:-)

was it that obvious, what I meant? *ggg*

Germany did not earn that victory

Translation:
This was an undeserved victory.

@ 3:

Sammy, there's no doubt they earned that, uhm, victory - no matter whether they deserved whatever you prefer to call the result.

what did they possibly do to earn it, than?

Sammy, the last time I looked the rules stipulated that if you make more goals than your opponent, you win. Ergo...

@edc: so you're saying that if I find a million bucks in small unmarked bills in a ratty suitcase in a trash can at the local train station, I earned that money? edc, you're way off here. Germany got very lucky; had nothing to do with earning it.

Sammy, it's very simple. You play according to the rules and then, at the end, you look at the result. Irrespective of whether you like the result, them's the rules... (This works both ways, of course. Ask the teams that were beaten by Turkey in the last minute.) --- And, by the way, keeping the money in your example wouldn't be playing by the rules, would it?

And, by the way, keeping the money in your example wouldn't be playing by the rules, would it?
a) depends on your integrity
b) that's not the point - I asked if that means you earned it.

As far as the semi-finals go - Germany is better than to skate by, or at least they'll have to be in the next game, regardless of whether they'll play Spain or Russia.

P.S.: I really don't care about the EM anyway, I am merely saying that "earn" is perfectly okay in this context - rules be damned. :-)

Let it go, sammy, let it go...

Fussballbegeisterung (oder -enttaeuschungen) sollte(n) nicht vergessen lassen, dass dies ein Uebersetzungsforum ist.

Das Verb 'verdienen' ist zweifelsfrei mit 'to deserve' zu uebersetzen.

Das englische 'to earn a victory' laesst sich mit 'einen Sieg einbringen / erringen / erlangen / einfahren' usw. recht zutreffend uebersetzen.

Dazu braucht es weniger semantischer Spitzfindigkeiten als vielmehr den schlichten Gebrauch eines oder mehrere Woerterbuecher, oder eben zweisprachige Alltagserfahrung.

@wuxingwell: please! Your bio says this about you: Englisch: leidlich (einfache Konversation) - yet you're trying to tell a native AE speaker about the "den schlichten Gebrauch eines oder mehrere Woerterbuecher, oder eben zweisprachige Alltagserfahrung"? No disrespect, but you know not of which you are speaking/writing.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtri...
Starter Kelsey Ciarimboli earned the victory and doubled twice for Greensburg Central Catholic (15-2, 12-1) in a Section 3-AAA victory over Apollo-Ridge.

http://www.glenwoodbaseball.com/
The Bison's Ian Beezub earned the victory with a five inning five strikeout performance. Josh Fyffe lead the stampede with a double, but the entire Bison ...

http://www.clickitsa.com/content/view/20617/394/
This seemingly had its effect only on game one game. During game one, the Spurs led the Lakers by 20 points in the second half. Then their lead dwindled until the Lakers earned the victory.

just a couple of examples.

P.S.: principally, to say someone "deserves a victory " is judgement call based on moral grounds, while "to earn a victory" refers to how hard they worked to win. Germany did not work very hard today.

Sammy, they call it the art of understatement. However, I adore relentless fluency whenever I see it.

Have a nice one.

Somebody's luck ran out last night and it wasn't Germany's.
Was that Angela Merkel jumping up when Germany drew level ? The English commentators didn't mention her prescence at the match.