World Cup friendlies: Germany, France draw, Belgium, US win

The World Cup teams are making their final preparations and, if you are planning on following any of the coverage in English, you should be too. Here is an example of the match reports you will see in less than two weeks time.

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Germany's midfielder Mario Goetze (L) and Cameroon's defender Nicolas Nkoulou vie for the ball during the friendly football match Germany vs Cameroon in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2014 on June 1, 2014 in Moenchengladbach, western Germany. AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

The teams in the upcoming World Cup in Brazil are making their final preparations and, if you are planning on following any of the coverage in English, you should be making your preparations as well.

Here is an example of the kind of match reports you will see in less than two weeks time.

World Cup friendlies:  Germany, France held, Belgium see off Sweden

PARIS, June 01, 2014, AFP – Germany and France were held to draws while Chelsea duo Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku scored for Belgium in the latest batch of World Cup warm-ups on Sunday.

Fellow Brazil-bound Cameroon came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw against Germany.

All four goals came in an entertaining second-half as Cameroon, coached by German Volker Finke, came within a whisker of a historic first win over Germany.

The Africans took a shock lead through another Chelsea player, Samuel Eto'o, on 62 minutes only for Germany to equalise four minutes later through Thomas Mueller.

Germany's goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller (L) fails to save a shot by Cameroon's forward Eric Choupo-Moting. AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL

German replacement Andre Schuerrle then gave the hosts the lead before Cameroon left-wing Eric Choupo-Moting, who plies his trade in the Bundesliga for Mainz 05, popped up with the 78th-minute equaliser.

Germany coach Joachim Loew was unimpressed with his side's display, especially from Arsenal's midfielder Mesut Ozil, who produced a low-key performance.

"On the one hand they were a good opponent and a real test of our endurance," said Loew.

"But you could see that the freshness was missing from our game.

"Our passing game was not good and we made many, many mistakes.

"Mesut Ozil did not have one of his best days, he needs two more weeks, then we'll see a strong Mesut at the World Cup."

France's forward Olivier Giroud (R) controls the ball during the friendly football match between France and Paraguay on June 1, 2014, at the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, southern France, ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup football tournament. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE

France's injured forward Franck Ribery (R) gestures on the bench prior to the friendly football match between France and Paraguay. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE

Down on a rainy Cote d'Azur Franck Ribery started on the bench in France's 1-1 stalemate with Paraguay.

Substitute Antoine Griezman had appeared to give the French victory when he curled home an 82nd-minute right foot shot before Victor Caceres silenced the partisan crowd in Nice, flicking home an 89th minute equaliser.

The match was the second Brazil buildup for Didier Deschamps' side after they brushed aside Norway 4-0 last Tuesday.

Ribery, recovering from a back injury, is due to play some part in France's final tune-up against Jamaica.

"We can't win every match 4-0 but there were a lot of good things tonight," added Deschamps.

"On the free kick at the end, we probably retreated too much into our own box but we were playing a good team who know how to defend.

"We were not at full strength but we had good intentions and there were positives."

Belgium's midfielders Marouane Fellaini and Kevin De Bruyne, and Belgium's defenders Thomas Vermaelen and Vincent Kompany run during a training session. The Red Devils have looked quite impressive in their friendly matches. AFP PHOTO / YORICK JANSENS

Hazard and Lukaku were on the mark in Belgium's 2-0 win over Sweden.

If you have read "World Cup English" you will already know much of the football-related vocabulary in this story. Details here. http://bit.ly/RlaA3Y

Coming after last week's 5-1 drubbing of Luxembourg the result offered further proof of the side's wellbeing ahead of their Group H assignment in Brazil against Algeria, Russia and South Korea.

Against a Swedish side missing their emblematic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Belgium dominated throughout.

Lukaku, on loan to Everton last season, set Marc Wilmots' side on the path to victory in the 34th minute, with Hazard doubling after the break.

Belgium have one final warm-up scheduled, against Tunisia in Brussels next Saturday.

The United States continued their World Cup preparations with a 2-1 triumph over Turkey.

German-born Fabien Johnson, one of US manager Jurgen Klinsmann's army of young, dual-citizenship footballers, made his first strike for the Stars and Stripes an impressive one, combining with US veteran Michael Bradley for a superb 26th-minute goal that gave the United States a 1-0 lead.

American veteran Clint Dempsey exploited a lapse in the Turkish defense to double the score in the 52nd minute.

Turkey pulled one goal back in the 90th minute with a penalty by Selcuk Inan.

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