Saturday, October 9, 2010

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09-10-2010 21:00 France - Romania

New Side

France’s rapid demise towards the end of Raymond Domenech’s spell in charge was virtually inescapable to anyone with even a passing interest in football, with the nadir undoubtedly les Bleus’ shambolic World Cup campaign in the summer. Laurent Blanc has been left to pick up the pieces and rebuild a completely new side.

Initially, Blanc’s efforts looked like echoing back in an all too familiar style to those of Domenech. His opening game at home against Belarus was expected to be something of a cruise by the home public, but a 1-0 defeat, which admittedly came very much against the run of play, only served to emphasise the task at hand.

Under Domenech, France may have folded in their next encounter against Bosnia, a side supposedly the most testing of les Bleus’ group opponents. Instead of buckling, les Bleus sprung back with an impressive performance, defeating dangerous opponents 2-0 away from home to get their campaign back in order.

Blanc has spoken this week of the difficulties in building an entirely new squad. Already the former Girondins de Bordeaux coach has stripped away the flesh of the World Cup flops, leaving only essential members of that body such as Hugo Lloris and Florent Malouda. Even Jeremy Toulalan, a player previously considered almost indispensable, has been cut.

New and forgotten faces are back in the fold, men like Philippe Mexes, who either underperformed under Domenech or were simply not given a just crack of the whip.

Boasting a largely inexperienced side, France again face the fickle support of their home venue for a crucial qualifier, one they must win to maintain the good feeling earned during last month’s success over Bosnia.

Stuck In A Rut

Romania will be no easy opponents for France, but Razvan Lucescu’s side are not presently in their strongest flush.

Still, the Tricolorii are a side who know les Bleus intimately, having turned out three times against them over the course of little more than two years. And Romania have not simply made up the numbers in such encounters, drawing on three occasions.

The first of these came in Euro 2008, when a typically Raymond Domenech display from France saw them labour to a scoreless draw, never really threatening their opponents greatly over the course of the match, despite seemingly possessing by far the better squad. Then came a duo of draws in World Cup qualifying; France were forced to come from 2-0 down in Constanta to pick up a point, before scrambling a 1-1 tie in Paris.

Lucescu’s side failed to kick on from these results. There was no place in South Africa for the Romanians, who finished fifth in their qualifying section behind Serbia, les Bleus, Austria and Lithuania while Euro 2012 progression also looks unlikely off the back of draws against Albania and Belarus.

While France are coming out of their trough, Romania are at the very bottom of theirs, having hit a record low FIFA ranking of 46 in September. Another difficult evening is promised.


TEAM NEWS

France


Question marks still remain over the fitness of Abou Diaby, though the signs are that the Arsenal man will be fit for the task. Alou Diarra, on the other hand, is missing due to an ankle injury sustained on Wednesday, while Bacary Sagna’s place in the squad has been taken by Anthony Reveillere after the former picked up a problem during Arsenal’s meeting with Chelsea on Sunday.

Patrice Evra and Franck Ribery are both serving bans imposed by the French FA following the World Cup debacle, though the latter is injured in any case, while Jeremy Toulalan has simply been overlooked.

Aly Cissokho has been called into the squad due to an injury to Benoit Tremoulinas.

Dimitri Payet, who has seven goals in eight Ligue 1 encounters this season, could make his debut, probably from the bench.

Romania

Razvan Lucescu has opted for an experienced line-up for this encounter, including veteran stalwarts Cristian Chivu and Mirel Radoi. The coach has also moved to mix up his side a little in light of recent struggles as he has drafted Ianis Zicu and Stefan Radu into the side after they had been outcasted from the national side in recent times.



Prediction
Recent history between these two sides suggests that an evenly matched encounter should be expected. While the Romanians have managed to pick up three successive draws, les Bleus should be improved by the presence of Laurent Blanc in the dugout and a squad all pulling in the same direction on the field. It won’t be simple by any means, but France should pick up three points.

France 2-0 Romania

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09-10-2010 15:00 Kenya - Uganda

Time For Harambee Stars To Set The Record Straight

Media reports have indicated that Uganda has had an edge over Kenya in their recent encounters. That is factual, as Uganda have posted more triumphs compared to Kenya in the recent matches where the two neighbours have met.

But what the media has failed to point out is that most of these encounters were in the regional CECAFA championships and most recently, in the CHAN championship. More often than not, players in the domestic leagues are the ones that take part in these two competitions, and not overseas based players.

In the last CHAN (tournament for local based players) Kenya lost 1-0 in Uganda but won 2-1 in Kenya in the return leg. Uganda qualified for the finals which will be held in Sudan next year on away goal advantage.

In fact Harambee Stars captain Dennis Oliech was spot on when he said on Monday that the full squads of the two countries have not clashed in the recent past. He noted that since he made his debut for the national team in 2002, he has never played against Uganda.

So the two sides will be putting to rest the question as to who is best when the two strongest sets of players from both nations clash on Saturday for the first time in the recent history.

Kenya has called only five overseas based players, while Uganda has fifteen to pick from. But this does not bother players like Oliech. The Auxerre striker, who the Stars will depend on has proven that his predatory instincts are highly regarded as among the best in the French Ligue 1.

If Oliech together with Inter Milan’s MacDonald Mariga and others execute their game plan properly, Uganda's dream of qualifying for their first AFCON finals since 1978 will take a serious knock.

The Cranes Will Be Defending Their Tag As Regional Top Dogs 

Out of the blue the Uganda Cranes have slowly, but steadily emerged as a footballing force in the East and Central African region.

Although the team has not fared well in continental championships, (they last qualified for AFCON finals 32 years ago) the team is currently ranked in an impressive 63rd position in the latest FIFA World rankings.
In the recent past, the team has won the regional CECAFA championship twice, qualified for the CHAN finals and had an impressive 2012 AFCON qualifiers start after walloping Angola 3-0 last month.

So as they step out at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday, pressure will be on them to protect their ‘top dog’ status and bolster the elephantine hope of Ugandans back at home, who have started to dream that this time round, the team has to go the whole way and qualify for the continental finals.

Despite playing away, the Cranes players will feel at home on Saturday because they will be cheered on by over 5000 fans who will travel from Uganda, massive government support and individuals who have promised the team hefty financial packages if they beat Kenya and qualify for the 2012 AFCON games.
It will not be impossible for them to emerge winners with the array of foreign stars in their team like Denis Onyango (Black Aces, SA), Geoffrey Sserunkuma (Wits, SA) David Obua (Hearts, Scotland ), Ibrahim Sekagya (Salzburg , Austria ), Nestroy Kizito (Partizan, Serbia), and Geoffrey Massa (Egypt) among others.

TEAM NEWS

Kenya 


Veteran European based duo Arnold Origi and Robert Mambo were dropped from the team after becoming a regular fixture for a number of years.
The absence of Origi due to match fitness after recovering from an injury opened the door to a local based custodian to get between the posts on Saturday.
New appointed Coach Ghost Mulee confirmed that Dennis Oliech will wear the captain's armband against Uganda. Oliech was picked for the first time last month by the then coach Twahir Muhiddin when the team faced Guinea Bissau.

Recent form
Guinea Bissau 1-0 Kenya
Ethiopia           1-3 Kenya
Tanzania          1-1 Kenya

Squad
Goalkeepers: Wycliffe Kasaya (Red Berets), Wilson Obungu (Sofapaka) Martin Musalia (Mathare)
Defenders: Havenar Maloba and Anthony Kimani (Mathare), Julius Owino and Christopher Wekesa (Gor Mahia), George Owino and Edgar Ochieng (Sofapaka), Geoffrey Kokoyo (Ulinzi), David Otieno (Sony).
Midfielders: Kelvin Omondi (Gor Mahia), Crispin Olando (Tusker), Levy Muaka (City Stars), Chester Okoyo and Stephen Ocholla (Ulinzi), Osborne Monday and James Situma (Sofapaka), Macdonald Mariga (Inter), Patrick Osiako (Mjallby, Sweden), Johanna Omollo (FC Fola –Luxemborg), James Orundu (AFC Leopards) Kepha Aswani (Thika Utd)
Strikers: Dennis Oliech (Auxerre), Victor Mugabe (Germinal Beerschot), Allan Wanga and John Barasa (Sofapaka), Ezekiel Odera (KCB) and George Odhiambo (Gor Mahia)

Uganda 

Talismanic striker David Obua is doubtful for the Saturday match after picking up a groin injury when playing for his club Hearts of Scotland on the weekend.
Obua, scorer of the opening goal against Angola last month, was brought off in the 67th minute of the game that Hearts lost 2-1 to Rangers after sustaining the injury.
Sula Matovu and striker Tony Odur - two of seven players dropped on Saturday – will be on standby, in case Obua fails to recover in time.

Recent form
Uganda 3-0 Angola
Uganda 1-1 Zambia
Tanzania 2-3 Uganda

Squad:
Goalkeepers: D. Onyango, R. Odongkara,
Defenders: I. Sekagya, A. Mwesigwa, N. Kizito, S. Masaba, G. Walusimbi, J. Owino
Midfielders: T. Mawejje, V. Kayizzi, S. Bengo, O. Kasule, D. Wagaluka, M. Mudde,

Strikers: G. Sserunkuma, G. Massa, M. Sserumaga, E.Ssepuuya

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kenya
Dennis Oliech has been a revelation for Harambee Stars since he made his debut in 2002. ‘Dennis the Menace’ will be looked upon to make up for the disastrous loss in Bissau last month. The armband will also add more pressure for him to deliver on Saturday.
Uganda
Ibrahim Sekagya has been such an imperious figure for the Cranes, and has excelled in nullifying some of Africa's most-hailed strikers. Besides being intelligent, Sekagya is a fantastic reader of the game and a timely tackler - attributes that should be enough to stop offensive Kenyan predators.

PREDICTION

Apart from the fact that Harambee Stars will be playing at home, Kenya will be parading a galaxy of experienced players who have played together for some time now. The possible absence of striker David Obua will also rob Uganda of the offensive threat that could have damaged Kenya’s defence.

Kenya 2-1 Uganda

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09-10-2010 17:00 Cameroon - DR Congo

Continuation Of A Fine Start

Tipped as the favourites of group E, the four-time African champions will give their all to continue with their fine start in the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers. They nailed down Mauritius in a 3-1 victory in their opening game last month.

Ahead of Saturday's clash there was an off-field row over the match venue. Initially, Yaoundé was penned down as the match venue but was shifted to the northern town of Garoua, prompting a row between the teams’ officials.

DR Congo officials are protesting because of a cholera outbreak in Garoua, but the continental football governing body CAF has ruled in Cameroon’s favour.

The Lions are going into this game with a major injury concern. Goalkeeper Carlos Idriss Kameni of Espanyol has been ruled out for three weeks. However, captain Samuel Eto’o, who marked his 100th appearance for the Lions in the game against Mauritius and netted twice is in camp despite initial permission to be excused.

Coach Javier Clemente has also promised to recall in-form Arsenal player Alex Song to bolster the team’s standing.

Redemption Time

DR Congo suffered a painful 4-2 defeat in Lubumbashi against Senegal in their opening 2012 Nations Cup qualifying match. They find themselves in a difficult situation because their next away game against Cameroon will not be a cakewalk, but at the same time it is a must win to restore their hopes of making it to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. 

To compound their problems, the team is grappling with how to deal with the mindset that the match venue Garoua is cholera-prone. Although CAF has ruled against their protest, team officials are unhappy.

“It’s an awful decision,” Congo DR coach Robert Nouzaret told Jeune Afrique. “Initially, we were informed that the meeting will be held in Yaoundé. We took our time to make arrangements finding a hotel and all that. And then the Cameroonians decided to relocate the match to Garoua.

“My problem is there has been an outbreak of cholera for several weeks in that town. We are sending players to a danger zone. It is a scandal. We’re putting players’ health at risk. This is all political.”

But they need to put this problem behind them if they really want to leave the west African nation with at least a point. That will be an uphill task before mammoth home support.

They also have injury concerns. Key French-based defenders Larrys Mabiala, Cedric Mongongu and Assani Mulongoti have all been ruled out.

TEAM NEWS

Cameroon


Defender Andre Bikey should be fit to play after suffering bruised ribs in Burnley’s 1-1 draw with Milwall on the weekend.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Guy Roland N'dy Assembe (FC Nantes, France), Jocelyn Mayebi (Maccabi Nazareth, Israël), Hugo Nyamé (Astres Douala).
Defenders : Stéphane Bikey (FC Burnley, England), Gilles Augustin Binya (Neuchâtel Xamax, Switzerland), Henri Bedimo (RC Lens, France), Sébastien Bassong (Tottenham, England), Nicolas Nkoulou (AS Monaco, France), Benoît Assou Ekotto (Tottenham, England), Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes, France), Stéphane Mbia (Olympique de Marseille, France).
Midfielders : Aurélien Chedjou (Lille, France), Marcel Ndjeng (FC Augsbourg, Germany), Jean II Makoun (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Georges Mandjeck (Stade Rennais, France), Joël Matip (Schalke 04, Germany), Eyong Enoh (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland).
Forwards : Henri Bienvenu Ntsama (Young Boys Berne, Switzerland), Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting (Hambourg SV, Germany), Vincent Aboubakar (Valenciennes, France), Franck Songo’o (Real Sociedad, Spain), Aloys Nong (Standard Liège, Belgium), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan, Italy).

DR Congo

Media reports have it that the French embassy refused to grant visas to some locally-based Congolese players when they were camping in Mery-sur-Oise, France.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Robert Kidiaba Muteba (TP Mazembe), Yves Makubu Makalambay (unattached), Parfait Mandanda (Altay Izmir) Defenders: Nkulukuta Miala Eric (TP Mazembe), Samy Joel ( Nancy ), Cédric Mongungu (AS Monaco), Joel Kimuaki (TP Mazembe), Assani Mulongoty (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Hérita Ilunga (West Ham), Kasusula Kilisho (TP Mazembe), Isama Penko (DCMP) Midfielders: Yousouf Mulumbu (West Bromwich), Bedi Mbenza (TP Mazembe), Mazowa Nsimbu (Istambul B.B), Pamphil Mihayo (TP Mazembe), Cédric Makiadi (SC Fribourg), Matumona Zola (Raec Mons), Strikers: Alain Kaluyitukadioko (TP Mazembe), Trésor Lualua (Omnia Nicosie), Yves Diba Ilunga (Najran), Dieumerci Mbokani (AS Monaco), Patou Kabangu (TP Mazembe), Lelo Mbele (Bengazi)

PREDICTION

The Indomitable Lions have home advantage in addition to being an experienced side with most of their stars in camp. A defeat would be one of the most shocking outcomes in this qualifier.

Cameroon 2-0 DRC

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10-10-2010 18:30 Sierra Leone - South Africa

Keeping The Momentum

After making a great start to their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a 2-0 win over Niger, South Africa will on Sunday enter a lions den in Freetown, knowing that anything other than a victory against a team that’s ranked 132 in the world will be a disappointment.

Now ranked 58th in the world and 10th in Africa, Bafana Bafana were beaten 1-0 in their last visit to Sierra Leone, but the team is different now and the 2010 World Cup hosts have a new coach in Pitso Mosimane, who is yet to lose a game since taking charge of the team.
Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, who has not conceded a goal in his last two appearances for Bafana will surely be looking to make it a hat-trick of clean sheets, which could turn out to be key should it come down to goal difference to decide who progresses.

“We have to make sure we do not concede a goal in this match. We have to go there and keep a clean sheet. It does not matter that we played at home in our last two matches, because home or away we have a good record and we need to build from that,” the shot stopper told the media at a press conference.

The conditions that Mosimane’s troops might face in Sierra Leone could well be the deciding factor of the match as Bafana struggled to string passes together in their last visit to Sierra Leone, but Khune says they just have to focus on their game and nothing else.

“We have no control over the conditions, we just have to go there and play. We know we have to win the match and we have the players who can do the job,” the Bafana keeper said.

Home Advantage Is Key

Having already made two appearances in the Africa Cup of Nations back in 1994 and 1996, Sierra Leone are hungry and eager to compete in the 2012 finals. They proved their undoubted desire by playing to a 1-1 draw against the defending champions Egypt in Cairo during the last round of qualifiers.

After years of internal unrest and a civil war that couldn’t help but bring football largely to a halt, Sierra Leone coach Christian Cole believes that the current Leone Stars team can rise above their past and erase bitter memories to qualify for the 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

Cole’s ambition is beyond just bringing football glory to Sierra Leone, he is determined to add a new chapter for the country that has for many years been associated with negative news and has already made a huge statement with a draw against seven time African champions Egypt. South African should surely brace themselves for a tough game.

“We defeated them in Freetown in the last qualifiers, and this is a feat I am determined to repeat come October tenth.” Cole told Fifa.com.

TEAM NEWS

South Africa

Bafana Bafana’s preparations received a major blow ahead of this game after they lost deputy captain Steven Pienaar because of an injury while playing for Everton in England. This could well be the chance for the off form Teko Modise to relaunch his Bafana career, however he will have to battle it out with Reneilwe Letsolonyane and Surprise Moriri for the start.

It is all systems go with no reports of any further injuries and captain Aaron Mokoena has already been cleared by the medical team of a minor injury. The red hot Katlego Mphela is expected to lead the attack with Bernard Parker after Mosimane said he will not be making unnecessary changes.

Squad: Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs,Dareen Keet, Siboniso Gaxa, Morgan Gould, Tshepo Masilela, Aaron Mokoena, Anele Ngcongca, Siyabonga Sangweni, Bongani Khumalo, Innocent Mdledle, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Daine Klate, Teko Modise, Thanduyise Khuboni, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Surprise Moriri, MacBeth Sibaya, Andile Jali,Katlego Mphela, Bernard Parker, Sthembiso Ngcobo


Sierra Leone

Coach Christian Cole’s preparations also had a share of disappointments after Aston Villa’s Nigel Reo-Coker turned down a request to play for Sierra Leone. The midfielder qualifies for the African nation through his father and spent a number of years living in the country as a child.

Sierra Leone football authorities handed him an invite to play for the country in their African Cup of Nations qualifier game against South Africa, but his agent Tony Finnigan insisted that the midfielder is keen on fighting for a place in the English national team.

Also out of this game is the captain and all-time leading scorer Mohamed Kallon, the former Inter Milan striker who has netted 19 goals in 28 games. missed the Egypt match due to injury. According to reports coach Cole decided to exclude him saying that the player did not make contact about his recovery, however Kallon has denied the coach’s statements.

Mustapha Bangura, who scored against Egypt has promised to score against South Africa again and striker Mohamed Poborsky Bangura will be part of the team that will be captained byIbrahim Obreh Kargbo.

Squad: Christian Caulker, John Trye, Ibrahim Koroma, Gibrilla Woobay, Umaru Bangura, Ahmed Deen, Alpha Lansana,Pa Salieu Sesay,Rodney Strasser, Ibrahim Kargbo, Mustapha Bangura, Samuel Barlay, Sheriff Suma, Alfread Sankoh, Alfred Sankoh, David Simbo, Mohamed Pobosky Bangura, Sulamina Fullah Sesay, Ibrahim Tetteh Bangura,  Benjamin Dondem Sesay

PREDICTION

This is going to be a tough game with South Africa on form and Sierra Leone playing at home under their own conditions, which will no doubt be a blow for Bafana’s short passing game.

South Africa 1-1 Sierra Leone

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08-10-2010 20:30 Moldova - Netherlands

Doing Just Fine

By their modest standards, Moldova have started the Euro 2012 qualifying process in decent form, but despite an upbeat start to the series, the Eastern Europeans start as severe underdogs when they welcome the Netherlands to Chisinau on Friday.

Ranked 80 in the world by FIFA, Gavril Balint’s side will doubtless adopt a pragmatic approach for their forthcoming encounter, aiming to keep the game as tight as possible for as long as possible before springing on the counter.

In their opening home fixture against Finland, a 2-0 victory was claimed, though their passage to three points was eased by Sami Hyypia’s dismissal with little more than half an hour played. Even so, it still took the hosts until the final quarter of the match to stamp their authority, with Alexandru Suvorov breaking the deadlock on 69 minutes before Anatolie Doros struck soon afterwards.

Four days later against Hungary, all the goals again arrived in the second half, though of the three struck in Budapest, only one was for the Moldovans, consigning them to a defeat that was not especially a shock.

Against the Oranje, Moldova can only hope faintly for a point, but that will mean defending impeccably for 90 minutes.

Huge Game

Much of the build-up to the Netherlands’ encounter in Moldova has been dominated by an event that happened outside the confines of the national team. Nigel de Jong’s leg breaking tackle on Hatem Ben Arfa while playing for Manchester City against Newcastle United has sparked a great deal of debate, though the midfield hardman certainly won’t be featuring in either of the Oranje’s next two encounters after coach Bert van Marwijk axed him from the squad in the wake of the incident.

On the field, the Dutch can have few worries. Coming off the back of their excellent performance at the World Cu they drew a friendly in the Ukraine in early August but have since rebounded with victories over San Marino and Finland in qualifying. Dirk Kuyt is not about to play down the importance of the forthcoming qualifiers against Moldova and Sweden though.

“The match against Moldova is huge. Away games are always very difficult and it'll be a tough game. But we have the team to beat them, so we have to be ready,” he told Radio Netherlands Worldwide. “We have lots of confidence in ourselves and we know how big these matches are: if we win these two games, we'll be well on our way to qualifying for the European Championships.”

Van Marwijk’s record in qualifying competition cannot be beaten. During the World Cup series, his side won a perfect eight games from eight, while they are already two from two in the Euro 2012 campaign. Indeed, the World Cup final is the only competitive game the Dutch coach hasn’t won during his tenure, spelling danger for the Moldovans.

TEAM NEWS

Moldova

Gavril Balint hasn't had to cope with any injury issues in the build-up to this fixture.

Netherlands


Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben are both out due to injury complaints, while Nigel de Jong has been dropped from the squad by Bert van Marwijk following the midfielder’s challenge on Hatem Ben Arfa last weekend. Eljero Elia is missing too.

Defensively the coach has a number of headaches, with Ron Vlaar, Hedwiges Maduro and Vurnon Anita all missing.

Elsewhere in the group...

Hungary – San Marino

Hungary continue their attempts to qualify for a first European Championship finals since 1972 when they meet minnows San Marino at home on Friday evening.

Sandor Egervari’s side have made a distinctly mixed start to the qualification process, going down 2-0 against Sweden in their opening game before scrambling to maximum points against Moldova at home. Having lost a recent friendly to the Netherlands 6-1, the Magyars can hold out little hope of taking anything from the World Cup finalists, increasing the importance of the weekend’s encounter.

Tiny San Marino will always be serious underdogs when attempting to qualifying for any finals competition, and against the landlocked state has started its campaign in losing fashion. Thumped 5-0 by the Oranje, they were then hit for six by Sweden. Any kind of improvement will be welcomed, with defeat accepted as almost inevitable. 


Prediction
The Netherlands will be too strong for their hosts and will come through relatively comfortably. Winning in such venues is rarely an easy task, and it may take the Dutch time to break their opponents’ resistance, but they will come through in the end.

Moldova 0-2 Netherlands

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08-10-2010 20:45 Germany - Turkey

No Worries Over Form

It’s been a case of so far so good for both Germany and Turkey in Euro 2012 qualification to date, but at least one side will lose their perfect record when the countries do battle in Berlin on Friday evening.

After reaching the World Cup semi-final final with an exceptionally young team, there is pressure on Joachim Loew’s side not just to reach the finals, but to actually claim the competition. They’ve started in the right manner, edging past Belgium 1-0 on their travels and dispatching Azerbaijan 6-1 at home, but this forthcoming fixture is not so obvious.

Once again Loew’s squad will be formed largely around a strong contingent from domestic champions Bayern Munich, but die Roten’s form has been poor this season and there are very real worries that this could finally spill over to effect die Mannschaft.

Evidently, the coach does not buy such talk. “Their disappointing form at club level doesn't worry me,” he affirmed to the media, doubtless considering the case of Miroslav Klose, who was so poor for FCB last term but who rose to the occasion with the national team in South Africa. “It is something I had expected. The players have had an incredible World Cup and some of them are showing they have lost a bit of strength. That is normal.”

Loew has formed an exciting squad and a unit good enough to shrug off questionable club form when required on the big occasion, and with this widely considered to be Germany’s pivotal game in qualifying, expect to see die Mannschaft produce another strong performance to earn a positive result.

Thinking Of A Surprise
Like Germany, Turkey have made an excellent start in their quest to reach Poland and Ukraine in the summer of 2012. The Crescent Stars will ideally seek first place and an automatic spot in the European Championships, but at the very least they must go for second and a likely spot in the play-offs.

Kazakhstan and Belgium are also the sides previously seen off by the Turks, who claimed a 3-0 win in Astana before hosting les Diable Rouge, who took the lead before eventually succumbing 3-2 in a dramatic encounter.

Turkey may not have been as impressive as their opponents, but that has not stopped Halil Altintop talking up their chances of three points in Munich.

“It will not be an easy game, but we could surprise Germany,” the Eintracht Frankfurt forward told SPOX in the lead up to the game.

A proud side lead by the vastly experienced Guus Hiddink, Turkey will be going out for revenge following their dramatic 3-2 loss to die Mannschaft in the semi-final of Euro 2008, which they have never really recovered from.


TEAM NEWS

Germany


A host of players have been forced to pull out of Joachim Loew’s squad, with perhaps the most notable absentee Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Philipp Lahm remains the captain as Michael Ballack is out injured, while striker Stefan Kiessling is another player not fit enough to feature.

Youngster Kevin Grosskreutz is also absent, though there is hope the left-winger could return for the midweek encounter against Kazakhstan.

Turkey

Fenerbahce’s Selcuk Sahin was named in the initial squad but has since pulled out due to injury. There remains a squad of 26 players, 21 of whom are domestically based.


Prediction
The German forwards may not be in especially good form, and Turkey may be a side too easily underestimated, but this should be a home victory. Though young, die Mannschaft have a very complete an exciting squad, and with surprising depth in just about every area of the field they should have enough to claim three important points en route to Euro 2012.

Germany 2-1 Turkey