Zieler the only new face in Germany squad

By foxsports
Published

Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler was summoned by Germany for the first time and defender Per Mertesacker recalled on Friday for a European Championship qualifier against Austria and friendly against Poland.

The 22-year-old Zieler will be the third-choice goalkeeper behind Manuel Neuer and Tim Wiese.

Coach Joachim Loew said on Friday he was happy Mertesacker ''is fit again to be with us.'' The Werder Bremen defender - who has 75 caps for Germany - last played for his country in March.

Mesut Oezil was also recalled to the 23-man squad - after being left out of the recent Brazil friendly due to Real Madrid's busy schedule - but clubmate Sami Khedira missed out due to a groin strain.

Borussia Dortmund defender Marcel Schmelzer recovered from the injury that kept him out of the Brazil game.

Germany has all but qualified for next year's tournament in Poland and Ukraine, and will secure qualification with a win in Gelsenkirchen on Sept. 2.

The game against Poland is in Gdansk four days later.

''Our focus is now solely on the meeting with Austria,'' Loew said. ''Although we have a big lead in our qualification group and our position is very good, we haven't yet qualified. Our main goal is to secure qualification with a win over Austria in Gelsenkirchen, so we can start planning for the championships.''

Hamburger SV defender Dennis Aogo, Stuttgart striker Cacau and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Guendogan - who were named against Brazil - were dropped.

---

Germany:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)

Defenders: Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Christian Traesch (Wolfsburg), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders: Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Mario Goetze (Borussia Dortmund), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schuerrle (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Real Madrid)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (Lazio)