Khedira: Defence key to Germany’s World Cup success

Ryland James 12:17 03/06/2014
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  • Call to arms: Khedira has demanded the Germany defence improves in Brazil.

    Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira has told the Germany squad to improve their defence if they are to realise their dream of winning a fourth World Cup title.

    Germany were held to a 2-2 draw by fellow World Cup candidates Cameroon in Monchengladbach on Sunday with all four goals scored in the second-half.

    Khedira says while the Germans are renowned for their attacking football, the side with the most organised defence will win the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro on July 13.

    Germany finished third four years ago at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but Khedira says they will struggle in Group G against Portugal, Ghana and the USA unless they are tight at the back.

    “You can’t win a tournament with just attacking football,” Khedira said. “We were incredibly compact in 2010, everyone defended, which is something which we have lost since then. Before Euro 2012, I warned against always raving on about our great attacking football.

    “We’ll win a few sympathy points by playing a nice attacking game, but that is no longer our goal. Our target is to finally get our hands on the cup.”

    Joachim Low named his final 23man World Cup squad yesterday with centre-back Shkodran Mustafi, left-back Marcel Schmelzer and striker Kevin Volland the trio cut from the provisional squad.

    With 131 caps, Miroslav Klose is the only recognised striker in the squad, captained by Philipp Lahm, as he celebrates his 36th birthday next Monday.

    Bayern Munich’s attacking midfielder Mario Gotze played up front against Cameroon as a ‘false nine’ in an experiment likely to be repeated in Brazil.

    Left-back Erik Durm travels at the expense of his Borussia Dortmund team-mate Schmelzer having made his debut against Cameroon.

    Low has included Monchengladbach’s Christoph Kramer and Freiburg’s Matthias Ginter as defensive midfield cover for his first-choice pairing of Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

    Germany squad:

    Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover) 
    Defenders: Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm (both Bayern Munich) Erik Durm, Kevin Grosskreutz, Mats Hummels (all Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (FC Schalke), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal)
    Midfielders: Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia ‘Gladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos, Bastian Schweinsteiger (both Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg)
    Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea)

    SQUADS IN BRIEF

    Russia

    Russia coach Fabio Capello confirmed his 23-man squad for the World Cup, with Denis Cheryshev and Pavel Mogilevets the ones to miss out.

    Forward Cheryshev, who was on loan at Sevilla from Real Madrid, was the only non- Russia based player in contention but he has missed the cut along with Mogilevets, who is on loan at Rubin Kazan from Zenit.

    Squad

    Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Yury Lodygin (Zenit St Petersburg), Sergei Ryzhikov (Rubin Kazan)
    Defenders: Vasily Berezutsky, Sergei Ignashevich, Georgy Shchennikov (all CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Granat, Alexei Kozlov (both Dynamo Moscow), Andrei Yeshchenko (Anzhi Makhachkala), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow), Andrei Semenov (Terek Grozny)
    Midfielders: Igor Denisov, Yury Zhirkov (both Dynamo Moscow), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Roman Shirokov (FC Krasnodar), Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), Viktor Faizulin, Oleg Shatov (both Zenit St Petersburg)
    Forwards: Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexei Ionov, Alexander Kokorin (both Dynamo Moscow), Maxim Kanunnikov (Amkar Perm), Alexander Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow)

    Cameroon

    Veteran striker Mohammadou Idrissou has been left out of Cameroon’s final 23-man squad for the World Cup by coach Volker Finke.

    Maccadbi Haifi forward Idrissou, 34, was one of five cuts as Finke whittled down his group to make the trip to Brazil.

    Also missing out were Olympiakos defender Gaeteng Bong, Rennes defender JeanArmel Kana-Biyik, Guingamp goalkeeper Ndy Assembe and Osasuna midfielder Cedric Loe.

    Squad

    Goalkeepers: Charles Itandje (Konyaspor), Sammy N'Djock (Fethiyespor), Loïc Feudjou (Coton sport/CMR)
    Defenders: Allan Nyom (Granada CF/ESP), Cedric Djeugou (Coton sport/CMR), Dany Nounkeu (Besiktas/TUR), Aurelien Chedjou (Galatasaray/TUR), Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille/FRA), Henri Bedimo (Lyon/FRA), Benoît Assou Ekotto (Queens Park Rangers/ENG)
    Midfielders: Enoh Eyong (Antalyaspor), Jean II Makoun (Rennes/FRA), Joel Matip (Shalke 04/GER), Stephane Mbia (Sevilla/ESP), Landry N'Guemo (Bordeaux/FRA), Alexandre Song (Barcelona/ESP), Edgar Salli (Lens/FRA)
    Forwards: Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea/ENG), Eric Choupo Moting (Mainz 05/GER), Benjamin Moukandjo (Nancy/FRA), Vincent Aboubakar (Lorient/FRA), Pierre AchilleWebo (Fenerbahce/TUR), Fabrice Olinga (Zulte-Waregem/BEL)

    France

    Franck Ribery, fighting to shrug off a back injury, on Monday figured in coach Didier Deschamps' 23-player World Cup squad.

    Also included in the final Brazil-bound list submitted to FIFA was Stephane Ruffier, who stepped in last month for injured goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

    Deschamps is hoping to have Bayern Munich winger Ribery back in business in time for Sunday's warm-up against Jamaica.

    The France forward has missed preps against Norway and Paraguay in the past week.

    Squad

    Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Stephane Ruffier (Saint-Etienne) Mickael Landreau (Bastia)
    Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United/ENG), Lucas Digne (Paris Saint-Germain), Patrice Evra (Manchester United/ENG), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal/ENG), Eliaquim Mangala (FC Porto/POR), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal/ENG), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool/ENG), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid/ESP)
    Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Paris Saint-Germain), Clement Grenier (Lyon), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Paul Pogba (Juventus/ITA), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United/ENG), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)
    Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/ESP), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal/ENG), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad/ESP), Loic Remy (Newcastle United/ENG), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich/GER)

    Ecuador

    Ecuador head coach Reinaldo Rueda has named Segundo Castillo in his World Cup squad despite the midfielder suffering a nasty knee injury in Saturday's friendly against Mexico.

    Castillo has undergone tests and treatment since suffering his blow when Mexico's Luis Montes went in hard on him in a 50-50 challenge.

    Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia is the star name in Ecuador's 23-man party, which was announced on the national federation's website.

    Former Manchester City striker Felipe Caicedo, now with United Arab Emirates club Al Jazira, has also been included, as has 35-year-old midfielder Edison Mendez, Ecuador's third most capped player in history.

    Squad

    Goalkeepers: Maximo Banguera (Barcelona, Ecuador ), Adrian Bone (El Nacional), Alexander Dominguez ( Liga de Quito)
    Defenders: Gabriel Achilier (Emelec), Walter Ayovi (Pachuca), Oscar Bagui (Emelec), Frickson Erazo (Flamengo), Jorge Guagua (Emelec), Juan Carlos Paredes (Barcelona, Ecuador )
    Midfielders: Segundo Castillo (Al Hilal), Carlos Gruezo (Stuttgart), Renato Ibarra (Vitesse Arnhem), Fidel Martinez (Tijuana), Edison Mendez (Santa Fe), Christian Noboa (Dinamo Moscow), Luis Saritama (Barcelona, Ecuador ), Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)
    Forwards: Jaime Ayovi (Tijuana), Felipe Caicedo (Al-Jazira), Jefferson Montero (Morelia), Joao Rojas ( Cruz Azul ), Enner Valencia (Pachuca), Michael Arroyo (Atlante)

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