Loew worried

BERLIN. — Germany coach Joachim Loew admits the world soccer champions’ poor finishing is an issue following their shock 2-1 friendly defeat to the USA on Wednesday.

Germany were stunned by the Jurgen Klinsmann-coached Stars and Stripes in Cologne as the visitors came from a goal down to inflict a 2-1 defeat on Loew’s side with Bobby Wood scoring the 87th-minute winner.

It was Germany’s third defeat in nine games since winning the World Cup last year after defeats to Argentina last September and in a Euro 2016 qualifier in Poland in October, and their poor finishing was again a factor after missing a string of chances.

“For me, some of the players lacked that lust to score a goal,” said Loew, who had rested several first-choice players ahead of tomorrow’s Euro 2016 qualifier against minnows Gibraltar in Faro, southern Portugal.

“It was the same against Poland and Georgia (when Germany won 2-0 in Tbilisi in March), as well as the United States.

“The conversion of chances is very important and therefore remains an issue for us.

“It is an area we must improve on if we are to ensure a successful autumn campaign.”

Germany lie a point behind leaders Poland in Euro 2016 qualifying Group D before facing bottom side Gibraltar tomorrow while the Poles host Georgia and the Republic of Ireland take on Scotland.

Loew’s side need only finish in the top two to qualify automatically for next year’s finals in France, and their campaign wraps up in the autumn when they host Poland and go to Scotland in September before playing Ireland in Dublin and Georgia at home in October.

For the games against the USA and Gibraltar, Loew left the likes of Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller and Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus out of his squad, but Saturday’s qualifier should not pose a problem.

“No, we will play a good game in Gibraltar and get the three points, I am convinced of that,” said Loew.

“But we’ll also be happy when the season is over. The fact the players are somewhat tired after a taxing season is completely normal.

“We must, and will, hold the tension until Saturday.”

One plus point for Loew was the debut of Borussia Moenchengladbach winger Patrick Herrmannn, whose superb pass set up Mario Goetze for Germany’s first-half goal against the USA before Mikkel Diskerud’s equaliser.

“Patrick did very well and showed his eye for goal. He countered well and often had the opposition’s defence under pressure,” said Loew.

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klinsmann says the USA need fear none of the world’s top teams after beating both world champions Germany and the Netherlands ahead of next month’s Gold Cup title defence.

Wood notched his second match-winning goal in five days with a thunderbolt strike against the Germans in Cologne on Wednesday having also netted the winner in the Stars and Stripes’ 4-3 win over the Dutch in Amsterdam last Friday.

The 22-year-old Wood, who was born in Honolulu and will ply his trade with Erzgebirge Aue in Germany’s third division next season, has had a dream five days.

According to the FIFA rankings, the USA are 27th with Germany first and the Ducth sixth, but Klinsmann insists on not putting much on either victory although the wins are confidence boosters ahead of July’s Gold Cup campaign.

“What do we have to be afraid of now?” said ex-Germany coach Klinsmann, who steered the USA to the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup having taken over as head coach in 2011.

“This victory will draw a bit more attention to football in America.

“We want to be able to trust ourselves to stand our ground against the top football nations.

“Germany and Holland were practically already on holiday, but the preparations for the Gold Cup really begin for us now.”

This was the USA’s fourth win over Germany, but their first on German soil as Mario Goetze’s early goal was cancelled out by Mikkel Diskerud’s equaliser four minutes from the half-time break before Wood’s winner.

The wins over the Dutch and Germans are even more impressive as Klinsmann was without senior injured forwards Jozy Altidore and Alejandro Bedoya, while Clint Dempsey sat out the trip as he expects his fourth child. — AFP.