Germany faces Turkey in Group A summit

Germany hosts Turkey on Friday in a meeting of two teams with perfect European Championship qualifying records that will be something of a home match for both sides.

The visitors can expect vocal support at Berlin's Olympic Stadium from the German capital's large ethnic Turkish community.

Joachim Loew's side is missing key midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger with an injury, but Loew can draw on much of his third-place World Cup squad.

Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff said Wednesday the players have their feet firmly on the ground after being honored by Germany's president this week, saying "the World Cup is closed and we can no longer draw on it - we face a tough match."

"From now on, all that counts is European Championship qualification," said captain Philipp Lahm.

Friday's match will be the first between Germany and Turkey since Loew's side won 3-2 in the semifinals of the 2008 European Championship thanks to a late goal from Lahm.

However, the Germans have more recent experience of Turkey coach Guus Hiddink, whose Russia side they beat home and away en route to qualification for this year's World Cup.

Both Germany and Turkey won their first two qualifying matches, and Germany leads the group from Turkey on goal difference.

"Germany always qualifies for big tournaments, we don't know it any other way, and it is the favorite," Hiddink said. "But we must show that it is our aim to be first in the group. We cannot underestimate Austria either - the road is still long."

Loew is also wary of Turkey.

"The Turks are technically strong - if you let them play, they're dangerous," the Germany coach cautioned.

It isn't yet clear how the coach plans to replace Schweinsteiger, but the team had no trouble at the World Cup adapting to the absence of longtime captain Michael Ballack - who is now expected to miss the rest of 2010 following a new injury setback.

Loew says his team is ready to face a passionate atmosphere in Berlin, though Germany midfielder Mesut Oezil, who is of Turkish heritage, recently told the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet that he was "concerned that if Germany wins the game or if I score a goal I will receive a bad reaction from the Turkish fans."

On the other side, Turkey's squad includes German-based brothers Hamit and Halil Altintop, along with Borussia Dortmund's Nuri Sahin.

"It's fun in a good, heated atmosphere," said Germany forward Thomas Mueller, the World Cup's top scorer. "We're prepared for it."