Löw names Germany squad for 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Germany coach Joachim Löw has named his 21 players squad for the next couple of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Ireland (Friday, October 12) and Sweden (Tuesday, October 16).

Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger of Bayern Munich makes his return to the squad after missing the Germany matches following Euro2012, while Schalke 04 teenager Julian Draxler misses the matches due to a broken arm and injured striker Mario Gomez of Bayern Munich could also not be selected.


GERMANY

Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern München), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96), Marc-André ter Stegen (Borussia Mönchengladbach)

Defenders
Holger Badstuber (FC Bayern München), Jérôme Boateng (FC Bayern München), Benedikt Höwedes (FC Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philip Lahm (FC Bayern München), Per Mertesacker (FC Arsenal), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders
Lars Bender (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (FC Bayern München), Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München), Mesut Özil (Real Madrid), Lukas Podolski (FC Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), André Schürrle (Bayer 04 Leverkusen)

Forwards
Miroslav Klose (Lazio Roma)

Euro2012: Spain & Italy qualify for quarterfinals, unlucky Croatia go home

The 2012 European Championships continued for the Group C teams tonight with their third and final round group matches in the Polish cities of Gdansk and Poznan. Defending champions Spain overcame some anxious moments before winning against Croatia, while Italy follow them into the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win against Ireland


GROUP C

Croatia 0-1 (0-0) Spain
Goals: 0-1 Jesús Navas (88')

Defending champions Spain left it late to beat Croatia by a lone goal to top Group C, while the good Croats are out of the competition. A Jesus Navas strike just two minutes from time sealed the victory for the Spaniards.

Both teams knew that a win would see them through and a draw would most likely only see Spain through with a better goal difference as Italy was likely to beat Ireland. Both sides took a cautious approach with Spain playing its usual possession football, while Croatia relied on counter-attacks.

With Italy leading at the break, Croatia became more adventurous and had their best chance through a Ivan Rakitić header which was blocked by Iker Casillas. Spain looked vulnerable at this point in time and Croatia put more men forward knowing only a win would keep them in the tournament. But with time running out Spain got the knockout punch in the 88th minute when Cesc Fàbregas chipped through for the onrushing Andres Iniesta to run clear and, spotting team-mate Navas alongside him, he played a square pass for the substitute to score and finish off the match.


Italy 2-0 (1-0) Ireland
Goals: 1-0 Antonio Cassano (35'), 2-0 Mario Balotelli (90')

Italy won 2-0 against a fighting Ireland to earn a place in the quarterfinals through goals from striker Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli.

The Irish had the better start into the game, but they couldn't use their chances as Italy looked nervous early-on. The Azzuri needed time to settle down but slowly found their ground but on two occasions Irish defender Sean St Ledger denied them the lead. But in the 35th minute Antonio Cassano would put in a Andrea Pirlo corner across the line with Shay Given getting a touch to the ball, which goes over the line before Damian Duff shots it out.

Italy with the lead looked better, but the Irish would go down without a fight but upfront they once more looked not dangerous enough to challenge their group opponents. Substitute Mario Balotelli acrobatically put in Alessandro Diamanti's corner in the 90th minute to seal a 2-0 victory for Italy.

Euro2012: Croatia hold Italy, Spain trash Ireland

The 2012 European Championships continued for the Group C teams tonight with their second round group matches in the Polish cities of Gdansk and Poznan. While Croatia held the mighty Italians to a draw, the Irish got trashed by Spain in an encounter in which the defending champions showed what they are capable off.


GROUP C

Italy 1-1 (1-0) Croatia
Goals: 1-0 Andrea Pirlo (39'), 1-1 Mario Mandžukić (72')

Italy were held to their second one-all draw at Euro2012, this time by the Croatians and like against Spain they went ahead, this time through Andrea Pirlo and an in-form Mario Mandžukić equalised for Croatia.

Italy had the better chances early on, while Croatia missed a few thereafter and again Italy before Andrea Pirlo scored with a beauty of a free-kick in the 39th minute. But Italy could not keep the lead as a reorganised Croatia equalised in the 72nd minute through Mario Mandžukić.


Spain 4-0 (1-0) Ireland
Goals: 1-0,3-0 Fernando Torres (4',70'), 2-0 David Silva (49'), 4-0 Cesc Fàbregas (83')

Defending champions Spain showed what they are capable off by beating the Irish convincingly 4-0 with striker Fernando Torres scoring a brace and further goals from David Silva and Cesc Fàbregas.

Like against Croatia, Ireland conceded an early goal as an opportunistic Fernando Torres used the chaos and lack of speed in the Irish defence to give La Roja the lead. Thereafter Spain toyed with Ireland, but often they did not look for a finish or keeper Shay Given was in the way. Spain did lead, but only by a goal and midfielder Keith Andrews had the best chance for Ireland in the first session.

The pattern remained the same after the breather, but Spain doubled their lead through a David Silva strike in the 49th minute before Fernando Torres scored his second of the night in the 70th minute. Substitute Cesc Fàbregas added a fourth for Spain just three minutes from time to seal a resounding 4-0 win.

Euro2012: Italy hold Spain, Croatia win

The 2012 European Championships kicked-off for the Group C teams tonight with matches in the Polish cities of Gdansk and Poznan. Italy surprised many by holding top favourites Spain to a draw, while Croatia showed their potential in their win against a fighting Ireland.


GROUP C

Spain 1-1 (0-0) Italy
Goals: 0-1 Antonio di Natale (61'), 1-1 Cesc Fàbregas (64')

Reigning World and European champions Spain were held to a surprise one-all draw by former champions Italy in their opening Group C match in Gdansk. It was one of the most anticipated matches of Euro2012 and the match lived-up to its expectations because Italy could match the Spaniards.

Spain wasn't its usual self early on as David Silva tried it long-range as the Italian bothered the Spanish defence time and again with their goalkeeper-cum-captain Iker Casillas having to come to his teams rescue a few times following a Andrea Pirlo shot, Antonio Cassano's low drive from the left and Thiago Mottas header.

But after the break Spain started to show glimpes of what they are capable off as no Italian captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had to defuse chances from Cesc Fàbregas and then Andrés Iniesta. On the other side young Mario Balotelli was free on goal after Sergio Ramos's slip, but Ramos himself incepted Balotelli before he could take an attempt on goal. Soon after Balotelli was replaced by Antonio di Natale and the Udinese striker with his first touch gave Italy the lead in the 61st minute. But it only lasted three minutes as Spain equalised with a great combination at blistering speed as Iniesta first found David Silva, whose perfect through-ball reached Cesc Fàbregas who sloted home past Buffon. Spain looked better towards the end as Italy looked tired, but Spain's best chances were both wasted by substitute striker Fernando Torres who first couldn't beat Buffon and then his effort landed on the goal netting. It ended one-all, a point with which both teams can live.


Ireland 1-3 (1-2) Croatia
Goals: 0-1,1-3 Mario Mandžukic (3',49'), 1-1 Sean St. Ledger (19'), 1-2 Nikica Jelavic (43')

Croatia got the better of a fighting Ireland as the team from the Balkans won 3-1 and showed that they could be a team to look out for while the Irish fans simply celebrated their team being at Euro2012.

Wolfsburg striker Mario Mandžukic gave the Croats a perfect start with a 3rd minute header following a corner. Ireland looked shocked, but they regrouped and got the equalised in the 19th minute off a Aiden McGeady free-kick which defender Sean St. Ledger headed in to the large joy of the Irish fans. But Croatia remained in control and put Ireland under a lot of pressure with their second goal coming two minutes before the break through a Nikica Jelavic strike.

Ireland were still in the match, but another early goal, this time in the fourth minute of the second session again by Mario Mandžukic, this time with a little bit of luck then his shot hit the post and then keeper Shay Given's head to go in and seal the game for Croatia though Ireland were denied a penalty when Robbie Keane was brought down. Thereafter the Croats controlled proceedings and had their chances with the best for Ivan Rakitic, but it went wide. Towards the end Ireland did get some chances but all were wasted by Keith Andrews as they lost 1-3 on their return to the European stage.

Euro2012 Groups are out

The draw for the groups for the 2012 European Championships jointly to be co-hosted by Poland and the Ukraine in June 2012 was carried out on Friday night in the Polish capital Warsaw. The 16 participating teams have been split into four groups of four teams each with the top two sides making it to the quarterfinals.

The toughest of the groups, this tournaments 'Group of Death', is certainly Group B which contains 1988 winners Netherlands, three-times former champions Germany, 1992 surprise champions Denmark and formidable Portugal led by superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Another group to look forward to is Group D in which co-hosts Ukraine will meet a strong Sweden, a rebuilding France and England, who are under pressure from their own fans to deliver a title at this tournament.

Defending champions Spain have a relatively weaker group, but will need to watch out when they face Italy, Ireland and Croatia. One of the most interesting encounters could be when Italy take on Ireland, who are coached by seasoned Italian Giovanni Trappatoni.

The most balanced, but also the weakest of all groups looks to be Group A in which co-hosts Poland take on 2004 champions Greece, Russia and the Czech Republic. Anyone of those four teams could advance to the knockout stage and cause an upset.


EURO2012 - GROUPS

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic

Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal

Group C: Spain, Italy, Ireland, Croatia

Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England

VIDEO: Sean Stewart's miss of the season

Irish leagues St Patrick Athletic's Sean Stewart might be remembered for the miss of the season. The striker just needs to tap in the ball into an empty net with the goalkeeper and defenders out of position, still he puts the ball wide. But luckily for him his team won 3-0 and he also scored a goal, so he didn't cause any major damage with his miss.


Here the link to the video: