Germany: Best is yet to come against Greece
Reuters - Monday 18 June 2012, 09:14
Euro 2012 favourites Germany may
in the end have had a nervous time reaching the quarter-finals
but they are hoping to hit the goal trail against outsiders
Greece, said German football chief Wolfgang Niersbach.
The Germans got a third straight win when they beat Denmark
2-1 on Sunday to top Group B in their first ever perfect Euro
group stage campaign but it was less convincing than it sounds.
"Three wins, three times narrowly won, three times we
trembled," said Niersbach.
"Obviously, it is a top performance by the team. For the
first time we got the full nine points in a group stage. I hope
we have saved our goals for the quarter-final."
The Germans kept their cool after Denmark equalised as, with
Portugal beating Netherlands 2-1 at the same time, another
Danish goal would have sent them out of the tournament.
Lars Bender settled German nerves in the 80th minute,
scoring the winner in Lviv to set up a quarter-final clash with
the 2004 European champions in Gdansk on Friday.
"We have to improve a bit in attack. After three difficult
games we can be a bit more focused in the way we prepare," said
Germany coach Joachim Low.
His team, who won all 10 of their qualifiers, have been
effective yet have so far failed to replicate the dazzling form
of their 2010 World Cup when they scored four goals against
England and Argentina in the knockout stages to finish third.
"The game against Greece will be very different. They are
dangerous," said the 52-year-old coach.
The three-time European champions, eyeing their first title
since 1996, beat Portugal 1-0 and Netherlands 2-1 before their
final victory over Denmark but Loew said the Greeks would be a
tougher nut to crack and his team would need to up the ante.
Despite German hopes of a comfortable win, their opponents
have conceded more than one goal only twice in 24 games.
"No one was counting on the Greeks. They are masters of
efficiency," said Low.
"The Greeks have so far had three scoring chances in the
tournament and scored three goals. It will be a good challenge
for us to try and solve," he said.