Germany masters of their own destiny
MATT BARLOW
JOACHIM LOW stepped from the plane and the thunder clapped and the heavens opened, this time with added hail.
Like the central character in a blood-curdling Gothic horror, the Germany boss seems to be travelling Russia with his personal storm cloud.
The world champions left Sochi in a downpour having beaten Sweden in the final seconds and arrived in Kazan for South Korea to find the stadium pitch too sodden for training.
As his players climbed back on the bus and ventured through the flash floods on streets of the Tatar capital in search of an alternative venue, the manager spoke of the need to keep emotions under control.
‘After Sweden, it was pure elation,’ said Low (above). ‘To achieve the goal in the dying moments when a single point would have left us in a precarious position. Everyone knew the situation was not good after losing against Mexico. ‘Zero points and the pressure was huge. So there was euphoria and the mood was great but we had to make sure it not hysterical. We kept a level head because we had to work. ‘It is true, this victory provided us with a small step to the last 16 but the next match has to be won. In a tournament it is always the same. Victory and euphoria cannot extend too far.’
Here, they cannot afford another slip in the super-tight Group F where even South Korea have a slim hope of progress despite losing two games.
‘A one per cent chance but there is hope,’ said Tottenham’s striker Son Heung-min, who broke down in tears following defeat against Mexico in St Petersburg. The Koreans were in sombre mood after the match only to arrive at the airport to learn the 94th-minute winner by Toni Kroos for Germany against Sweden had produced a lifeline.
Jerome Boateng is banned after a red card and Sebastian Rudy ruled out after breaking his nose. Mats Hummels is fit to return after a sore neck, and there could be recalls for Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira. STOKE City expect to complete the signing of Irish winger James McClean from West Brom shortly for a fee of around £5m.
McClean, 29, is entering the final year of his contract at West Brom who were relegated from the Premier League, along with Stoke City, last month.
McClean has made 99 league appearances for West Brom, who paid £1.5m for him from Wigan three years ago.