...but why coach Loew is unhappy after Saudi win
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY: Joachim Loew has slammed Germany fans who booed Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan during a 2-1 World Cup warm-up victory over Saudi Arabia.
The Germans broke a fivematch winless streak as striker Timo Werner scored and Omar Hawsawi netted an own goal before Taisir Al-Jassim banged home a saved penalty attempt for Saudi Arabia on 85th minute.
However, head coach Loew was unhappy with the boos and jeers from German fans when Gundogan came on for the final 30 minutes in Leverkusen.
“The fact that a national player is booed like that helps nobody,” Loew told broadcaster ARD. “What should Ilkay do now? He took a picture, okay, but he has addressed it with the press and underlined his support for German values.
“The topic has to be ticked off.” Gundogan caused a political storm last month, along with Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, by meeting Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and handing over a Manchester City shirt signed to “my president”.
Both Gundogan, who insists meeting Erdogan was ‘never about making a political statement’, and Ozil, who sat out Friday’s friendly, were born in Gelsenkirchen to Turkish parents.
Before kick-off, Germany team director Oliver Bierhoff attacked the German media for constantly bringing up the Erdogan controversy in press conferences. “You keep mentioning it every day, because you have no other topics to talk about,” he said.
CROATIA WIN
OSIJEK, CROATIA: Croatia Forward Andrej Kramaric staked a strong claim to break into their starting lineup for their opening World Cup match against Nigeria after scoring the winner in a comeback 2-1 home win over Senegal in a pulsating friendly on Friday.
Kramaric produced a superb all-round performance after coming on as a halftime substitute, injecting life into a toothless Croatian side, which fell behind to an Ismaila Sarr goal in the 48th minute. Winger Ivan Perisic equalised with a heavily deflected free kick before Kramaric showed a killer instinct in the penalty area, drilling in a rebound.