Preview: Two Hurt Team

Two-time winners Uruguay and three times champion Germany will meet on Sunday morning to fight over the third position, an actual playoff game at least desirable for the World Cup semifinalists.


Both coach, Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay) and Joachim Loew (Germany) has a tough task to raise their players in the last match in the tournament after losing to the Dutch and Spanish opponent in the semifinal.


Uruguay has a slight advantage because they will have an extra day to try to reduce the disappointment and Tabarez known as a powerful motivator.


He was determined to forget the 2-3 defeat of Holland by becoming the third champion, which is a better performance than they achieved in 1970.


"We should be able to win this match and overcome our grief," said Tabarez.


He certainly will be back striker Luis Suarez after serving one game suspensions for red cards due to punch the ball at the goal line on the quarter-finals opponent Ghana.


And it seems she will mate again with Diego Forlan, who is threatened must be absent because of injury caused by wear resisting ill play in the semifinal.


Atletico Madrid club's star 31-year-old suffered the injury remains unclear when the Dutch defeated opponent, but Tabarez sure he can still compete and Forlan seemed to agree with the confidence coach.


"I think it would be an interesting match. Germany played very good football team," said Forlan.


"But we also have to play their own style. I hope this will be a great match. But our goal is to compete and win the third position for Uruguay."


Unlike Uruguay, Germany was the third or fourth place is a sad consolation of their chances to win a record fourth title.


However, Loew wants his team to end the tournament with maximum results and gave him another boost when reported on Friday that he was offered a new contract for two years after new contract talks earlier this year failed.


The captain of Germany Philipp Lahm, who wept after losing 0-1 over Spain, said last night has made him a little sleep can digest the defeat.


"Four years ago, we thought it was fantastic to play for third place," said Lahm, referring to the defeat of Portugal in their struggle for third place match in Germany in 2006.


"Previously, like many people, I do not even want to watch this match on television."


"But now, I'm sure winning this match is very important, it can give us some consolation."


This also applies to a German player who had the opportunity to leave a permanent mark in the World Cup.


Miroslav Klose, who seemed less likely to stay logged in the German national team at the World Cup in 2014 when 36-year-old, needing two goals to get past the opponent's Uruguayan striker record Brazilian, Ronaldo, as the all-time leading scorer in the World Cup. Klose now has picked up 14 goals in three World Cups.


However, the Bayern Munich player's condition is still doubt after suffering an injury in the semifinal.


"Klose had a problem with his back," said assistant Germany coach, Hansi Flick.


"He was injured during a duel in the air, and we hope that he will be okay to play." (AFP / cax)