Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

[Abdullah719]

World Cup 2018: Germany, Mexico face off in spectacular Group F

Mexico lost to Germany at last summer’s Confederations Cup, but El Tri will have a chance to get some revenge a year later. Germany and Mexico highlight an excellent Group F, which features two other capable teams: Sweden and South Korea.

Germany
The defending World Cup champions are back to defend their title, and they have their sights set on becoming the first back-to-back World Cup winners since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. They steamrolled their way through their qualifying group in UEFA with a perfect record of 10 wins in 10 matches, and despite the setback of their disappointing 2016 European Championships performance, they look more than ready to make that dream a reality.

But this is a wildly different international landscape than the one they faced in Brazil almost four years ago. Even with how strong they look lately, Joachim Löw’s team aren’t the all-conquering monsters they were. The teams around them have gotten better while Germany have gotten older. And if they’re going to reach the final of the World Cup again, they need to make good use of some of the young talents who helped lead them to Confederations Cup glory last summer, because their aging core can’t do all the heavy lifting on their own any more.

Key player: Thomas Müller

Müller has been a hot-and-cold player over the last few years. At his best, he’s one of the top players in the world. But he’s also gone through long stretches of struggling with injuries, poor form, and some would even argue boredom. He’s disappeared in too many big matches for club and country and drawn significant criticism for it — but if Müller steps up like he’s capable of in the World Cup, it will go a long way toward helping Germany reach their lofty goals.

Mexico
Mexico will head to Russia convinced they can finally make a deep run in the World Cup for the fifth tournament running. But history says they’ll be going out in the round of 16 … again. El Tri hired Juan Carlos Osorio, a Colombian nerd nicknamed “El Profesor,” with the hope that his meticulous approach can finally get them into the quarterfinals, and there have been signs that he has the team ready to finally turn them into a contender. There have also been times of abject embarrassment.

There’s talent in this El Tri team, from Chicharito and Tecatito up front to Hector Herrera in the midfield and Hector Moreno on defense. But talent is rarely the issue for Mexico. Is Osorio a genius or an overtinkering dork? We’ll find out in Russia.

Key player: Hector Moreno

Chicharito is the Mexico posterboy, but it’s not as if El Tri have a lot of questions in the attack. Whether it’s the star forward or rising stars like Tecatito and Hirving Lozano, they’ll find ways to create chances and score goals. The question is whether they can keep teams from exposing a back line that can be challenged by a shoddy midfield. That means Moreno has to be at his best and bind the back line together.

Sweden
Sweden have qualified for their first World Cup since 2006, and for many it’s going to be a pleasure to see them back on the world’s biggest stage. They’re certainly no longer at the level that’s seen them finish as runners-up in one World Cup and in the top eight in five others. But they still have it within them to be an entertaining and capable team and one that’s going to make them a team to watch in this tournament.

Over the last couple of years, Sweden have started a slow evolution to go from being an aging and slow team that struggled to keep pace with Europe’s elite, to becoming a younger, faster, hungrier team stocked with versatile players who can create a lot of headaches for their foes. Emil Forsberg, Victor Lindelof, Jakob Johansson, and Viktor Claesson lead the way in Sweden’s impressive playoff qualifying win over Italy, and that same quartet and others will be ready to take on all comers in Russia.

Key player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

It is not an exaggeration to say that Sweden’s World Cup chances rest on Zlatan’s shoulders and whether or not he returns to the national team. While Sweden’s ability to play good football and score enough goals without him has improved while he was injured, he’s still far and away their best player and their best talent. In a competition where they’re facing some of the best of the best every match, they need his level of talent, and they need him to come back to the squad.

South Korea
To this point in their cycle, South Korea can only say they’ve done the minimum that was expected of them. They qualified directly for the World Cup, finishing second in their group without much drama. But the Koreans failed to beat Iran, and they’ve also failed to win in four of their last five friendly matches.

But manager Shin Tae-Yong has been in charge only since June, having been promoted from his job as Under-20 and Under-23 manager following the sacking of Uli Stielike. It’s possible that we could see a much different South Korea after he gets a full training camp with his squad. But this has been an underachieving team so far in this cycle, and they’ll need to improve significantly to get out of their group.

Key player: Son Heung-Min

Son was the 2017 Asian player of the year and has scored 33 goals in 104 matches while playing mostly on the wing for Tottenham Hotspur. He’s fast, powerful, and equally adept at shooting with both feet.

Predictions
Many will like Sweden’s chances of advancing, between their performance to knock Italy out of qualifying and the impending return of Ibrahimovic. But Mexico always gets out of their group and have a deeper squad than either Sweden or South Korea. All of that scrapping will take place behind Germany, the clear favorite.

Germany
Mexico
Sweden
South Korea

https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/201...raw-group-f-mexico-germany-sweden-south-korea

 

[adil_909]

Germany is REALLY strong. It will be a very boring world cup if they just dominate all their games and win the trophy. Hope someone knocks them out early in the R16 or QF rounds to make it more exciting!

 

[nextover666666]

A good group not the most exciting one but a good group regardless I fed the winner of the Sweden vs Mexico match will grab the runner up position in this group and advance. I would like to see Korea advance but I don't see that happening

My predictions
Germany
Mexico
Sweden
Korea

 

[Hasan123]

Very very poor knowledge. Zlatan has retired from international football and will not be playing at the world cup. Don't know how mods has gotten away with this. Zlatan retired from international football in 2016.

Germany and Mexico will get through .

 

[Abdullah719]

Very very poor knowledge. Zlatan has retired from international football and will not be playing at the world cup. Don't know how mods has gotten away with this. Zlatan retired from international football in 2016.

Germany and Mexico will get through .

Bro these previews are copied from an external source as you can see in OP

Yes, should be Germany and Mexico.

 

[DeadBall]

Ilkay Gundogan jeered by Germany supporters again during Saudi Arabia friendly

Ilkay Gundogan was in the spotlight again on Friday night as he was jeered once more by German supporters during their World Cup warm-up match against Saudi Arabia.
Gundogan was photographed along with Mesut Ozil with Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month at an event in London in which he caused anger by dedicating a shirt to Erdogan – describing him as “my president".

"For all the irritation we have now, we are one team, also in Germany with our fans," he said. "Sure, things took the wrong direction a bit. But we are now looking ahead. And that's why I hope that everyone, even though maybe still annoyed, withholds their anger a bit."

The saga escalated when the Manchester City midfielder, who only holds German citizenship, was discussed by the German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and chancellor Angela Merkel amid a debate over the integration of the footballers into German society.

But when Gundogan emerged as a second-half substitute at the BayArena, his every touch was roundly booed by those in attendance.

Low reacted by throwing his hands over his head before gesturing for the fans to clap. He told ARD following his side’s 2-1 win: “He is a member of the national team. That doesn’t help anyone.”

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/footbal...-saudi-arabia-friendly_sto6799217/story.shtml

 

[MenInG]

Moscow - Germany must shrug off a rocky World Cup build-up as they begin the defence of their title on Sunday against a vastly experienced Mexico side jolted by their own pre-tournament scandal.

While Manuel Neuer finally won his lengthy fitness battle after more than eight months out, Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan were jeered by Germany fans in recent friendlies after posing for a photograph alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos said what is discussed on talk shows should not concern the players, adding: "We are here to play football."

The form of Joachim Loew's side is another concern though, an unconvincing win over a Saudi Arabia outfit thrashed 5-0 in the World Cup opener represents Germany's lone victory since romping through qualifying with maximum points.

"We need the greed, the fire - it's part of what makes things go off with a bang sometimes in training and on the playing pitch. We will have to fight for every inch," said defender Jerome Boateng.

"I think we're known as a team that starts well," he added, saying he feels "better from day to day" after returning from a groin injury.

Germany defeated Mexico 4-1 on the way to lifting last year's Confederations Cup trophy but Kroos believes that result is of little significance now.

"We shouldn't underestimate them, even if it was a clear win at the Confederations Cup last year. We're taking this very, very seriously and, once more for emphasis, because it's our first game at the World Cup."

Germany are trying to become the first team in 56 years to successfully defend their title, after Brazil in 1962, but Mexico defender Carlos Salcedo believes their Group F opponents are not invincible.

"We speak a lot about them and we consider them clearly superior," said Salcedo, who signed a four-year deal with Eintracht Frankfurt in May after spending the past season on loan with the Bundesliga club.

"But no one is unbeatable. In football, the difference between levels has decreased and there are lots of other factors.

"There are just two or three players who can score two or three goals per game, (Lionel) Messi, (Cristiano) Ronaldo and Neymar, who can shake things up with a stroke of individual genius."

Like Germany, Mexico qualified with ease for a seventh consecutive World Cup after punching their ticket to the finals with three matches to spare.

Rafael Marquez, who will retire after the tournament, is set to become just the third player - after compatriot Antonio Carbajal and Germany's Lothar Matthaus - to feature at five World Cups.

But a number of Mexico players found themselves embroiled in controversy following a farewell party with about 30 prostitutes ahead of their departure for Europe.

Nine members of the World Cup squad reportedly partied with the women at a private compound in Mexico City following the team's 1-0 win over Scotland earlier this month.

Mexican officials ruled out sanctions against the players involved because they attended the party in their free time, but the incident echoed similar scandals in recent years.

https://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/germany-look-to-make-world-cup-statement-v-mexico-20180616

 

[MenInG]

Moscow - Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio pledged his team would go on the attack against defending Soccer World Cup champions Germany when the two sides meet in their opening game on Sunday.

Germany defeated Mexico 4-1 on the way to hoisting the Confederations Cup trophy in Russia last year, but Osorio said he will not alter his side's approach for the Group F showdown.

"It's a great opportunity for Mexican football, to be here and play the current world champions," Osorio told reporters in Moscow.

"They're a very strong team with wonderful players and very well managed. They're favourites to win the World Cup.

"They have two central midfielders very capable of commanding and controlling the game if we allow them to do it. (Toni) Kroos and (Sami) Khedira are two top-level midfielders.

"Nevertheless, we can compete with them, we think we have a good chance to match up with them and go head to head against them."

Mexico are appearing at a seventh successive World Cup, having fallen at the last-16 stage in each of the past six tournaments.

They have beaten Germany just once in 11 attempts, a 2-0 friendly win in 1985, but Osorio believes his players must ignore the team's poor record against the four-time world champions.

"You always have to play to win and not fear defeat. We have to be ready to play and really believe we can be a match for them.

"We're focusing on making sure that the players who play tomorrow understand this is a normal game like any others. If they can grasp that then I think we have a good chance of winning.

"Those playing for the first time in a World Cup, they need to remember it's just a football game."

Only a handful of the Germany players who started the 2017 Confederations Cup semi-final will start against Mexico at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Joachim Loew rested several experienced regulars such as Kroos, Thomas Mueller, Jerome Boateng and Mesut Ozil for that tournament to prioritise youth.

Osorio expects a vastly different encounter with those Germany stalwarts now back.

"In our opinion the Germany national team is very different now. In the Confederations Cup there was a very strong emphasis on the transitional game," said Osorio.

"Now it's a back four and so they had one extra player in midfield or attack. It's now more of a possession game so it brings a very different question to their play."

https://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/mexico-coach-vows-to-go-head-to-head-with-germany-20180617

 

[Kroll]

Joachim Löw accepts ‘haphazard’ Germany on thin ice after Mexico loss

Joachim Löw accepted his defending champions had been “negligent” and “haphazard” after Germany’s Group F defeat to Mexico in Moscow.

“The next game is vital for us, We have to win it,” Löw said, of a team that had lost its opening game at a World Cup for the first time since 1982.

Not that the omens are too bad: West Germany won the tournament on that occasion. But at the Luzhniki Löw faced an unexpectedly hostile post-match reception.

Questions were asked about a selection that looked unbalanced in the first half; and about the performance of Josh Kimmich, who was overrun at times on his flank. One local journalist even suggested Löw should have brought along the young team that had come to Moscow last year and played with such verve in victory against the same opponents.

The contrast with Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osario was profound after what must rank as one of Mexico’s finest victories. “We try to give joy,” Osario said. And this was a supremely entertaining show of counter-attacking football, deliriously received by a strong Mexican support.

For Osario victory was more a matter of planning than adrenaline, as he spoke openly about his long-standing intention to play on German weak points.

“We had plans six months ago to have two quick players on the wings. We chose Hirving [Lozano, the game’s only goalscorer], our quickest player, and Miguel Layún, an offensive midfield player. In the first half we managed today to hit them on the counter many times. We could have scored earlier. With all due respect we were superior to them.

“In the second half they attacked more and they made the substitutions they tend to make. We had prepared for the use of Mario Gómez in attack. We practised defending with four defenders and three players up front and that was how we almost scored a second goal. I’m very satisfied with what we did.

“For the players today the phrase was to play for the love of winning not the fear of losing. And that is exactly what they did. They played with real bravery.”

Löw was naturally gloomier, denying that he had underestimated Mexico and insisting his players are in good physical shape.

“It’s very disappointing and very usual. In so many tournaments before we won the first game. But we have to deal with that. In the next match we have to be much better.”

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...low-germany-haphazard-mexico?CMP=share_btn_tw

 

[hadi123]

Mexico are top of the group with 3 points. Germany are on 0 points. Sweden and South Korea haven't played yet, will be interesting to see how this group pans out!

 

[hadi123]

 

[DeadBall]

Manuel Neuer hints at tension in the German locker room as Jogi Löw searches for an answer

Mexico shocked the world last Sunday when they beat Germany 1-0 in the opening match of group F, but the reining champions can still progress to the knockout stages with wins against Sweden and South Korea. Despite the underwhelming performance against El Tri in Moscow, Die Mannschaft keeper and captain, Manuel Neuer believes that his side know exactly how to deal with difficult situations likes this.

After what’s been described as a media blackout for Die Mannschaft following the loss, Neuer spoke in a press conference after the squad’s main training session in Watutinki (MARCA; cf. Kicker), where he described the response that his team needs to show after such a deflating result:

From this point on, we only have finals. Now something has to come from us players. We must show what made us so strong in the past. We are convinced that we can do it. We will show that in the next match against Sweden.

The anger and frustration from the Mexico match, Neuer admits, will help the squad stay hungry to right the ship and produce performances that they know they’re more than capable of:

We are our own harshest critics and are mad at ourselves and also disappointed with what we showed on the pitch against Mexico. We talked about it immediately after the game on the bus and at every meal. We need that courage and self-confidence. It was missing (against Mexico). I cannot answer why it was missing but you could see it in our body language. We need to come back together again, and this cannot happen again.

The keeper was also quick to scotch suggestions that there’s been some division inside the Germany camp following the loss. Instead, he said, everyone in the squad, including those who didn’t play at all on Sunday, is completely together:

There aren’t two separate camps. There is no division. We talk to one another, we give our experience to the young players, and we know that the young players from the Confederations Cup are part of the team and very important. It was a wake-up call, just like the first half against Mexico. But our communication within the team has never been stronger than after the Mexico match as every player spoke their mind. We don’t really need a second wake-up call.

Despite his best efforts to be diplomatic, Neuer’s account of the discussions behind the scenes suggests that the locker room atmosphere is tense. Neuer conceded to the journalists present that the preceding team discussion that had delayed the stat of the press conference by 45 minutes had “banged” (geknallt)—that is, been quite heated:

The players who didn’t play didn’t pull any punches. We stated our minds and didn’t mince words.

Neuer’s comment brings to mind Sandro Wagner’s parting shot against Jogi Löw—that his “open, honest and straightforward manner doesn’t fit in with the coaching team.” Reading between the lines of Neuer’s remarks, it would appear that things were brought into the open at Germany’s crisis meeting that had previously been left unsaid.

Ahead of their second match vs. Sweden, Germany will be moving their base camp to Sochi, where the match will be taking place and Neuer admitted that he’s looking forward to the change of scenery:

I am looking forward to the change of scenery. It’s a sign that something different will be happening. Many of us wanted to play against Sweden right away the next day.

As of now, they have three more days to prepare for the Sweden match and get things right; a win is the absolute minimum expectation for the defending champions.

https://www.bavarianfootballworks.c...ny-mexico-tension-locker-room-jogi-low-sweden

 

[MMHS]

Relax guys - no team can win 7 games!!!! Germans were due a bad game and they had that at the start, now time to regroup.

It might happen that Germany takes on Brazil in Round of 16 .............

 

[Muhammad10]

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Sochi - Toni Kroos rescued Germany's Soccer World Cup hopes in dramatic fashion on Saturday, curling in a stunning free-kick deep in injury time to seal a 2-1 win against Sweden.

The defending champions were in desperate trouble when Ola Toivonen put the Swedes ahead in the first half and even though Marco Reus equalised shortly after the interval, Joachim Loew's men could not find the goal they craved as time ticked away.

Germany's task was made more difficult when key defender Jerome Boateng was sent off in the 82st minute for a second yellow card.

But Kroos stepped up in the 95th minute to curl a free-kick from the left edge of the penalty area into the top corner, beating the despairing dive of Robin Olsen, who had been outstanding in the Swedish goal.

The result in Sochi means Germany join Sweden on three points in Group F, with Mexico in the lead on six points after their earlier victory against South Korea, who have no points after two games.

The final games in the group on Wednesday pit South Korea against Germany and Mexico against Sweden.

Mexico showed that their shock defeat of Germany last weekend was no fluke with a 2-1 defeat of South Korea in Rostov-on-Don.

West Ham striker Javier Hernandez grabbed his 50th international goal while Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela was also on target from the penalty spot.

South Korea scored a late consolation strike from Tottenham's Son Heung-min, but it was too little, too late for the Asian giants, who desperately needed a victory after losing to Sweden in their opening game.

"Sometimes against teams that have less of a footballing tradition than the biggest nations, you can tend to rest on your laurels and lose concentration," said Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio.

"But it was a deserved victory. We are very happy and we share that with the whole of the country."

https://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/10-man-germany-back-from-the-dead-with-late-goal-20180623

 

[Arham_PakFan]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Even when they aren't at their best. Even when they are struggling - never write-off <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GER?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GER</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1010614136747765760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[hadi123]

Sweden players have defended team-mate Jimmy Durmaz after he received racial abuse after their dramatic World Cup defeat by Germany.

The Toulouse winger, 29, came on after 74 minutes before giving away the late free-kick from which Toni Kroos gave the holders a 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Almost immediately threats began to appear on Durmaz's Instagram account.

"It was unlucky," said Sweden striker John Guidetti. "It's completely idiotic to subject him to hate for that."

Durmaz, who was born in Sweden to Assyrian parents who had emigrated from Turkey, played down the abuse.

"It's nothing I'm bothered about," he said. "I'm here proud and representing my country."

A draw would have left Germany on the brink of an early exit, but they are now level on points with Sweden heading into their final Group F match against South Korea on Wednesday.

Sweden, who face group leaders Mexico in their third game, were angered by the way Germany's officials celebrated.

"Some of them celebrated in a disrespectful way," said Sweden substitute Pontus Jansson. "There was a lot of feelings. We had just let in a goal and lost the game, so it was pretty sour.

"Maybe there was unnecessary anger, but they apologised afterwards so it's just a case of accepting it.

"Obviously we're angry and sad but we need to reload and do it in the next game."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44593545

 

[Muhammad10]

 

[nextover666666]

what a win today from korea, big day for them granted they did not move onto the next round, but they pulled off a huge upset im so happy