BackWorld Cup 2014: Coach Joachim Loew urges Germany to improve after Algeria scare
The European giants were pushed all the way by their inspired opponents before Andre Schuerrle and Mesut Ozil scored in extra time
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Porto Alegre: Germany coach Joachim Loew brushed aside criticism that his team are a far cry from winning a fourth World Cup after they struggled to a 2-1 extra-time last-16 win over outsiders Algeria on Monday.
“It’s not a stroll in the park in the World Cup," Loew told German TV. “There are always some matches like this in a tournament where you have teams that fight hard, where the opponents are defending really tough and playing aggressively."
Loew, whose fancied team lost in the 2010 semifinals as well as in the 2006 last four, pointed out that he had warned Algeria would be dangerous opponents.
“You need matches like this one at the World Cup."
Germany were pushed all the way by an inspired Algeria before Andre Schuerrle and Mesut Ozil scored in extra time, Abdelmoumene Djabou grabbing a consolation goal just before the final whistle. Germany will meet France in the quarterfinals.
“The match (against France) has to be better," he said. “We gave up the ball too much, especially in the first half, and practically invited Algeria to run counter-attacks against us. We were the better team in the second half. At the end of the day it was a victory of will, our strength of will."
Loew said that he was forced to rearrange his back four due to an illness to Mats Hummels, the centre back and bulwark of Germany’s defence in the group stage.
Loew said that he was always confident Germany would prevail against the tiring Algerians.
“We were in better physical shape than Algeria," he said. “You could see they were quite knocked out after 90 minutes." Reuters
For more stories from Brazil, go to www.livemint.com/worldcup2014
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