Germany look for momentum v Socceroos

Joachim Loew's Germany hope to play themselves into form against the Socceroos in a bid to kick-start their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

World champions Germany are team in transition and hope the Socceroos can help speed up the process.

"The game against Australia will allow us to regain our momentum," German team manager Oliver Bierhoff said ahead of Wednesday's friendly match in Kaiserslautern.

Joachim Loew's side is yet to rediscover its best form since winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, losing to Poland and drawing with Ireland in a stuttering start to Euro 2016 qualifying.

Their campaign continues away against minnows Georgia next week and this week's match against Ange Postecoglou's Asian Champions offers another opportunity to bed in a new playing style.

The Germans triumphed in Brazil with a 4-2-3-1 formation, but Loew has toyed with a three-man defence in a 3-4-3 line-up, so far to mixed results.

"System changes need time, even in training, to get the whole thing right," Bierhoff said on Monday.

Germany have 16 of the World Cup-winning squad in the 23-strong party for these two games but have lost the services of international retirees Phillip Lahm, Miroslav Klose and Per Mertesacker.

Loew at least has veteran midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger fit-again, and also back in the fold after long injury absences are Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber and Borussia Dortmund's Ilkay Guendogan.

Germany approached Australian officials about the friendly in October last year.

At the time the Socceroos were near their lowest-ever ranking and struggling for results and in a rocky build-up to the Asian Cup but Postecoglou jumped at the opportunity, against the opinion of others.

"They (Germany) were very keen for the game and their staff have been great about it. Maybe they don't see us as a threat, I don't know," Postecoglou said.

"The wisdom of accepting (the match) was questioned at the time.

"We were struggling with results and people were worried if we didn't have a great Asian Cup and then I brought the team over here and got thumped, my position might be in jeopardy.

"But there was never any doubt in my mind it was a great opportunity to measure ourselves against the best and it's worked out well."

Germany may not have been banking on facing the Asian champions when the friendly was booked but will still be the hottest of favourites against an injury-hit Australian side limited to just two full days of preparation.


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Germany look for momentum v Socceroos | SBS News