According to octopus Regina, the Germany-USA World Cup match on Thursday will end in a tie. Both teams would advance to the round of 16 if that were to happen.
During a spectacle watched closely by several camera crews and
broadcast live from Berlin's "Sea Life'' aquarium on at least one German television station, Regina decided not to decide.
"If nothing happens for nine minutes and Regina does not choose any of the goals it means there is a tie,'' her keeper and octopus psychoanalyst Martin Hansel said afterwards.
Earlier, Hansel and a co-worker had filled two "goals'' with food for Regina, one for Germany, and one for the United States. However, Regina appeared not to be hungry and therefore did not move.
"Normally she is a little more active but this is the great thing about an octopus, that they are not always the same,'' Hansel said, adding that "they have a character of their own and they are intelligent and if they don't feel like it, such as today, then they don't feel like it.''
The United States and Germany face off in their final Group G game for qualification and top spot at 12:00 pm (EDT) on Thursday.
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