• Joachim Löw: 'We made too many mistakes'
• Eight Bayern Munich players rested from team
Switzerland, who failed to qualify for Euro 2012, stunned Germany 5-3 with Eren Derdiyok grabbing a hat-trick against a makeshift defence in Basel.
Germany, missing more than half their usual starting lineup with eight Bayern Munich players rested, looked a long way from being ready to challenge for their first major trophy since 1996. Poor defensive organisation, a lack of their usual offensive spark and a sloppy passing game caused them to slump to their biggest defeat by Switzerland since their first match in 1908.
"We made far too many mistakes," said the Germany coach, Joachim Löw, who will announce his final squad this week. "I did not expect this result, though I knew it could be dangerous because of the many training sessions we have had until now. I knew that we could be lacking this freshness," he said. "The team had not played with such a lineup before. Now we have two weeks to work on this and I have absolutely no concerns that the co-ordination within the team will start working."
The Germans fell behind after 21 minutes with new Hoffenheim signing Derdiyok taking full advantage of a gaping hole in the opposing defence to slot in a cross by Tranquillo Barnetta.
He struck again two minutes later, heading in another pin-point Barnetta cross as central defenders Mats Hummels and Per Mertesacker, making his comeback from an injury that kept him out since February, struggled to gel.
The Germans upped the pressure and were rewarded just before the break when Hummels headed in a Mesut Ozil free-kick and Andre Schürrle pulled another back for the Germans after Derdiyok headed his third in the 50th minute. Both sides added another with Switzerland scoring through Stephan Lichtsteiner and Germany's Marco Reus hitting back. Admir Mehmedi completed a frantic spell of four goals in 12 minutes when he slotted in.
Swiss coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, a German, said the heavy defeat could be a good sign for his countrymen.
"It is a good omen because we [Swiss] were also the only team to beat Spain [at the 2010 World Cup] and then they went on to win the title," said Hitzfeld. Read More
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