Germany have only their superior fitness and world-class goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to thank for scraping past Algeria 2-1 in extra time to move into the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after doing almost everything wrong over 90 minutes.
Coach Joachim Loew will no doubt be skipping any post-game celebrations as he rushes back to the drawing board to reshuffle his team ahead of their match against France if they are to confirm their status as genuine title contenders.
His experiment of playing with two centerbacks as his fullbacks backfired and made his team slower against Algeria, who pressed high from the start.
Photo: AFP
Schalke 04’s Benedikt Hoewedes and Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng are central defenders for their clubs and — unsurprisingly — did not have the pace to carve out chances from the wings.
Loew’s other much-discussed experiment was launched back in March and consists of playing captain Philipp Lahm in a holding midfield position. This gamble may have worked in warmup games against Cameroon and Poland, but it was only after Lahm switched back to his traditional rightback role in the second half against Algeria that the Mannschaft could finally play their quick, flowing game.
“It doesn’t matter at all to me how we won,” defender Per Mertesacker said, summing up the evening. “The main thing is we won and we’re in the final eight and that’s what counts. What do you want from me? Do you think that this is a circus band? We fought to the end.”
Photo: AFP
The lack of a clear striker in the starting lineup could have proved costly, with neither Mario Goetze, Mesut Ozil nor Thomas Mueller able to convert any of the chances they carved out in regulation time.
As Lowe’s best forward, Miroslav Klose, languished on the bench, the SS Lazio player was no doubt asking himself why he was not on the pitch to add to his 15 World Cup goals.
Lowe can take comfort in France not being the squad that won the World Cup in 1998, nor the strong 2006 finalists, after Les Bleus came close to going home in their last-16 tie against Nigeria. Yet despite an unconvincing win, they should be Germany’s toughest test so far.
It would come as no surprise if, among others, Ozil, who has never reclaimed the form for Germany that he showed at the 2010 World Cup, is left on the bench for the quarters clash.
One player that Loew should have no concerns about is Neuer, who delivered a stunning masterclass in modern goalkeeping, cleverly racing out of the box more times than anyone in recent memory and helping launch quick counterattacks against Algeria.
He repeatedly outsprinted and outsmarted speedy Sofiane Feghouli and Islam Slimani when his backline was struggling, providing much needed confidence at the back.
After the loss, M’Bolhi, whose man-of-the-match display repeatedly thwarted the European side in regulation time before Schuerrle and Ozil’s extra-time goals, insisted that the loss was not down to his teammates’ observance of Ramadan.
Most of the team are reported to be observing the Muslim holy month of fasting, which started on Saturday, and would have only been able to drink water late in the first half.
“No, I don’t think [it was a factor], we were ready to play for as long as we need to, nobody believed we were able to put in a performance like that,” M’Bolhi said. “It didn’t come down to physicality, everyone was fit and ready to play, we just conceded two late goals.
“This is a personal question, it’s between us and God, I don’t think I have to answer you, Ramadan is a personal thing,” he told reporters.
The ’keeper said his side were “disappointed,” but added that on the bright side, “We’re part of Algerian football history, no other team went so far before and we showed we can play on an equal footing at the highest level.”
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was