Joachim Low insisted on Sunday night that Germany would make it through the World Cup group stages, despite his side suffering a shock defeat in their opening game of the tournament against Mexico.
The reigning world champions began their defence in the worst possible way as Hirving Lozano’s first-half finish following one of Mexico’s many counter-attacks ultimately proved decisive.
Low’s side piled the pressure on after the break in search of an equaliser but found no response to Mexico, who had carved open their defence on several occasions in the early exchanges.
Three of the last four World Cup winners – France, Italy and Spain – have suffered group-stage elimination after returning as reigning champions.
Low, however, is confident Germany bounce back against Sweden and South Korea, their remaining Group F opponents.
“I have no idea why that was the case with other countries,” he said. “We will not suffer that fate. We will make it to the next round.
“We will certainly not change our match plan,” the Germany head coach said. “If we are able to play out our ideas then we have players who able to deliver.
“We will not just break apart now and become headless and do something completely different. There is no need to break out in panic just because we have lost a match.”
Mats Hummels, the Germany defender, admitted Mexico deserved the three points and voiced frustrations with a style of play that left him and his centre-back partner, Jerome Boateng, regularly exposed.
“Our cover was often not good and we were left many times with just Jerome and myself in the back,” he said.
“We were warned [in the warm-up games]. We played exactly like we did against Saudi Arabia [when Germany only narrowly won 2-1], only against a better opponent. That’s why the first half was like it was and Mexico obviously deserved to win it.
“If seven or eight players are attacking then it is clear that our attacking power is greater,” Hummels added. “But that is something that I have often talked about internally. I does not always bear fruit.”
