Germany see off Uruguay in low-key friendly

SINSHEIM, May 29, 2011 (AFP) - Germany warmed up for their up-coming Euro 2012 qualifiers with a 2-1 friendly win over Uruguay on Sunday in a rematch of last year's World Cup third-place play-off.

First-half goals by Bayern Munich hot-shot Mario Gomez and Mainz's Andre Schuerrle put the hosts 2-0 up at the break before Napoli's Walter Gargano pulled a consolation goal back for the guests in a low-key friendly.

Gomez is coming off his best season and the 25-year-old scored his 16th goal in his 44th international, having scored 28 times for Bayern in the Bundesliga to finish as the German league's top scorer.

Germany now face qualifiers for Euro 2012 against Austria, in Vienna on Friday, and Azerbaijan in Baku on June 7 and Gomez said his side must do more.

"We started well and played with a high tempo in front of goal," said Gomez, with his side unbeaten with five wins at the top of Group A.

"We created two nice goals, but we will have to do more (to win in Vienna)."

Uruguay are preparing for the Copa America which will be held in Argentina from July 1-24 and face Peru in the first game of the south American cup.

"We competed tonight with a great team. Germany took advantage of our mistakes, but for us it was ideal preparation for our forthcoming matches," said Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez.

But striker Diego Forlan said his team got what they deserved.

"We made mistakes and against Germany you can't do that or they will punish you," he said.

Just as they had done in Port Elizabeth, Germany ran out winners, but this time the hosts were without both injured midfielders Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Germany coach Joachim Loew fielded an experimental midfield with veteran Simon Rolfes of Leverkusen alongside youngsters Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos and Schuerrle.

"I saw many things I really liked, especially in the first half," said Loew.
  
"In the second half, we made some small mistakes and it was difficult to control the match because we made a few replacements.

"Uruguay managed to stay in the encounter through their extraordinary players such as Forlan and (Liverpool's Luis) Suarez."

After a dull start to the game, the match burst into life in the 20th minute when Gomez robbed Fenerbahce defender Diego Lugano of possession just inside the Uruguay half.

He beat two defenders and drew the goalkeeper before rifling his shot home for a superb individual goal.

The hosts extended their lead when Schuerrle, winning only his third cap, slotted home his first goal for his country on 35 minutes when Real Madrid winger Mesut Ozil found a hole in the guests' defence.

Schuerrle smashed home an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area.

But Uruguay were denied a goal when Germany Manuel Neuer made a hash of a shot by Atletico Madrid's Forlan and spilled the ball into his own net, but luckily for the hosts the linesman ruled off-side to make it 2-0 at the break.

The south Americans pulled one back when Napoli midfielder Gargano made no mistake directly in front of goal and punished the German defence on 48 minutes to breath life back into the game.

With Ozil off, Germany's attackers struggled to impose themselves while Uruguay had a few chances to equalise as the game wore on.

Tabarez made just two changes to his side, Loew took the opportunity to experiment, bringing on six replacements, including wunderkind Mario Goetze, who only turns 19 next week.

Goetze had a chance to net Germany's third in the dying stages, but failed to chip his shot over Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera of Lazio.

Posted in: Uruguay