Germany names squad for qualifier & friendly

German national team coach Joachim Loew has called on a squad of 23 players to face Kazakhstan in a 2012 European Championship qualifier on March 26 in Kaiserslautern and the friendly against 2011 AFC Asian Cup runners-up Australia on March 29 in Moenchengladbach.

These two matches come days after Joachim Loew extended his contract until the end of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Loew has made some changes to his squad recalling goalkeeper Tim Wiese, midfielders André Schuerrle and Toni Kroos plus striker Mario Gomez into the team; while defender Heiko Westermann and midfielder Kevin Großkreutz didn't find a place in the squad. Dortmund's Sven Bender is the only uncapped player.


GERMANY

Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer (FC Schalke 04), Rene Adler (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen)

Defenders
Arne Friedrich (VfL Wolfsburg), Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Holger Badstuber (FC Bayern Munich), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern Munich), Jerome Boateng (Manchester City), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Per Mertesacker (SV Werder Bremen), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders
Mario Goetze (Borussia Dortmund), Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Mesut Oezil (Real Madrid), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern Munich), Christian Traesch (VfB Stuttgart), Toni Kroos (FC Bayern Munich), André Schuerrle (FSV Mainz 05), Lukas Podolski (1.FC Cologne)

Forwards
Mario Gomez (FC Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (FC Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (FC Bayern Munich)

Officials
Joachim Loew (Coach), Hansi Flick (Assistant Coach), Andreas Koepke (Goalkeeping Coach), Oliver Bierhoff (Manager)