Confident Germany plan Dutch offensive
Reuters - Sunday 10 June 2012, 09:00
Germany's opening Euro 2012
victory over Portugal has given the team the necessary spark for
the tournament but coach Joachim Low wants to see his players
create more scoring chances when they take on bitter rivals
Netherlands.
The Germans were frustrated by a tight Portuguese defence on
Saturday and had to wait 72 minutes before Mario Gomez headed in
the only goal after the Portuguese defence failed to clear Sami
Khedira's cross.
Until then, the three-times European champions, among the
tournament favourites, had less than a handful of scoring
chances and it was Portugal who twice hit the woodwork.
"This opening win can given the team an initial spark for
the tournament, it gives us more confidence. But we need to
improve on certain things, though. We need to create more
scoring chances, because the tournament has now begun," said the
52-year-old Low.
"It is not like the World Cup where you can have a sort of
warm-up game [against a weak team]. Here you start at 100
percent like in Formula One, only without a warm-up lap. You
can't start the tournament chasing after the music."
The Germans take on Netherlands in their next Group B game
in Kharkiv on Wednesday with the Dutch facing a possible early
tournament exit after their surprise 1-0 defeat by Denmark.
"I would have preferred if they had drawn their game. They
are now with their backs to the wall and have to play an
all-or-nothing game. That makes that match even more exciting,"
Loew said.
Germany's victory will have no doubt eased their nerves
after a less than ideal pre-tournament preparation in which many
players joined the squad late.
Among those feeling more confident is holding midfielder
Bastian Schweinsteiger, injured for much of the year.
"It was extremely important that he was on the pitch. He had
played a lot towards the end of the season. Together with Sami
Khedira he was ever-present in midfield."