Disappointment For Fritz & Co.

First Team
Thursday, 29.03.2007 / 14:34

Clemens Fritz was the only Werder Bremen player in the German squad for their friendly international which finished 1:0 for Denmark on Wednesday night. The match winner was Birmingham City striker Niklas Bendtner, who snatched the only goal of the night in the 81st minute.

Clemens Fritz was the only Werder Bremen player in the German squad for their friendly international which finished 1:0 for Denmark on Wednesday night. The match winner was Birmingham City striker Niklas Bendtner, who snatched the only goal of the night in the 81st minute. Fritz, who was suspended for the Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic on Saturday, played the full ninety minutes in his favoured position as right full-back. Per Mertesacker, Miroslav Klose and Torsten Frings were all left out of the squad to allow them time to rest up. Tim Borowski is still working towards his return after a knee injury and a groin operation. Christian Schulz, who had originally been nominated for the squad, had to return to Bremen for treatment after picking up a muscle injury.

 

On the Danish side both Daniel Jensen and Leon Andreasen, who is currently on loan at Mainz 05, both got 45 minutes each. The defeat was trainer Joachim Loew's first in nine games since taking over the reigns from Jürgen Klinsmann after the World Cup.

 

Loew's brave decision to blood six new caps - including Hanover"s goalkeeper Robert Enke, Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Simon Rolfes and VfB Stuttgart's Roberto Hilbert in the starting eleven - backfired. And with only three survivors from the 2-1 Euro 2008 qualifying win over the Czech Republic on Saturday, the experienced Denmark side finished stronger than their opponents and deserved the win.

 

With Thomas Hitzlsperger and Schalke 04 striker Kevin Kuranyi the only experienced campaigners in the side, Germany lacked the tactical control and sharp finishing that had seen them win in Prague. Having scored both goals in Prague, Kuranyi had several half chances to add to his 17 international strikes but his finishing was wide of the mark.

 

Denmark threatened when Jesper Groenkjaer clipped the bar with a bullet header after 70 minutes, just as Bayer Leverkusen defender Gonzalo Castro came on for his first cap. The winning goal came in the 81st minute when Birmingham City striker Nicklas Bendtner swept Groenkjaer"s short pass from the right past Enke.

 

Cologne striker Patrick Helmes, who came on for his first cap to replace Schaludraff after 78 minutes, was denied two late chances to score, but it was not enough to stop the Danes.

 

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