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Don't expect a show from Australia

Roar Guru
12th June, 2010
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Spectators expecting a footballing fiesta will be shortchanged by Australia, Germany coach Joachim Loew said ahead of his team’s opening World Cup against the Socceroos on Sunday.

Loew warned, however, that the Australians were an organised side dangerous on the counter-attack and with a steely defence that has produced 17 cleansheets in their last 28 matches.

“Australia’s strength is their capacity to get organised,” said Loew.

Their goals-against record “clearly indicates that Australia are strong on defence, which can destroy an opponent’s game”.

“They do not allow many goal-scoring opportunities. Australia played that way and were successful in topping their qualifying group. They don’t want to put on a great show, but they’ve been very successful.

“They also have a fighting spirit.”

Loew, deprived of first-choice captain and playmaker Michael Ballack through injury, said the onus was squarely on his team to be creative.

“We have to create pressure and opportunities,” he said. “I’m confident because when the games starts flowing, we can create and we have lots of players able to score.

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“All my players are fit and ready to play. It’s very positive and means all the players have trained well.

“We have a very young team which can develop and has grown together over the last few weeks. There’s a lot of talent and we’ll try to put Australia in a tight spot.”

As well as Ballack, Loew has also lost first-choice goalkeeper Rene Adler, while Heiko Westermann and Christian Traesch also withdrew with injury.

Under new captain Philipp Lahm, the next generation of stars like Mesut Oezil and Marko Marin now have their chance to shine in South Africa.

Newly-installed number one goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said he and his team-mates couldn’t wait to finally get their part in world football’s showpiece tournament under way.

“We’re all waiting for it to start and we’re all looking forward to the first match,” said the Schalke 04 shot-stopper.

“I’m a bit nervous but we’ve analysed Australia. We know what their strong points are, but we also know how to tackle them.

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“They have to be taken seriously on the counter-attack and from heading opportunities,” he said. “We’re ready for them.”

After Sunday’s game, Germany play Serbia in Port Elizabeth on June 18 and round off their Group D campaign against Ghana at Johannesburg’s Soccer City five days later.

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