Posted by Mark Young

JOHANNESBURG -- The oracle has spoken: La Furia Roja advances to Sunday's Soccer City finale. Bit of a stunner for the Deutschland faithful watching live on German television this morning, but our old buddy Paul the Psychic Octopus calls them how he sees them. That's the way it is with saltwater seers.

But La Furia de los Alemanes will not be descending on Paul's Octopus beer garden anytime soon. At this World Cup, Germany has already proved it has a Plan B for every eventuality: Rene Adler cracks a rib, hello Manuel Neuer. Michael Ballack gets knobbled by a teammate's sibling, fast forward Field General Bastian Schweinsteiger (and everyone else on the team). Lose to Serbia, banish Ghana to a terrible Uruguay fate. Concede an equalizing goal to Frank Lampard, pretend nothing ever happened and just carry on thumping the Eleven Loonies. Don Diego accuses you of being nervous, pull the plug on Maradona-cam.

Playing at the World Cup has been akin to living in a fish bowl for many of the beautiful game's so-called superstars, but this German team is an exception. Jogi Low threw his kinder into the deep end and watched them take the big schools to school. Now, the fine young Germans have to scale new heights: Espana and Pablo's prediction.

Thomas Mueller has been Low's secret weapon in South Africa, but with the Bayern Munich striker suspended, the fashion-conscious head coach turns to his nuclear collection option: the blue cashmere sweater.

With their coach donned in his cashmere duds, Germany has smothered Australia, the Eleven Loonies and "Maradonia." Now, Low's lieutenants won't hear of him not wearing the good luck garment, or even washing it. Forget Under Armour, body odor gets the job done for Germany's finest athletes.

And Spain thought Fernando Torres' lack of form (and dicey haircut) was its biggest headache. But if Germany beats Spain on Wednesday, then it will bring a whole new meaning to the phrase: "whiff of success." And if they go on to win the World Cup, then you can bet there will be a new cologne in Germany for the upcoming fall fashion season: Eau de Low.