Germany beats Uruguay 2-1 in friendly

Posted Monday, May 30, 2011 by

SINSHEIM, Germany (AP)—Mario Gomez and Andre Schuerrle scored in the first half and Germany held on to beat Uruguay 2-1 in a friendly on Sunday, remaining unbeaten against Uruguay in more than eight decades.

The match was a replay of the third place playoff at last year’s World Cup in South Africa, which Germany also won, 3-2.

Uruguay has not beaten Germany since their first meeting in 1928, with Germany winning eight and drawing two since then.

Germany showed good form, at least in the first half, ahead of its 2012 European Championship qualifying games at Austria and Azerbaijan. Germany is 5-0 in qualifying so far.

“I liked a lot of things, especially in the first half. Uruguay came back in the second half, when we were not so fluid,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said.

Despite some early pressure from Uruguay, it was Germany that scored first, thanks to good work by Gomez, the top scorer in the Bundesliga with 28 goals.

“I think played a good game, with a lot of pace up front and we could have scored some more goals,” Gomez said.

Gomez robbed the ball from Diego Lugano, cut inside into the penalty box and slotted the ball past Fernando Muslera after faking Diego Godin in the 20th minute.

Schuerrle added the second in the 35th, while Walter Gargano scored for Uruguay in the 48th.

“I am pleased with my first goal for Germany. This victory was important for our confidence before the games in Austria and Azerbaijan,” Schuerrle said.

Diego Forlan’s good attempt deep in stoppage time was tipped over by Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

“We made two mistakes in the first half and they used them,” Forlan said. “You can’t make mistakes against Germany.”

After Gomez opened the scoring, Muslera then did well to deny Mesut Oezil. Uruguay responded in the 30th, but Edinson Cavani struck the outside of the net.

Two minutes later, it was Muslera again who distinguished himself by tipping over a long-range lob attempt by Toni Kroos.

In the 35th, Schuerrle collected a pass from Oezil at the edge of the penalty area. With two defenders far too far away, Schuerrle had all the time to aim his shot inside the far post.

Gomez nearly scored one minute later but Muslera dived to scoop the ball, while at the other end Neuer turned away a shot by Forlan.

Germany’s dominance evaporated after the break as Loew made a series of substitutions.

Gargano cut the deficit three minutes into the second half, after a couple of unsuccessful attempts by the German defense to clear the ball. Unchallenged, Gargano drilled his shot under Neuer.

Neuer denied Forlan in the 63rd, stretching to get his fingers to a lofted shot and the Germany keeper then blocked Godin far-post effort in the 73rd.

Gomez rounded Muslera shortly afterward but missed the target.

Muslera twice denied substitute Lukas Podolski late in the match, one of them a good free kick attempt from 17 meters (yards).

The last chance of the match was Forlan’s effort from the edge of the box but Neuer tipped it over.

Lineups:

Germany: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm (Benedikt Hoewedes, 66), Arne Friedrich (Holger Badstuber, 66), Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer, Simon Rolfes, Toni Kroos (Christian Traesch, 79), Andre Schuerrle (Lukas Podolski, 58), Mesut Oezil (Miroslav Klose, 46), Thomas Mueller (Mario Goetze, 79), Mario Gomez.

Uruguay: Fernando Muslera; Maxi Pereira, Diego Lugano, Diego Godin, Martin Caceres, Walter Gargano (Sebastian Abreu, 87), Alvaro Pereira, Egidio Arevalo Rios (Sebastian Eguren, 76), Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez, Diego Forlan.