Schweini scores, Podolski sees red

FCBayernNews · News fetcher Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1361 votes: 2

09.10.2006

It was a mixed weekend for the Bayern players who were on duty this weekend for their countries in European championship qualifiers and friendlies. Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the 12th goal of his international career in the 24th minute of Germany’s match with Georgia, threading home a shot from 30 metres to give his side a 1-0 lead. The midfielder delivered an impressive performance in the 2-0 victory, including making his country’s second goal for his former Bayern colleague Michael Ballack.

“It would be great if everything goes as well [against Slovakia] on Wednesday,” ‘Schweini’ said afterwards, adding of his goal: “I just took a shot, and in it went. I use whatever space I have and take every opportunity to try to score. But that also requires telling passes, and today everything came together.”

But it was not so satisfactory for Lukas Podolski. Bayern’s new recruit made little impact this time, in contrast to his goal feast in the 13-0 victory over San Marino, and in the 49th minute he received a red card for retaliating against the Georgian Zurab Khizanishvili. Podolski said of his expulsion: “That should simply not happen, and that is something that it now engrained in me. I apologised to my team-mates, and hopefully it will never happen again.” He is still able to take part in Wednesday’s European Championship qualifier against Slovakia.

Philipp Lahm did not make an appearance against the side coached by Klaus Toppmöller, joining a few other regulars who were saved for the match in Bratislava. German coach Joachim Löw gave three newcomers their first international caps. Bremen’s Clemens Fritz and Piotr Trochowski of Hamburg started the match, while Aachen’s Jan Schlaudraff made his Germany debut when he came on in the second half.

The Germans were in charge from the start, although there was little noteworthy in the first half apart from Schweinsteiger’s goal. After the break Löw’s team were rarely in danger despite being a man down, and the numerical disadvantage was removed when Khizanishvili received a second yellow. Ballack clinched the victory in the 67th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

France and Belgium slip up

Willy Sagnol and World Cup runners-up France suffered an unexpected 1-0 defeat to Scotland in Glasgow. The French were in command for much of the game, especially in the first half, but were unable to capitalise on their superiority. Sagnol nearly created an equaliser in stoppage time, but none of his colleagues could get a decisive touch to his searching free-kick into the Scottish box. However, on Wednesday the French have an opportunity to make amends against the Faroe Islands in Sochaux.

Things were no better for Daniel van Buyten, whose Belgian side went down to a 1-0 defeat in Serbia. Van Buyten himself missed a good chance to equalise a minute from time.

Ali Karimi remained on the bench during Iran’s first match of a triangular tournament in the Jordanian capital of Amman, a 2-0 victory over arch-rivals Iraq, after coach Amir Ghalenoiee sent out a team entirely composed of home-based players. Against hosts Jordan Karimi wore the captain’s armband, and although Iran was unable to translate its domination into goals, the 0-0 draw ensured victory in the tournament. On Wednesday Karimi and his colleagues will play in Taiwan their penultimate qualifying game for the 2007 Asian Cup.

Claudio Pizarro and his Peruvian colleagues lost 3-2 in Chile, although the Bayern striker came on after half time to score his side’s second goal in the 83rd minute. On Wednesday Peru play Chile again, this time at home in Tacna. Paraguay drew 1-1 in their friendly in Australia, a match from which Roque Santa Cruz and Julio dos Santos were excused by the Paraguayan federation on account of the exhausting journey. Lucio will take on Ecuador with Brazil in Stockholm on Tuesday.

Rensing keeps Germany in Euro contention

Michael Rensing and Andreas Ottl went down to a 1-0 defeat with the German Under-21 side away to England on Friday evening in the first leg of their European Championship play-off. Despite England’s dominance throughout much of the game, Rensing made a string of saves too prevent a heavier defeat that might have spelled elimination from the tournament. The return leg takes place on Tuesday in Leverkusen.

Mirage

Schweini's goal was fantastic ^^ And you just know that hundreds more will follow with that guy.