Ozil brace spares German blushes against Islanders

HANOVER, Germany (AFP) –

Germany’s midfielder Mesut Ozil celebrates during their FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifier Group C match against Faroe Islands in Hanover, Germany. Germany laboured to a 3-0 win over minnows Faroe Islands in their opening World Cup qualifier on Friday as two second-half goals from Ozil saved the Germans’ blushes.

Germany laboured to a 3-0 win over minnows Faroe Islands in their opening World Cup qualifier on Friday as two second-half goals from Real Madrid’s Mesut Ozil saved the Germans’ blushes.

After Ireland’s 2-1 win in Kazakhstan earlier, Germany top Group C but wasted a chance to dominate their guests from the north Atlantic archipelago, who are ranked 152 places below the second-placed Germans according to FIFA.

Midfielder Mario Goetze’s first-half strike and Mesut Ozil’s brace after the break ensured the hosts at least started the road to Brazil 2014 with three points.

Manchester City goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen was the Faroe Islands’ hero with a string of fine saves to frustrate the Germans five-man attack, which produced plenty of chances, but little finishing.

Germany coach Joachim Loew named Bayern Munich’s Holger Badstuber at left-back for Dortmund’s Marcel Schmelzer, who bruised his left foot in the final training session, with captain Philipp Lahm on the right.

With defensive midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger left out as he recovers from injury, Loew changed to a 4-1-4-1 formation with Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira playing behind a four-man attacking midfield.

Veteran Miroslav Klose made his 123rd as the lone striker up front.

The experiment failed to impress as an uninspiring first-half saw Germany camp in the Faroe Islands’ half with only the occasional foray from the guests when they looked to counter-attack on the break.

Any threat was swiftly snubbed out by the German back four, but the hosts’ finishing was equally poor.

A good save from Nielsen denied Dortmund’s Marco Reus with 20 minutes gone, while Klose was also thwarted moments later.

Germany’s midfielder Thomas Mueller (R) clashes with Faroe’s defender Pol Johannus Justinussen during their FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifier Group C match in Hanover, Germany. Germany won 3-0.

The breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Dortmund’s Mario Goezte dribbled past the guests’ defence and then slammed his shot into the goal’s bottom corner past Nielsen.

Lahm epitomised his side’s obvious frustration when he was booked for a yellow card after repeatedly pulling at midfielder Christian Holst before a sliding tackle in the 42nd minute.

Things improved after the break when Ozil benefited from a good break down the right flank and converted Thomas Mueller’s cross on 54 minutes as Germany pulled clear.

Ozil hit the third on 71 minutes after a good through-pass from Dortmund’s Marco Reus put him into space in the penalty area with only Nielsen to beat.

Arsenal‘s Lukas Podolski came off the bench for the last 15 minutes for his 102nd cap, but squandered his single clear opportunity.

At the other end, Holst had the Islanders best chance with a strike from 20 metres which spurred Manuel Neuer into action after a quiet night in the German goal with eight minutes left.

Germany play their next qualifier against Austria in Vienna on Tuesday, when Sweden entertain Kazakhstan, while the Faroe Islands host Sweden on October 12.