Low defends team choice after Italy defeat

Germany boss Joachim Low has been forced to defend his team selection following their Euro 2012 semi-final defeat to Italy.

Low opted to restore Lukas Podolski and Mario Gomez to the starting line-up while Thomas Muller was kept on the bench, with Toni Kroos in his place.
However, it was Cesare Prandelli's Italy who won the tactical battle and the match in Warsaw, with Mario Balotelli's brace sealing a 2-1 win and a place in Sunday's final against Spain.
Speaking after the game Low insisted he got his selection right and chose instead to praise a 'classy' Italy side for their performance.
"I could have used another line-up, but Gomez had scored three goals and Podolski netted too, so I thought it was right to play them together," insisted the 52-year-old.
"They punished us for our mistakes and we went into the break 2-0 down against such a classy side as Italy, so it was always going to be difficult to get back into it.
"Balotelli is a talented player, we knew that, but he punished us with two goals and we were not entirely free from errors in those moves."