Germans prepare for must-win Sweden clash

Germany's national football team trained at its FIFA World Cup headquarters in this Russian Black Sea resort city on Wednesday in preparation for its forthcoming game against current joint-leaders of Group F Sweden.

The defending champions succumbed to a surprise 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Mexicans in their opening match on Sunday, Efe news agency reported.

The German back-line surprisingly failed to properly deal with a tactic that the four-times World Cup winners have themselves used often over the years.

Germany also had problems up front in that match as Leipzig striker Timo Werner, a relatively new addition to the first team, failed to prove a threat in front of goal.

Joachim Löw's men now have an uphill struggle just to exit the group stage, with tough encounters against Sweden and then South Korea standing in the way of the knockout rounds.

--IANS

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