The German national football team wrapped qualifying round of Euro 2012 with a 3-1 win over Belgium. This makes them the best team in the qualifying round with 10 wins in 10 games.
The game was virtually the only formality of the German national team. In the final stage of qualifying at the European Championships and 2012 did not affect their position on top of the group, because they had already qualified for the tournament next summer.
But there was still something on the line squadron Joachim Löw as they headed into their game Tuesday against Belgium in Cologne Spirit Arena: a perfect record in qualifying.
At the end of the night, Germany's 3-1 victory over the Belgians gave them their tenth win in the qualifiers, like many, good for 30 points in their group. This is the best of any team in the qualifiers.
Belgium also had something at stake: a victory for them meant they were second in the group with another opportunity to qualify for the Euro 2012 playoffs in a group of finalists. By losing to Germany, however, Belgium left their fate in the hands of Turkey, Azerbaijan sent 1-0 and took second place in the group themselves.
Wrapped in early
The Belgians, however, came out swinging, however, and dominated possession in the first ten minutes of play. But the German team, as demonstrated on Friday against Turkey, the first 10 minutes are often used to facilitate the game before starting the fireworks real
First Germany took control of possession after a quarter of an hour. Then they started chipping away at the Belgian Defence. Mesut Ozil, back in the starting lineup after the meeting on Friday with an Achilles problem was back to his usual ways of creating plays and help dictate the attack.
Showing no signs of rust after missing Friday's game, Özil even for the Germans struck first on 33 minutes. After a corner kick found its way to Sami Khedira, became Ozil, who criticized a series of jelly twenty meters that touched off the crossbar and into
A few minutes later, it was Andre Schürrle to put Germany ahead 2-0. Schürrle was taken to a Lukas Podolski slightly wounded in the attack and midfield took over where he left after being subtitled Podolski finally Turkey. Schürrle has all the power in the 20 minutes he played in that game, and finally got a deserved goal for his efforts in the two games when Mario Gomez pushed the ball forward found Schürrle. With only the goalkeeper to beat Belgian Simon Mignolet, Schürrle chipping the ball over his head and in
After the break, Mario Gomez wasted no time in putting the game out of reach of the Belgians with a solo career that ended with a shot that Mignolet had no chance to save. The score was 3-0 after 48 minutes, and Marouane Fellaini, while the Belgians pulled with a cool head in the 86, Germany is a perfect qualifying round was in the bag long before the final whistle.
"What do you want?"
Germany Perfect 10 wins marks the best qualifying rounds of the European Championship in team history, a fact that was not lost on coach Joachim Loew after the match.
"Ten to win 10 games - what more could you ask for?" He said after the game. "We wanted a final sprint to the finish line and crosses the line with 10 wins, everyone wins because you only get a little 'more respect."
Perhaps the most important part of German qualifying round was developed for the depth of the team. While some players will be considered in the past and certainly points to start next summer, during a tournament in Poland and Ukraine, as Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, or, to name a few, other positions have evolved so that lines are confused between the starter and backup.
Schürrle others, for example, has proven to be a very capable backup Lukas Podolski, and some wonder if it will not take Podolski is more fully by the time Euro 2012 rolled around.
"I think that pushes us forward," said competition Schürrle for a starting spot on the team. "You bring much more to every practice and every game, when you get to play, and 'c is best for all players."
Mesut Ozil is the first choice for most of the Loew center midfield, but Mario Götze has also demonstrated its ability in this position, but was a little beaten on Friday. In this case, both players would get to play side by side during Euro 2012, a possibility which can only help create scoring opportunities for Germany and the other teams in the tournament a little nervous.
I think other teams will notice that we are a great team with good people, "said defender Per Mertesacker after the game.
More than Germany and Spain
Defending European champions and World Cup in Spain were the only team to do as well as Germany in the standings. Also undefeated, but played in a group of eight teams in Germany 10, giving 24 points instead of 30.
Low, however, was quick to point out that there are several teams to worry about in the tournament than just Germany and Spain.
"Let me make one thing clear, EM," said Löw. "It bothers me that everyone always talks about the showdown in Germany and the Spanish title. There are other teams that are very dangerous."
No matter who may make the European Championships next summer in Germany, not to say the title is the team's goal.
"It's time that Germany become champions of Europe again," said Ozil.
In addition to Germany and Spain and Poland and Ukraine, which qualify as hosts, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Denmark, France, Greece and England qualified for Euro 2012 as group winners, while Sweden is also the best second place. The eight finalists - Turkey, Ireland, Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Portugal will compete in the playoffs for the legs to the last four slots in the tournament of 16 teams.
