Group A Rivals Part 3: Germany

Hmm. Does anyone here want to advance to the knockout stage? Hard to say since all four Group A teams lost in international friendlies today. We’ll take a brief look at how each of Ecuador’s Group A rivals performed in today’s friendlies in turn. Part three: hosts Germany.

Italy beat World Cup hosts Germany 4-1 in Florence. AC Milan striker Alberto Gilardino scored first for the home side only four minutes into the match. Gildarno then assisted Luca Toni after just seven minutes. This March 1 friendly was essentially put away by the Azzuri when Daniele De Rossi headed one home at the 39 minute mark.

It got worse for the Mannschaft after the break at the 56 minute mark when when Alessandro Del Piero drove home a fourth goal. Chelsea man Robert Huth knocked in a meaningless goal for Germany just before full time.

Okay. It’s tough to beat Italy on the peninsula. I get that. But crikey, getting pounded 4-1 (when the match wasn’t really even that close) is embarrassing. Germany will be a tougher foe come this summer, but that’s as close to a humiliating beatdown as a friendly can deliver.