Germany Battle Back To 2:2 Against Japan

First Team
Wednesday, 31.05.2006 / 09:05

Werder Bremen striker Miroslav Klose was involved in sparing German blushes as he scored to put his side back in the tie against Japan on Tuesday night.

Werder Bremen striker Miroslav Klose was involved in sparing German blushes as he scored to put his side back in the tie against Japan on Tuesday night. Klose's goal got Germany back in the game to make it 1:2 after the Japanese had taken a two goal lead. In the penultimate friendly game prior to the World Cup kick-off on June 9th all of Werder Bremen's representatives in the national team were involved from the outset. Miroslav Klose and Torsten Frings both played the full ninty minutes with Tim Borowski being substituted in the 62nd minute for David Odonkor.

 

A 22,500 capacity crowd at the BayArena in Leverkusen saw HSV striker Naohiro Takahara give the Asians a 2:0 lead with goals in the 57th and 65th minutes. Miroslav Klose (76') and Bastian Schweinsteiger (80') put Germany back on level terms in a four minute attacking spell.

 

The host nation had problems coming to terms with their Japanese guests early on as the pacy and mobile Japan side put Jürgen Klinsmann's men under unexpected pressure. Jens Lehmann made an excellent save from Hidetoshi Nakata in the 13th minute and four minutes later the Arsenal keeper was called upon again to securly catch a Atsushi Yanagiasawa shot.

 

Klinsmann made two changes to the side which trounced Luxembourg 7:0. The injured Michael Ballack (ankle) returned to the starting eleven at the expense of Hertha Berlin's Arne Friedrich and Per Mertesacker took up the centre half position alongside Christoph Metzelder for the injured Robert Huth allowing Marcell Jansen and Bernd Schneider to operate in the wide rolls. The result of the changes was the 22nd different defensive formation in 26 games under Jürgen Klinsmann. On his return, Ballack often strayed wide to the right sided position in the midfield to allow Torsten Frings and Tim Borowski hold the central places. The trainer had demanded direct play and fast passes to Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose up front but saw little success in that respect. Klose had only returned to the trainings camp on Tuesday morning having had to return to his family in Blaubach on private grounds.

 

The German eleven eventually found their way into the tie after 20 minutes but failed to create enough real chances. Podolski, Schneider and Ballack combined well in the 21st minute to break down the Japanese defence but Yuyi Nakazawa got a foot across to put the ball out for a corner. Klose drove a shot over the bar soon after from 18 yards. Before the half time break, Bernd Schneider had an effort blocked down by Miyamoto and in added time Podolsi had a shot saved by keeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.

 

The DFB team had continued problems in the second half and Japan continued to have the better of the chances. In the 53rd minute Jansen was severly stretched to rescue from Yanagisawa but then four minutes later, the visitors took the lead as Naohiro Takahara broke free and powered his shot unstoppably past Jens Lehmann from 14 meters. Just two minutes prior to the goal, Klinsmann had introduced Jens Nowotny into the centre of defence for the struggling Metzelder. The 32 year old was making his comeback after two years out of the national squad.

 

The German team then suffered another set back as Takahara again droke through in the box and hammered home to make it 2:0 for Japan. The home side refused to give in though and Miroslav Klose got on the end of a Bastian Schweinsteiger cross to make it 1:2. The provider became the saviour in the 80th minute as he got his head on a Schneider delivery to equalise. Jens Lehmann made to further excellent stops to spare German blushes late on.

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