Oct 17, 2012 01:59 AM EDT
Germany vs Sweden Results: Schweinsteiger, Lahm Stunned by Amazing Collapse; Low Rues Lack of Concentration

Germany players and coach alike were stunned by the amazing collapse that saw Sweden fight back from 4-0 down to salvage a draw.

Germany captain Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos bemoaned their team's performance in the final 30 minutes, which saw goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mikel Rustic, Johan Elmander and Rasmus Elm cut down a four-goal lead, after a brace from Miroslav Klose and a goal apiece from Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil had seemingly given Germany an unassailable lead.

"I do not understand it," Schweinsteiger told ARD. "Nowadays it is already not enough when two or three players do not run enough.

"But with us, everybody was one step behind. And so you concede four goals against Sweden. Never in a lifetime could we not have won this match. I do not remember this ever happening to us.

"I honestly do not care (what the media and public will say now).

Schweinsteiger's Bayern Munich and German teammate Kroos was also flabbergasted by the result. "This is hard to explain to be honest," Kroos added. "Anything can happen, when everything seems to be over.

"Sweden fought for every meter and we were not able to get back on track. Everything (was] working for us.

"We played beautiful football and scored brilliant goals. Then you start to think that everything will take care of itself. That is the mistake. We should have followed through until the end. This should not happen to a team like ours."

Captain Lahm added: "When you lead 4-0 then only draw 4-4, then something has gone wrong.

"Something like this should never happen to a top team. Clearly we felt it was done and dusted at 4-0, and that is only normal too, but then we lost concentration, made mistakes, lost our organisation and suddenly Sweden score four goals."

Germany coach Joachim Low admitted he was left speechless after the draw. "I cannot explain it so soon after the game has finished," he said. "It is hard to explain how we could throw away such an advantage.

"To throw away a 4-0 lead is normally impossible. I am shocked. I have never experienced anything like it. Everybody in the dressing room is stunned to silence. We are speechless."

Low felt his side lost their concentration after going 4-0 up, something he was not too happy to see. "It must be a problem in the head -- when you are 4-0 up, you think it is all over, but what was symptomatic was in the last minute when we had a free-kick in their half," Low said.

"The ball ended up being played back to (Manuel) Neuer rather than going into the corner and vehemently defending the ball there. We passed it back, then we lost possession and they score.

"It's inexplicable. It is very hard to say what it came down to. But for 60 minutes, we were sensational and there was no sign of what was to come. We are incredibly disappointed."

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