Germany coach Loew, who has reduced his squad to 23 names from 26, lamented his team’s poor passing and lack of freshness against Cameroon. PHOTO: AFP
Joachim Loew admits he has several problems to solve after Germany failed to impress in their 2-2 draw with Cameroon as he trimmed his World Cup squad on Monday.
Germany host Armenia in their final warm-up match on Friday night in Mainz before flying out to Brazil the following day and coach Loew says improvements must be made.
The German coach has reduced his squad to 23 names from 26 as centre-back Shkodran Mustafi, left-back Marcel Schmelzer and striker Kevin Volland failed to make the cut.
Germany laboured against Cameroon, but Loew was missing his captain Philipp Lahm, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and midfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger.
“You could see the freshness was missing, our passing game wasn’t good and we made many, many mistakes,” said Loew after Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Cameroon.
“It’s something we need to work on; our chance conversion rate is not optimal.
“We also gave away far too much ball and we left too many gaps between midfield and defence in the closing stages.”
Loew singled out his chief play-maker Mesut Ozil, who was again off form having been booed off the pitch in Germany’s 1-0 win over Chile in March, on the back of a dip in form and a hamstring injury with the Gunners.
“Ozil didn’t have one of his better days and he needs two weeks more, but after that we will see a strong Ozil at the World Cup.”
Meanwhile, Victor Caceres flicked home an 89th minute equaliser as Paraguay held World Cup bound France to a 1-1 draw on a wet evening in Nice, while World Cup-bound Honduras suffered a second deflating friendly defeat in four days as they were beaten 4-2 by Israel.
And the US continued their preparations with a 2-1 triumph over Turkey.
‘Work to be done at Corinthians stadium’
Fifa oversaw the final World Cup test event at the Corinthians arena on Sunday and officials said there was ‘a week and a half of hard work’ ahead to get the stadium ready for the opening match of the tournament on June 12.
“A lot will be done to change the look of the stadium,” Tiago Paes, the local organising committee’s operations manager told reporters.
“It is adjustments, adjustments to the temporary structures, the setting up of the internet, the finishing up of the executive boxes, putting in sofas, fridges, plants. Everything will improve, I have no doubt about that.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2014.
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