Argentina exacted a revenge of sorts over Germany, winning 3-1 in a friendly – thanks in part to an unfortunate own goal. Playing much of the match with only 10 men, Germany answered back just once.

Argentina were keen to take some vengeance for their 4-0 defeat to Germany at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. As it turned out, they eased past an undermanned but determined home side in Frankfurt.

The result will do little to ease coach Joachim Löw’s frustration with the raft of criticism that has followed the national side’s defeat to Italy at Euro 2012. The squad was accused of lacking leadership, being too pampered and failing to sing the national anthem with sufficient vigor.…

Germany coach Joachim Low wants to move on from his side’s Euro 2012 heartache with a strong performance in Wednesday’s international friendly against Argentina.

Germany’s defeat to Italy in the semi-finals in Poland and Ukraine triggered widespread criticism of the team’s performance, but Low says that one game will not define his tenure. Instead, he hit back at the critics and said he will not be changing his or his team’s ways.…

Marco Reus has been named as Germany’s footballer of the year in a poll conducted by Kicker magazine.

The Germany international picked up 217 votes from selected football writers in Germany, beating his new Borussia Dortmund team-mates Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski and Shinji Kagawa to the prize, which has been awarded annually since 1960. Second-placed Hummels receive less than half that tally.

Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp was the overwhelming choice as coach of the year, ahead of Borussia Monchengladbach’s Lucien Favre and Christian Streich of Freiburg.…

Coach Joachim Loew was on Monday given the backing of the country’s football federation, nearly six weeks after his side was knocked out of the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

“We have heard a very convincing analysis of the Euros,” said the president of the DFB Wolfgang Niersbach after meeting Loew in the western city of Frankfurt, where the coach gave his assessment of the Mannschaft’s performance during the tournament.

“We absolutely agree with the sporting staff to say that the path chosen was the right one,” he added.

Germany were beaten 2-1 by Italy in the semi-final in Warsaw, leading to criticisms of Loew’s tactics and selections.

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