Loew: Germany will bounce back from World Cup heartache
What you need to know:
- Loew, who won the 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup in Russia with a second-string German side, said Germany has many talented players who will come through the system to help the deposed world champions return stronger.
IN MOSCOW
Germany coach Joachim Loew has said his team’s premature exit from the 2018 Fifa World Cup will not have a long-term effect in the country’s football.
Loew, who won the 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup in Russia with a second-string German side, said Germany has many talented players who will come through the system to help the deposed world champions return stronger.
"I don't think this will bring about a dark time in German football,” Loew told journalists on Wednesday in Kazan after his team lost its final match in Group ‘F’ 2-0 to South Korea to exit the tournament.
“We have young players who are very talented, and some have the potential to go forward. This has happened to other nations before, we just have to draw the right conclusions and make it better,” he added.
Germany went into the match level with Sweden on three points and needed to beat South Korea by two goals, then pray that Mexico do them a few favours against Sweden to stand a chance of reaching the last 16.
But Sweden stunned Mexico 3-0 to jump to the top of the group ahead of the central American nation on goal difference as both teams qualified for the last 16. Germany’s loss to Korea saw the 2014 world champions finish last in the group to exit the tournament. Germany followed in the footsteps of Spain and Italy, who were eliminated from the 2014 and 2010 tournaments respectively at the group stage as defending champions.
NEUER FALLS ON HIS OWN SWORD
Germany’s number one goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has perfected the role of a sweeper-keeper, dashing off his line to clear the ball whenever the situation arises. Neuer stood out as a sweeper in Germany’s first match of the tournament against Mexico at Luzhniki Stadium in what was a repeat of 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup final, with the deposed world champions losing 1-0.
In Germany’s second match of the group against Sweden in Sochi on June 23, the Germans won 2-1 and Neuer had a good game, getting off his area to deal with threats from Swedish strikers.
But disaster struck on Wednesday in their last Group ‘F’ match against South Korea in Kazan. Germany fell behind to South Korea with two late goals from Kim Young-gwon (92nd minute) and Son Heung-min (96th minute), but it is the last goal that left German fans at St Petersburg dumbfounded.
With South Korea leading 1-0, Neuer ventured with the ball deep into South Korea’s half and was dispossessed of the ball by South Korea midfielders in the 90th minute and Son directed the ball into an empty net for the second goal.
