The German national soccer team emerged as the best team in the Euro 2012 qualifying round with 10 wins from 10 matches with a 3-1 win over Belgium, as German-born Turk Mesut Ozil’s goal helped Turkey to get to the play-off round.
The final game of the qualifying round of the 2012 European Championships was just a formality for the German national team, which clinched a spot for Euro 2012 weeks ago. But German coach Joachim Löw wanted his team to carry the momentum entering the preparation phase and Mesut Ozil had something unorthodox in his agenda.
The German-born Turk, Mesut Ozil had promised to score in the Germany Belgium game, to help Germany wrapping up the Euro 2012 qualifying round with a record number of wins and to help Turkey to be the second in the group. Mesut Ozil didn’t hesitate to make that promise, after Turkey Germany game in Istanbul, where he did not play for Germany against his fatherland Turkey due to an injury.
The 3-1 win victory over the Belgians gave them their tenth win in as many qualifying games, good for 30 points in their group. That’s the best of any team in the qualifying round was able to achieve. Germany’s perfect 10 wins marks the best European Championship qualifying round in the team’s history, a fact that was not lost on coach Joachim Löw after the game.
Mesut Özil: It’s time for Germany to be European Champions again
First Germany took control of possession after about a quarter of an hour. Then, they started chipping away at the Belgian defense. Mesut Özil, back into the starting lineup after sitting on Friday with an Achilles problem, was back to his usual ways of setting up plays and helping dictate the attack.
“Ten wins from 10 games – what more could you ask for?” he told reporters after the match. “We wanted this final sprint to the finish and to cross the line with 10 wins, because with every win you gain just a little bit more respect.”
Germany : The strongest national team since Beckenbauer era ?
Perhaps the most remarkable part about Germany’s qualifying round was the depth that developed on the team. While some players certainly can be considered staples in the lineup and are sure to start next summer during the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, like Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, or Bastian Schweinsteiger, to name a few, other positions have developed in such a way that the lines are blurred between the backup and the starter.
“I think it pushes us forward,” Schürrle said of the competition for a starting spot on the team. “You bring a lot more to every practice and every game when you get the chance to play, and that’s better for all the players.”
Mesut Özil is Löw’s first choice at the critical central-midfield position, but Mario Götze has also proven capable in this position, even if he was a little banged up from Friday. In this case, both players could end up playing side by side during Euro 2012, a possibility that can only help create goal chances for Germany and will have other teams in the tournament a little nervous.
Mesut Ozil: Germany Turkey hand in hand to Euro 2012
“It’s about time that Germany become European Champions again,” said Özil. He also told that he was happy that Germany and Turkey are first and second in the group and wished Turkey all the best in the upcomin playoff clashes. Ozil said, Turkey is surely good enough to beat any team in the playoffs.
In addition to Germany and Spain as well as Poland and Ukraine who qualify as hosts, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Denmark, France, Greece and England qualified for Euro 2012 as group winners, while Sweden is also through as the best runner-up. The remaining eight runners-up – Turkey, Ireland, Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic and Portugal will square off in two-legged playoffs to determine the final four slots in the 16-team tournament.
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