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Germany fail to impress
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-25 16:43

FIFA World Cup hosts Germany are struggling to raise expectation levels at home after an unimpressive 2-1 win over Swiss club side Servette on Wednesday.

Goals from Chelsea-bound Michael Ballack and Gerald Asamoah gave Germany victory in their 70-minute friendly behind closed doors but assistant coach Joachim Low was fairly scathing of the performance.

"We played too deep and too square," he said. "We couldn't keep up with the tempo required and we didn't have the freshness that they will have to have in two or three weeks."

Germany will play friendlies against Luxembourg, Japan and Colombia before opening the tournament against Costa Rica on 9 June in a comfortable-looking Group A, which also includes Poland and Ecuador.