Loew on a high after Netherlands rout

Germany coach Joachim Loew has hailed his team for their performances in 2011 after a 3-0 win over the Netherlands in Hamburg on Tuesday.

The hosts were 2-0 ahead inside the first half-hour in the friendly, and were rarely pressured in a comfortable win over their traditional rivals.

Thomas Mueller, Miroslav Klose and Mesut Oezil were on the scoresheet in yet another convincing performance from a team who will be among the favourites to win Euro 2012.

Loew was delighted with his team and praised his players for an excellent year – in which they lost just once.

“We can be very satisfied, not only with the game, but with the whole year,” he said after the game.

“We played with much enthusiasm and lightness, and combined with ease, and the Dutch were apparently overwhelmed.”

“The midfield and attack worked especially well – the Dutch hardly entered our danger zone.”

It extends the Netherlands’ winless run to three matches, which also includes a loss to Sweden in Euro 2012 qualifying and a scoreless draw with Switzerland.

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk was upset by the loss to their rivals, even though it came in a friendly.

“It was an embarrassing game for us, to lose 3-0 to our neighbours, and fully deserved, that hurt,” he said.

“Germany are unbelievably strong at recovering the ball. They could do it before, but now they can play football too.”

Despite the defeat, Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel insisted his team have nothing to worry about.

Van Bommel believes that they will do much better once players such as Arjen Robben, Ibrahim Afellay, Rafael van der Vaart and Robin van Persie return.

“There’s no reason to be worried after this game. We’re on the right track. The results in the last three games have not been as hoped for. However, we’re without several key players due to injuries,” Van Bommel told Dutch TV station Veronica.

“That shouldn’t be underestimated. We are a team to be reckoned with at next year’s tournament though when everybody is fit again.”

Despite Germany’s comfortable win, Van Bommel did not feel Oranje were outplayed by their opponents.

“I won’t say we were without a chance. We started pretty well and got a chance,” he said.

“The organisation was not bad early on, but we gave away the game in two moments.”

“It was a pretty even game in my opinion. They were slightly better, but details were decisive tonight.”

“We would have been back in the game had we scored the 2-1 after the interval, but that didn’t happen.”