Social Icons

Pages

Saturday 19 September 2015

Germany




FIFA World Cup™ finals historyAfter winning their long-awaited fourth title at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, Germany are tied with Italy as the second most successful footballing nation on the planet, with only five-time champions Brazil ahead of them. Germany’s first win came at Switzerland 1954, where they achieved the ‘Miracle of Bern’ despite going into the Final as underdogs. A second triumph followed on home soil in 1974 and they lifted the trophy for a third time at Italy 1990. Germany have reached the World Cup Final eight times, finishing as runners-up on four occasions (1966, 1982, 1986 and 2002) and taking the bronze medal at the 1934, 1970, 2006 and 2010 editions. No other country has played more games at the tournament than the 106 Germany have contested.

The teamThe reigning world champions have managed to blend tactical flexibility and outstanding technical ability with their traditional virtues of discipline and fighting spirit. In doing so they have become admired across the globe for their dominant and attacking style of play, as well as their efficiency. Coach Joachim Low has moulded the side into an impressive unit where the team comes first. Former captain Philipp Lahm and record World Cup goalscorer Miroslav Klose both retired from international duty following the triumph at the Maracana, leaving new captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, attacker Thomas Muller and world-class goalkeeper Manuel Neuer as the side’s leaders. Midfielder Toni Kroos is becoming an increasingly key figure, while technically gifted players such as Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze and Marco Reus can decide a game in an instant.

The coachAfter taking over from Jurgen Klinsmann in the wake of the 2006 World Cup, Low has honed Germany’s new attacking philosophy. The Black Forest native narrowly missed out on glory at the 2008 and 2012 European Championships, as well as at the 2010 World Cup, before succeeding at the 2014 tournament. Now he is striving to ensure the future is equally bright. “The big challenge is to stay at the top,” he said in an interview withFIFA.com. “Winning a title is fantastic but repeating it is tough.”

The stat224 – The total number of goals Germany have scored in World Cup finals history, putting them three ahead of Brazil as the top-scoring nation.

The former starsFritz Walter, Uwe Seeler, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Lothar Matthaus, Oliver Kahn, Philipp Lahm, Miroslav Klose

GÜNDOGAN: "GINTER IS IN TOP FORM"

Ten competitive fixtures, ten wins. Despite a performance that was certainly lacking in places, Borussia Dortmund continued their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 win over Russian side FK Krasnodar in the Europa League last night. Germany international Matthias Ginter and new signing Joo-Ho Park got the goals for BVB – and Ginter’s fellow international teammate Ilkay Gündogan ran the show from the middle of the park. DFB.de spoke to the midfielder about BVB’s form and their upcoming clash with Bayer Leverkusen at the Signal-Iduna-Park on Sunday.
Question: Mr. Gündogan, that certainly looked like hard work. What made life so difficult for you against FK Krasnodar?
Ilkay Gündogan: They played very well – you have to give credit to them, and we also recognise that we didn’t have the best day either, especially without the ball. As well as that, we also lost the ball unnecessarily too many times at the other end, in the final third. The fact that a lot of the game was played in their half is a good thing, since it shows that we defended pretty well – but we weren’t able to close down the space when we lost the ball, especially in the first half. Then suddenly you’re behind and chasing the game, which is always difficult and even more so on the international stage. Therefore we can say that we were quite lucky to win the game – I’m not sure how much we deserved to win, but we’ll take it nonetheless. The fact that we won this game without playing particularly well for the whole game shows how well things are going for us at the moment.
Question: Is that possibly a new quality the team has shown – to win games even when you don’t play too well?
Gündogan: If it is, then I’ll happily accept that and hope it continues, but it’s definitely our aim to play a lot better than we did, simply because we know can and we’ve already shown it this season. We shouldn’t rely on any kind of luck – we should make sure that we play to our full potential in every game. We didn’t manage that against Krasnodar, at least not for the whole game. And now it’s all about the next game.
Question: You’ve said it yourself – on Sunday, Bayer Leverkusen visit Dortmund. Was last night’s game against Krasnodar therefore the perfect warning at the right time?
Gündogan: Leverkusen also got their warning last week with their loss to Darmstadt. When you compare our game last night to that loss, we got off rather lightly. But of course, if we perform like we did on Thursday it will be very hard in Sunday’s game – even more so because they’re coming off the back of a win in the Champions League. Therefore we really need to up our game, but the last few games have shown that we are capable of doing that – and that’s why I think it’ll be a really good game on Sunday.
Question: A quick word on Matthias Ginter. "Unbelievable" is probably the most suitable one! He scored another goal and also got an assist against Krasnodar.

GERMANY RECORD DOUBLE-FIGURE WIN IN OPENING QUALIFIER

The women's national side put on a goal fest as they comfortably came through their opening qualifying test for the 2017 UEFA Women's Championship with a 12-0 win over Hungary.
Silvia Neid's side had the Hungarians pinned back inside their own half from the very first whistle and were on the way to victory after just seven minutes when a corner from Melanie Behringer was headed in by Alexandra Popp to give the Germans a 1-0 lead. They needed just two further minutes to double their lead, right back Leonie Maier curling in from the edge of the penalty area.

Mittag the provider as Goeßling scores twice

The much-fancied German side created chance after chance, whilst the visitors, who featured Wolfsburg's Zsanett Jakabfi, barely managed any sort of possession in the German penalty area. The Germany attackers were able to play with real enjoyment, whilst the defence remained completely impenetrable. Tabea Kemme got on the scoresheet in the 15th minute when a cross-field pass evaded everyone and found its way to the left back, who tucked it away with ease from ten yards.
Germany's next goalscoring chance came soon afterwards when Hungary's captain Angéla Smuczer fouled Maier in the area. Melanie Behringer stepped up to take the resulting penalty and gave goalkeeper Réka Szőcs no chance with a well-placed kick into the right-hand corner. Pauline Bremer was next to add to Germany's tally, celebrating her first international goal in her seventh appearance for the side. Anja Mittag set the striker up perfectly, and she finished without error to put her side five goals to the good. Lena Goeßling then scored twice in quick succession to round off the half, both goals coming after good work from Mittag.

Germany run riot in the final half hour

The Germans eased up somewhat after the break and as a result, the visitors were able to carve out a few opportunities of their own. Fanni Vágó and Viktória Szabó were both presented with good chances just before the hour mark but were unable to provide accurate finishes.
It wasn't until the 63rd minute that the Hungarian goal was once again under threat, as goalkeeper Szöcs put the ball on a plate for Simone Laudehr with a weak punched clearance. She duly obliged, and the Germans grabbed their ninth shortly afterwards when Popp volleyed home from twelve yards.

Bremer brings up double figures

The Germany side now rediscovered their determination and reaped the fruits of their labour. Bremer rose unmarked at the far post to head in their tenth goal, and substitute Melanie Leupolz then intercepted an attempted clearance to slot home from the edge of the box.
Bremer put the cherry on the icing on the cake when she scored Germany's final goal on 84 minutes to complete her hat trick after being played in by Sara Bäbritz.

THE HISTORY OF THE GERMAN NATIONAL TEAM

Titles, triumphs and tears. The German national team stands for major success and huge emotions, for sporting excellence and excellent integration. And for millions of fans, it stands for unforgettable moments.

The association has a variety of duties to fulfil, in social and in socio-political areas, in grass-roots sport and in recreational sport. But above all, the German Football Association is measured by its sporting standards. As a result, the association heads acknowledge being amongst the sporting elite as their highest priority, especially considering that major success at the top makes their quests in other areas easier to accomplish.
At the top of the list is the national team. No other institution resonates with the public as much or enjoys a similar level of acceptance amongst sponsors. Sold out stadiums for home games are the norm, excited fans creating a see of black, red and gold flags are a familiar sight. Even at home or at public viewings, the amount of support is huge. No other spectacle brings the masses together in front of a TV screen than a match involving a selection of Germany’s best footballers.
The national team has managed to exude excellence and reliability for decades and continues to produce big personalities as role models. The national team’s success speaks for itself: World Cup winners on four occasions, runners-up four times, four third-place finishes, three-time European Championship winners and also runners-up in that competition on three occasions. Germany have taken part at every World Cup since 1954 and at every European Championship since 1972 and have reached 13 finals at these major tournaments. With a record like that, the German national team are amongst the international elite – it’s the basis for the great reputation that German football enjoys around the globe. Those statistics are complemented by the Olympic win in 1976 in Montreal for East Germany’s Football Association, as well as bronze medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. That gold medal came under coach Georg Buschner, who also led the East Germany national team to their only participation at the finals of a World Cup in 1974, where they secured a memorable 1-0 win over the Federal Republic of Germany in Hamburg.
The story of the DFB’s national team began eight years after the association was founded – and it began with a defeat. On April 5th 1908, Switzerland won 5-3 against a group of German players put together by the DFB match committee. There was no coach in these early years, which lacked sporting success; only two of the first ten international fixtures ended in victory. It took 14 attempts, until 1922, before the national team could end a calendar year with a positive record. Germany beat Austria, with matches against Switzerland and Hungary ending in draws. From 1932 onwards, the national team’s success began an upwards trend. Players like Paul Janes, Ernst Lehner, Edmund Cohen and in particular Fritz Szepan helped produce positive results. Nevertheless, considering the bumpy first few years, no one could have predicted the status that the Germany national team would eventually gain, not just in sporting terms but also in the social life of the entire country.

The Kaiser’s Hat-Trick

Throughout the history of German football, there have been many great national teams: The heroes of Bern (1954), Munich (1974) and Rome (1990) are all immortal. But even the tragic losers have their place the German football’s hall of fame. The defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup final together with that “Wembley goal” and the 3-4 loss to Italy in the “Game of the Century” in the semi-finals of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico are examples of how the DFB Team have dealt with disappointment fairly.
The 1954 World Cup in Switzerland was quintessential in shaping and influencing the national team. The 3-2 final win against a Hungary team deemed unbeatable triggered a state of ecstasy and gave a nation that had suffered a terrible war under a Nazi dictatorship new sense of life and self-worth. The “Heroes of Bern” became eternal legends and the national team was etched into German society.
That is how it has remained to this day, not least because the generations that have succeeded the Heroes of Bern have illustriously continued their legacy. After Fritz Walter came Uwe Seeler, after “Our Uwe” came Franz Beckenbauer, after the “Kaiser” came Berti Vogts, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Lothar Matthäus, Rudi Völler, Jürgen Klinsmann and Matthias Sammer.
These days, household names like Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Özil and Manuel Neuer shine both on and off the pitch. Along with outstanding young talents such as Marco Reus and Mario Götze, the national team’s established players have reached a new standard of football and have led Germany back to the top. The DFB Team are consistently amongst the top three in FIFA’s world rankings, with only World Cup and European Championship winners Spain positioned higher on a regular basis. When the Germany national team go into the finals of a major tournament, they’re always amongst the favourites. The opponents’ traditional respect for the efficiency of Germany’s game is now paired with high regard for the superior technical ability of the side. The national team have featured in the semi-finals during each of the last four major tournaments (either World Cup or European Championship).
One of the national team’s strengths has always been their continuity in key positions. Joachim Löw is only the tenth different head coach, while several players can look back on long careers in the DFB jersey. In fact, Germany’s record appearance holder Lothar Matthäus has led the world rankings for a long time with his 150 international caps.
Something that remained untouched for a long time was Gerd Müller’s record goal haul. The former FC Bayern München striker netted 68 goals in 62 international appearances. In September 2013, Müller was finally joined at the top of the all-time goalscorer list by Miroslav Klose. The Lazio striker scored his 68th international goal in a 3-0 win against Austria. "Miro" has required a total of 137 caps for his 71 goals.
But Franz Beckenbauer towers above them all. The “Kaiser” does not hold the most appearances, nor has he scored the most goals, but Beckenbauer has a very special hat-trick with the national team. He has won the World Cup in two different roles: As captain of the side back in 1974 and as team manager in 1990. His hat-trick is completed by the 2006 World Cup. As chairman of the bid committee, he had the decisive say in Germany being accepted as hosts. As head of the organising committee, he had a big hand in the huge success of the event, which became a “Summer Fairytale” thank

Euro 2016 qualifiers: 10 talking points from the latest action


Robin van Persie, Steven Fletcher and Andrea Pirlo all underperformed, while Wales’ defence led by Ashley Williams continues to impress and Shane Long needs to start for Ireland. Photograph: Corbis, AP, Rex

Wednesday 9 September 201508.58 BSTLast modified on Wednesday 9 September 201511.42 BST

1) England adding steel behind an attack that looks after itself

Well, that’s finally over then. For those experiencing post-goal record withdrawal symptoms there is at least the consolation that Wayne Rooney can break England’s scoring record all over again next month against Lithuania and Estonia, and then again against France the following month, each goal from now on to be accompanied in an ideal world by a similar farrago of anticipation, ecstasy and commemorative newspaper pull-outs.

The goal record is, of course, a distraction from the real business of England attempting to improve on recent tournament performances. Indeed scoring hasn’t been the problem as much as keeping the opposition out and instilling a solidity through the rump of the team that was missing at the last World Cup. Since the deathly 0-0 draw with Italy at Euro 2012 England have played nine games against opposition with high-class attackers without keeping a single clean sheet, in the course of which Brazil, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, Chile and Sweden have put the ball in their net 16 times. Tuning up that post-Gerrard midfield block and making sure he has full-backs who can defend as well as attack: this is Hodgson’s real test ahead of next year and as such the clean sheet against Switzerland, the toughest – or least un-tough – team in the group was more significant than Rooney’s late penalty at the other end.

If Switzerland did find some joy passing their way around and through England in the first half there were some positives too. Luke Shaw was solid, imposing and aggressive in his positioning, unafraid to press high up his flank. Jonjo Shelvey ran willingly. James Milner had a good first half. If there is a lack of real star quality here there was no lack of hustle. England’s best chance of succeeding is to play in the style of mid-ranking underdogs everywhere, remaining compact and breaking with speed. Better – or indeed worse – teams than Switzerland will still trouble them. But never mind the goal records. There were at least some cautiously encouraging signs behind an attack that will more or less look after itself. Barney Ronay

2) The Welsh backline deserves some praise too

3) Long needs to start for Ireland against Poland and GermanyWales will qualify for Euro 2016, of that there is no doubt. The praise for that qualification will mostly be heaped on Gareth Bale and since he has earned his side seven points via his six goals, he deserves it. However, there should be some reserved for the Wales defence. Against an admittedly blunt Israel, they kept another clean sheet meaning they have now gone 504 minutes without conceding a goal. Only Romania have let in fewer throughout the entire qualification process and of the two that Wales have let in, neither have come from open play. Against Israel, who played with just Muanes Dabbur up front, they had little to deal with but keep their concentration sufficiently and when Israel did make a rare foray forward, any danger was tidied up with all the calm expertise of an experienced bomb-disposal unit. Of course, the jewel in this defence has been the captain, Ashley Williams. At one stage against Israel, he combined two of his best traits – his reading of the game and his pace – to beat his man to the ball and flick it over his head before taking the ball under control. He is a class and consistent act and now that he has proved it on the international stage, Swansea might have a fight on their hands to keep him at the club. Ian McCourt

The way Shane Long fluffed a late chance to make the end of Monday night’s game against Georgia smoother for Ireland showed why Martin O’Neill has found it difficult to trust him with a regular starting place despite his speed, aerial power and dynamism. But the way Robbie Keane performed in the first half, and the way Ireland improved in the second, indicated that the Southampton player has to begin next month’s critical double-header against Germany and Poland. “The last thing you want to do while you are searching for a goal is to remove your specialist goalscorer,” said O’Neill of his decision to withdraw Keane at the break. “Robbie has been terrific but he’s just not getting any younger,” said the manager, suggesting that the 35-year-old’s powers appeared to have dwindled so much that being a surer finisher than Long was no longer enough to offset his inability to contribute anything else against anyone other than the most obliging of opponents. Germany and Poland operate in a different universe to LA Galaxy, and Ireland are still far from sure of beating Scotland to France. Paul Doyle

4) Hector solves left-back headache for Löw

5) O’Neill must search for solution to Lafferty’s absenceThere were plenty of positives for Joachim Löw to take from Germany’s two wins in two games, not least Mario Götze’s return to form as well as the impressive display in midfield of Ilkay Gündogan. However, the most positive positive may be the performances of Jonas Hector. Left-back has long been a problem area for Die Mannschaft, with Löw testing a number of different players and tactics to solve the problem, but if Hector’s performances against Poland and Scotland are anything to go by, that could be one less problem keeping the German manager awake at night. He was repeatedly reliable in defence and just as importantly he offered Germany plenty of width in attack. As Manuel Neuer pointed out after the Poland game, Germany often “face a situation where the opposition has retreated deep into their own half and that means that our full-backs have to move forward and give support. We need more passing options then and crosses which can lead to us scoring goals” – and that is exactly what Hector offered. Against Poland, this was best seen in his fine interplay (with Karim Bellarabi) and his swift movement that led to him setting up Thomas Müller for the opening goal. He also had a hand in the second German goal and his general all-round display led to him being voted man of the match on the German FA’s website. Those two games were only Hector’s sixth and seventh appearances for Löw’s side but already it looks like he will be hard to dislodge from the starting XI. IMC

The euphoria and relief that surrounded Kyle Lafferty’s late, late equaliser against Hungary at Windsor Park overshadowed the consequences of his 10th-minute booking for a foul on fellow goalscorer Richard Guzmics, but they are serious for Michael O’Neill. Lafferty’s impressive return in the European Championship qualifying campaign now stands at seven goals in eight matches but he will be absent for the first time when Greece visit Belfast next month due to suspension. Northern Ireland require two points from their final two matches, at home to Greece and away to Finland, but also a credible alternative to their talisman. It demonstrated the paucity of options that O’Neill talked up Josh Magennis in the aftermath of the Hungary draw when the Kilmarnock forward is yet to score in 14 international appearances. Nottingham Forest’s Jamie Ward should have recovered from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss this double header but, even with only two points required and Greece bottom of the group, goals are no formality for Northern Ireland. They have scored 12 in qualifying and Lafferty has been involved in eight (including one assist). Reports that O’Neill has asked Connor Wickham, who has 17 caps for England Under-21s, to consider switching allegiance show the manager’s search for a solution is already under way. Andy Hunter



6) Plenty of concerns going forward for Conte

7) Fletcher still the best of an average bunchOn the face of it, it looks like a decent qualifying campaign for Italy. With two games left, they are top of their group by two points and remain undefeated. However, those figures camouflage some serious problems facing theAzzurri. They are struggling to find the back of the net – of all the teams topping the six-side groups, only Wales have scored fewer goals – and they needed a questionable effort from Graziano Pellè against Malta and a Daniele De Rossi penalty against Bulgaria to win their last two games. Pellè has done OK so far for Antonio Conte but at 30 years of age, he is hardly a long-term solution, while others (think Mario Balotelli or Stephan El Shaarawy) have failed to fire consistently. “We could’ve finished off the game with many more goals tonight,” said Marco Verratti, “and it’s something we have to improve, as we can’t always get lucky with the result.” Other than this, there is the question of Andrea Pirlo. He was poor against Malta – a team ranked 160 in the world – and the subject of much criticism in Italy. Conte deemed himself “mortified” by the attacks on the veteran midfielder but he still dropped Pirlo for the match against Bulgaria. That left De Rossi, Marco Verratti and Marco Parolo in midfield, all fine players but as a trio they are somewhat lacking in consistent creativity. That dearth will not help solve the striking crisis and Conte will need to think long and hard about how to solve these problems if and when Italy make it to France. IMC

The only thing worse than a striker who doesn’t score is one who misses an abundance of chances to do so. Steven Fletcher hasn’t quite reached whipping-boy status in the eyes of the Tartan Army yet but there is audible concern about his return. In 22 appearances, Fletcher has scored just four times. Three of them came in this campaign against Gibraltar, with a match against Iceland back in 2009 the only other time Fletcher has found the net for his country. It is poor, that cannot be denied. And yet, criticism of the Sunderland player is unfair. Part of this seems to resonate in his substantial club salary, which is hardly Fletcher’s fault. Fletcher doesn’t pass up opportunity after opportunity on the simple basis Scotland don’t create them. Against Germany, he wasn’t afforded a single clear sight at goal. The fact also remains that he is the best forward Scotland have for Gordon Strachan’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, owing to an ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play which is vastly superior to Leigh Griffiths or Chris Martin. Unless Strachan alters his philosophy, and there is no sign of that, Fletcher is the man for the job. It may not be a task the player himself even particularly relishes. Scotland’s scoring woes have undermined far more campaigns than this one. The nation has cried out for strikers who can reach so much as double figures in goals. Pinning this frustration on Fletcher is misplaced; he is the best of an average bunch. Ewan Murray
8) Time for the Dutch to wave goodbye to Van Persie

“The Lions look foolish” was how one Dutch newspaper reacted to the defeat to Turkey; “What a disgrace” was how another reacted; while a third said: “We don’t count anymore”. That last front page came with a picture of Robin van Persie, lying on the ground, looking like a decrepit telephone pole hit by a sharp left hook of lightning. There are plenty of things wrong with the Dutch side right now and there is plenty of rebuilding that needs doing but Danny Blind should start with pointing the former Manchester United and Arsenal striker in the direction of the exit. He has done little over a long time to suggest that he is worthy of starting up front for the Oranje and yet there he was with the No9 shirt on his back starting in a crucial game. For the record, his sole impact on the game against Turkey was a yellow card and one effort off target. (It is also worth noting that in his last 12 games for Holland he has scored only one goal that has not come from the spot and that was against Latvia.) Between himself and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (who started against Iceland), they have six league goals between them in 2015 while back in Germany, Bas Dost, who has 16 goals to his name during the same period, was forced to watch the two dismal defeats from his couch. IMC



9) Austria will be hard to beat in France

Marcel Koller’s team went to Sweden on Tuesday night needing a point to qualify for the finals and came away with an utterly comprehensive 4-1 win. It was a fitting way to seal their place at next year’s finals as they have been by far the best team in the group. They have won seven and drawn one of their eight games, scoring 16 goals in the process, conceding just three. Their pressing game is suffocating for opponents and, until the 91st minute on Tuesday night, they had not conceded a goal in open play in the group for a whole year. In addition to the work ethic and tactical superiority they have a world-class player in David Alaba who, with the national team, is allowed to play, and dominate, in central midfield. The Bayern Munich player will be crucial to Austria’s hopes in France as every team needs a bit of stardust to go far at a major tournament. As for Sweden, they are now looking at the play-offs after two defeats in four days. There will be calls for Erik Hamren to resign and maybe they need someone else in charge to provide fresh impetus. They were woeful and were lucky to just concede four. Austria had enough chances to score 10. Marcus Christenson

10) Dzyuba drags Russia back into automatic contention

It did not take long after the final whistle for the pictures of Artyom Dzyuba’s head to be superimposed on to Lionel Messi’s body with the Ballon d’Or trophy clutched to his chest. That is stretching Dzyuba’s recent performances for Russiaa bit too far but he has almost single-handedly dragged them into second place in Group G. It was he who got the only goal of the game against Sweden and it was he who shone like Sirius in the 7-0 win against Liechtenstein. He scored four goals – all four of which displayed his predatory instincts and his intelligent positioning – as well as winning the penalty that Aleksandr Kokorin converted and playing a key role in Fyodor Smolov’s. Leonid Slutsky’s side have two more games to play – Moldova away and Montenegro at home – before they can be assured of the second spot in the group but with Dzyuba in this sort of goal-scoring form, they should already be scouting for expensive places to stay. IMC

Euro 2016 qualifier: Germany’s Thomas Müller piles pain on Scotland


Thomas Müller celebrates with team-mates after scoring his first goal for Germany against Scotland. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters

Monday 7 September 2015 21.44 BSTLast modified on Tuesday 8 September 201508.57 BST

There should be no shame attached to Gordon Strachan’s Scotland side, which does not contain a single world-class player, being defeated by a team featuring 11 of them. The frustration in Strachan’s camp must be that an attitude so prevalent against Germany here was conspicuous by its absence three days earlier in Georgia.



Kyle Lafferty rescues a draw against Hungary for 10-man Northern Ireland

Read more

Germany, inspired by Thomas Müller, were worthy winners from an occasionally breathless encounter. It is a matter of when, not if, Joachim Löw’s World Cup winners will qualify for Euro 2016. They remain a joy to watch.

Scotland’s hopes now lie in the play-off route, a matter not aided by the Republic of Ireland’s defeat of Georgia. The Irish have their destiny in their own hands.

Still, Strachan was at his most emphatic yet when the dust had settled on Monday night. Meetings with Poland and Gibraltar will round off the Scottish campaign.

“We are still in this, trust me,” said the Scotland manager. “If we play like that with the same determination and get a wee bit of luck, there is absolutely no doubt about it.

“I can’t wait to get them back together to go for it again over the next two games. I’m really proud of them. They are disappointed in there but they should be proud of themselves. I can feel within their disappointment they know they gave it a good shot. Someone said to me that we didn’t attack them much tonight. Well, go and ask Brazil how they got on against them.”

Löw cut a contented figure. “It was anything but easy,” he said. “Scotland put men behind the ball, used long balls and were hoping for dead-ball situations in front of our box. We didn’t allow the Scots any chances from open play. It was a fully deserved win.”

Scotland’s team bus arrived at Hampden just an hour before kick-off; a multi-vehicle accident had triggered teatime chaos on Scotland’s main motorway.

The nature of the German opener was as much a cause for home frustration as the fact that it arrived at all. Müller, hardly an unknown protagonist in this movie, was allowed to stroll towards the penalty area without anything remotely resembling close attention. His 18-yard shot was not particularly well hit, but a deflection played a part in deceiving the helpless David Marshall.



Republic of Ireland keep alive Euro 2016 hopes with win over Georgia

Read more

Just when Scotland would have been forgiven an expectation of the worst, salvation arrived. A terrific Shaun Maloney free-kick, from near the corner of the German penalty area, worried Manuel Neuer to the extent that he could only parry the ball straight against the legs of his team-mate Mats Hummels. Neither German player could prevent the subsequent and inevitable own-goal.

Scottish eagerness may have played its part in Germany edging back in front. Emre Can was afforded far too much space to shoot at Marshall when meeting a cross from the left. Marshall’s stop reached the head of Müller, who nodded home via the left post. Goalkeeping traditionalists will bemoan the direction of Marshall’s save but the generosity bestowed on Can was the bigger crime. Müller had his eighth goal in this group.

Were Scotland suitably chastised? Far from it. They rounded off the first half with the game’s fourth goal. Maloney was again involved, with his poor corner only partially cleared by the Germans. James McArthur, one of three Scotland changes from Tbilisi, returned the ball with side-footed interest. Neuer would again have been unhappy with his role, with the custodian apparently confused by the abundance of bodies in front of him.

Germany had the ball in the net within five minutes of the restart, only for the offside flag to deny them a goal for the second time of the evening. It was the correct decision; Mario Götze had drifted a yard to the wrong side of Scotland’s last defender.Strachan’s half-time decision surrounded whether to stick or twist. Before the game Scotland’s manager had spoken of his desire to garner a point. Strachan cannot have banked on such a pulsating affair or, surely, defensive raggedness at either end.

The harsh critique would be to point to Scottish failure to heed a warning. In reality they were undone by a wonderful piece of play, befitting Germany’s status.

Müller’s movement was superb as he collected a pass from Can before an exchange or three with Ilkay Gündogan. The Borussia Dortmund player justified his inclusion with a crisp finish.

The more learned among the Scottish support applauded the goal and rightly so. Gündogan’s strike was the precursor to Germany’s finest spell, thought Alan Hutton again raised Scottish hopes with a shot which flew narrowly wide of Neuer’s upright. Generally, though, Germany were keeping the Scots at arms’ length.

Götze should have settled matters five minutes from time but blazed over. Marshall entered the opposition penalty area for a corner in the dying seconds but there was to be no dramatic intervention. If truth be told, it would not have been deserved.
 
 
Blogger Templates