World Cup
August 12, 2009
The win gives Michael Ballack & Co. a four-point lead at the top of Group C and the chance of direct qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa if they repeat their winning performance in the return leg against Azerbaijan on September 9.
Bastian Schweinsteiger got the all-important early goal in the 12th minute against the hosts, whose coach, Berti Vogts, used to run the German national team. Miroslav Klose got the second goal for Germany shortly after the start of the second half, but admitted that he was disappointed at not taking full advantage of three goal-scoring chances.
"We started to lose our way a bit in the second half," said German defender Philip Lahm. "We should have been better on the counter-attack and been in more control of the ball."
"But we made far too many mistakes and we still have our work cut out for us," said the Bayern Munich player.
Joachim Loew, who has been in charge for 40 international matches since the departure of Juergen Klinsmann after the 2006 World Cup, has a respectable record – 28 victories, 6 draws and 6 losses. But Loew lamented that the side still lacked match fitness and would have to considerably raise their game ahead of the last three qualifiers, including their toughest opponent Russia in Moscow on October 10th.
The German side struggled against a spirited Azerbaijan team in front of 30,000 spectators in a packed Tofik-Bachramov stadium in Baku.
Germany's goalkeeper Robert Enke was under pressure to keep out shots by Elwin Mammadov and Wafig Jawadow within the first ten minutes of the match, but kept a clean sheet.
With victory in their sights and the three points up for grabs, Germany could afford to drop down a gear. Loew said the most positive aspect of the match was that the Germans had not "underestimated" their opponents. But, the German national coach criticized his team for inaccurate passing and singled out Klose and Gomez, who are still not fit enough to play a full 90 minutes just one week into the new Bundesliga season.
Gomez scored four goals in Germany's last match against the United Arab Emirates, but failed to make an impression along with Germany captain Michael Ballack, who sustained a calf injury in training before Wednesday night's match.
nrt/AFP/dpa
Editor: Rick Demarest