Fans believe England can put Germany out of World Cup

England fans have said their team has got what it takes to beat Germany in the next round, after the Three Lions beat Slovenia to reach the knock out stage of the 2010 World Cup.

England beat Slovenia 1-0 with a strike from Jermain Defoe, and will be facing Germany in the last 16.

England fan Ben Goldthorpe from Islington said he was looking forward to the clash with Germany, adding that a win would make his World Cup, no matter what happened afterwards.

He said, "If we go home with a win against Germany, no-one will really mind if we go out in the later rounds."

Paul Tovey, a lawyer from London said, "I feel positive about it. We can put them out. I don't think we need to be scared of Germany."

Nick Smith, a surveyor from Guildford, said he thought England would raise their game against superior opposition.

The rivalry between Germany and England has produced some classic encounters in the past, including the 1966 final, when a Geoff Hurst hat-trick saw the Three Lions claim their only world title.

Many fans who had gambled on England winning what looked on paper to be an easy group have been left facing a scramble to get travel, accommodation and tickets swapped from Rustenburg on Saturday to Bloemfontein on Sunday, SKY News reports.

Peter Griffiths, a British expat originally from Manchester but now living in Johannesburg, said he had three tickets for the Rustenburg game he no longer wanted and would be trying to swap them with an American fan.