The only goal of the second period came from Wheeler, his team leading 17th of the year. Scheifele had the only assist as he continues to lead all NHL rookies in assists with 17. Shots in the second were 13-6 Jets. The Coyotes started the third period on a power play and had some chances but Ondrej Pavelec finished the second with a couple of big saves and made a few more in the third when called upon. The Jets put the game away with Frolik breaking a 10-game goalless stretch with his 10th from Adam Pardy and Little. Setoguchi scored his first in 19 games from Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom on a power play to close out the scoring. For Setoguchi it was his eighth of the year in a game that he was very good in. Pardy how has four assists in his last five games, Byfuglien has three goals and five assists in his last six games, four goals and 11 assists in his last 15 games, and is 18 points in the 24 power play goals the Jets have scored this season.dddddddddddd Final shots were 38-19. The Jets directed 73 shots at the Phoenix goal, with 21 missing and another 14 blocked. Byfuglien led the way with six shots on goal, Enstrom led in ice time with 26:21, Jacob Trouba was a plus-three, while Scheifele led the Jets in face-offs winning 14 of 20 for a 70 per cent success rate. Jets went one for eight on the power play but had 15 power play shots in the game. As for the game Coach Maurice liked plenty. "The compete level and energy level of our group. They did the one thing we had talked about that when adversity came to the doorstep that next goal was huge," Maurice said after the game. "The bench didnt get quiet, we stayed positive. It was really, really important that we scored that goal to make it 1-1. They wanted to get out of this, they wanted to make it better." As for the MTS Centre crowd and the atmosphere in the building, Maurice said it was "awesome, very special for me. I tell every rookie, you get one first game in the NHL. Soak it in, enjoy it and thats what I did. It was a special moment for me in my career." Asked what he told the players after the game, Maurice added"I normally dont talk much, but I congratulated them, thanked them, and then cancelled the day off they were supposed to have." Captain Ladd got the game puck and presented it to his Coach. "The puck means a lot. I will give it to my family," Maurice said post-game. As for his new team: "Weve got some speed, weve got some skill, but we still do things at times we dont need to do. We have to get better." He also liked the play of Pavelec saying "he was square and where he needed to be. I felt safe with him." The Jets travel to Calgary for a game Thursday (TSN Jets, TSN 1290) as they are in a stretch of five straight and eight of nine against Western Conference teams. ' ' '