So, it’s the final piece of what has been a dramatic and ultimately disappointing year for the Nationalmannschaft – and the third act of a three-part show against the Netherlands that started just around this time last year in Hamburg.
Having handed out six of the best to the Republic of Ireland four days earlier, confidence in the German camp would be high ahead of a return home to Berlin and the game against Sweden.
After the semi-final failure at Euro 2012, a disappointing friendly home defeat to Argentina and two fairly insipid and uninspired performances in September in their opening two World Cup qualifying matches, Nationaltrainer Joachim Löw found himself under pressure for what
After two wins in their opening two fixtures against the Faroe Islands and Austria, Joachin Löw’s side face a far tougher double-header – with the first match in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland followed by a home meeting with
After the expected but not wholly convincing victory over the Faroe Islands in their opening World Cup qualifying fixture in Hannover, the pressure would be on Nationaltrainer Joachim Löw and his side to deliver a more convincing performance against neighbours
There are no surprises from German Nationaltrainer Joachim Löw this time, as the team is pretty much as we all expected. The fit-again Marcel Schmelzer is in at left back with Holger Badstuber moving back inside and Per Mertesacker on
The 2014 World Cup campaign is finally underway, with the Mannschaft earning a 3-0 victory over a brave but ultimately limited Faroe Islands side in Hannover. It would be a case of business as usual for Joachim Löw’s side
So, no Marcel Schmelzer after all… He’s officially unfit to start, we’re told. Per Mertesacker is back into the starting eleven, with Holger Badstuber shunted out to the left as skipper Philipp Lahm starts in his favourite right-back position. Oh,
A new start to a new season, and the Nationalmannschaft’s fourth defeat of 2012 – the most reverses in a calendar year since Joachim Löw wook over as Nationaltrainer in 2006. But it was not all bad news. Despite the
Generally speaking nobody cares too much about the August early season friendly, but this was Argentina – and Frankfurt’s Commerzbank-Arena would be packed to the rafters to see Joachim Löw’s side take on the Albiceleste in what was their first
After the endless discussions about the starting lineup at Euro 2012, we kick things off again with this season’s opening friendly international against Argentina: a friendly with that touch of importance, a game against a “big” country rather than a
It is hard to believe that the Euros are finally all over. Ten qualifying matches. Months of anticipation and buildup. Then, just over three weeks of football, extracting every last emotion and shredding every last nerve. Especially if you were