WORLDCUP SOUTH AFRICA 2010

German lessons for stunned Socceroos



Any worries the Germans had about the loss of influential captain Michael Ballack were quickly put to rest in their 4-0 opening win against outgunned Australia in Durban. Richard Garcia provided an early scare for the three-time world champions in the nervy awkwardness of the opening exchanges, but it proved a false dawn as Germany were a goal to the good inside seven minutes of the Group D curtain raiser.

Miroslav Klose fired a warning shot after four minutes which was well dealt with by Mark Scharzer, but Australia’s Fulham-based net-minder could do nothing about what came just four minutes later. A diagonal ball from Messut Oezil sent Thomas Mueller rampaging through the right side of the area, and the Bayern Munich starlet crossed low for Lucas Podolski, a one-time Munich gem in his own right, who drilled home with his left foot past the despairing custodian, who did well just to get a hand to it.

The Australians were stunned by the early set-back and the heavy underdogs, labelled such by captain Lucas Neill in the build-up, had no luck grinding their way back into the contest. After 20 minutes, Garcia was again vaguely threatening, but his tame strike from the edge of the box failed to do justice to some clever approach work.

The Germans were eminently in the ascendancy, and threatening from both flanks. In the 24th minute, Miroslave Klose – so reliable on the world stage – fluffed an absolute sitter, woefully poking high and wide on the end of a brilliant cross out left from scorer Podolski, who was looking a new man after a horror season with FC Cologne.

It didn’t take long for Klose to go from goat to hero, rising high to head home from an inch-perfect cross – this time from the right – from captain Philipp Lahm, who recently made the apparently justifiable claim that this German team is the “best he’s ever played in,” after 26 minutes. Oezil had another golden chance on the half-hour mark, but his delicate chip over Schwarzer was booted clear by Neill, who was leading a rearguard in serious danger of total collapse as the halftime whistle, mercifully, blew an end to the opening stanza.

The second half began with Neill unceremoniously planting a knee into the back of danger-man Klose. That bit of impetuousness combined with a red card for Tim Cahill in the 56th minute for a tackle from behind on Bastian Schweinsteiger, was the full measure of Aussie resistance.

With a man advantage, the German juggernaut went into overdrive. Oezil and Podolski both went close to scoring from close range before the outstanding Mueller made it 3-0 with a sharp strike in off the post after a wily give-and-go with Podolski cut a swath through the disappointed Australian defence in the 66th minute. Two minutes later Cacau added a fourth and final goal with his first touch of the ball after coming on as a substitute for Klose, slotting home the simplest of finishes from six yards out.

The Germans, on top of the group alongside Ghana, who beat Serbia earlier in the day, next face the Serbs on 18 June in Nelson Mandela Bay while Australia will look to rebound against a powerful Black Stars one day later in Rustenburg.

World-Age is not an issue say young Germans

By Karolos Grohmann

PRETORIA, June 10 (Reuters) - Germany kick off their campaign for a fourth World Cup on Sunday against Australia with their youngest tournament squad in 76 years, but age is not a problem, the players said on Thursday.

“Young or old, it does not make a difference,” striker Lukas Podolski said on Thursday.

“We have many young players who are outstanding and they want to become champions,” said Podolski, who at 25 is among the most experienced players in the squad, having won 73 caps.

With only three out of 23 players over the age of 30, Germany are going into the June 11-July 11 World Cup with a backbone of players from the European under-21 championship winning team in 2009.

These include goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Marko Marin, Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil and Jerome Boateng.

The youthful team will see Neuer, 24, often leave his goal to act as part-time defender while left back Holger Badstuber, 21, has been ordered to turn into the occasional winger to carry the ball forward.

Thomas Mueller, 20, is equally comfortable on the wings as he is as a centre forward.

Versatility has been key to coach Joachim Loew’s squad for quite some time but even more so since injuries forced five players, including captain Michael Ballack, to drop out of the squad.

Loew has also opted not to recall 33-year-old midfielder Torsten Frings and keep 36-year-old Hans-Joerg Butt, the only goalkeeper with previous World Cup experience, on the bench.

How his young team will react on their big stage debut is still unclear, though their enthusiasm is palpable.

“I have had a perfect preparation and am ready to help the team,” said 21-year-old Marin. “I can play on either wing and I hope I get a starting spot on Sunday.”

Loew himself has not tried to curb his players’ exuberance though he did warn this week their time may have not yet come and the team could peak in a few years from now.

This caution is necessarily shared by his players.

“I am very confident,” said Ozil, expected to start in midfield, in front of Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

“We are a young team that is starving for success. We believe in us, have prepared well and are in top form.”

Germany next play Serbia and Ghana in Group D.

::GALLERY::






DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 13: Miroslav Klose scores the second goal for Germany during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group D match between Germany and Australia at Durban Stadium on June 13, 2010 in Durban, South Africa.



DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 13: Referee Marco Rodriguez awards Tim Cahill of Australia a straight red card following a tackle on Bastian Schweinsteiger of Germany during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group D match between Germany and Australia at Durban.





DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 13: Lukas Podolski of Germany celebrates scoring the first goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group D match between Germany and Australia at Durban Stadium on June 13, 2010 in Durban, South Africa.