Germany Hit United Arab Emirates For Seven

United Arab Emirates 2-7 Germany  

Germany more than made up for their disappointing draw with China at the weekend by thrashing the United Arab Emirates in Dubai. Four goals from new Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez saw his international goal drought come to an end, while there were also goals for Heiko Westermann and Piotr Trochowski. The United Arab Emirates scored twice themselves in the second half to restore a little pride.    

Bundestrainer Joachim Loew handed Manuel Neuer his debut in goal and the first-half saw Germany storm to a four goal lead although there were gaps at the back and the home side did have some chances of their own. 

The first goal didn’t arrive until the 29th minute but when it did come, it was carved out with some aplomb. Trochowski played in the overlapping Phillip Lahm on the left and his ball into the penalty are was fired in by Westermann.  

The goal opened the floodgates and Gomez, who hadn’t scored in 830 minutes for the national side, doubled the lead on 35 minutes. Again, a quick attack with some precise passing led to the goal with Lukas Podolski handing an easy chance to the German striker.    

Four minutes later and Trochowski got in on the scoring act as he flashed a cross from Andreas Hinkel into the net following yet another super attacking move. Podolski had a goal ruled out for offside before Gomez added his second in first-half stoppage time. Hinkel again was the provider from the right and the new Bayern Munich forward converted from close-range.  

Loew made two changes at half-time with Cacau and Robert Huth coming on for Podolski and Arne Friedrich. Cacau made an immediate impact by setting up Mario Gomez for his hat trick.    

The goals continued to flow inside the Al-Maktoum Stadium and the Gulf side went 6-0 down on 52 minutes after Faris Juma scored an own-goal as he tried to prevent a Bastian Schweinsteiger goal-bound shot from going in.  

A minute later however and the home side had something to cheer about when they pulled a goal back. A cross from the right went over everyone and Ismael Salem fired in a low shot from the edge of the penalty area, which gave Neuer no chance in goal.    

After a slight lull in the game, the United Arab Emirates grabbed a second goal on 73 minutes when Nawaf Mubarek took aim from distance and beat the Schalke keeper with a powerful effort.    

The hosts went very close to adding a third late on but Neuer got his fingertips to a shot from Mohamed Saaed and turned it around the post. 

Gomez then scored his best goal of the evening from an extremely tight angle in the 92nd minute after receiving the ball from Christian Traesch and taking the ball around substitute keeper Obaid Mohd.    

Goals  

0-1  Westermann (29)

0-2  Gomez (35)

0-3  Trochowski (39)

0-4  Gomez (45+2)

0-5  Gomez (47)

0-6  Faris Juma o.g (52)

1-6  Ismail Salem (53)

2-6  Nawaf Mubarek (73)

2-7  Gomez (92)  

United Arab Emirates: Majed Naser (Obaid Mohd 60), Mohammad Qassim, Faris Juma, Walid Abbas (Abdullah Mousa 66), Salem Masoud, Hilal Saeed (Amir Mubarek 46), Mahmoud Khamis (Nawaf Mubarek 46), Abdulsalam Jumaa (Ali Moadhed 79), Mohamed Saeed, Faisal Khalil (Ali Ahmed 46), Ismail Salem  

Germany: Neuer, Hinkel (Traesch 79), A. Friedrich (Huth 46), Westermann, Lahm (Schaefer 57), Schweinsteiger, Hitzlsperger (Weis 66), Gentner, Trochowski, Podolski (Cacau 46), Gomez

Mathew Burt, Goal.com