Under-fire Podolski impresses Germany boss

Striker scores two as team beats Ecuador; Ireland hold England.

BERLIN: Under-fire Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski answered criticism by German team manager Oliver Bierhoff and impressed national head coach Joachim Loew with two goals against Ecuador on their two-match tour of the US.

“He put in a class performance,” said Loew after Germany beat Ecuador 4-2 in their friendly. “He has already showed repeatedly in recent years how important he is for our team.”

After racing into a 4-0 lead, thanks to Podolski’s brace and two from Lars Bender, Germany allowed Ecuador to come back with goals from Manchester United midfielder Antonio Valencia and Monterrey’s Walter Ayovi.

Hodgson gives tactical talk short shrift

England manager Roy Hodgson sought to defend his tactics after seeing his side held to a 1-1 draw by their Republic of Ireland neighbours in an end-of-season friendly fixture at Wembley.

Shane Long opened the scoring for the visitors with a superb 13^th-minute header, only for Frank Lampard to equalise from a Daniel Sturridge cross 10 minutes later.

Hodgson said discussions about tactical systems were unhelpful.

“I think there’s been far too much discussion about systems,” he said. “We look to find systems. The important thing is to have players who can attack and defend. I think tonight we did it. When we lost the ball, our front players worked hard to track back and do a job, and the Irish did too.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2013.