Germany continued their smooth start to Euro 2012 qualifying with a comprehensive victory over Berti Vogts’ Azerbaijan in Cologne.

Substitute Heiko Westermann made the breakthrough in the 28th minute and goals from Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose in first-half stoppage time made the result safe.

Rashad Sadygov’s own goal eight minutes after the interval stretched the hosts’ advantage and, although Vagif Javadov pulled one back four minutes later courtesy of an error by Manuel Neuer, further goals in the final five minutes from Klose and Holger Badstuber sealed the rout.

Germany are now top of Group A with 2 wins and a superior goal difference.…

Video highlights from the Euro 2012 qualifying match against Belgium yesterday.

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Germany started their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with a hard fought 1-0 victory against Belgium in Brussels. Friday’s victory gives Joachim Loew’s side the best of starts in Group A but the World Cup semi-finalists Germany were some way from the form they showed in South Africa in July.

The Belgian hosts were the better team in the first half and had it not been for a couple of good saves by Manuel Neuer Germany would have found themselves a goal or two down. Germany showed a lot of respect to Belgium’s young stars.

However, veteran striker Miroslav Klose struck six minutes after the interval with Germany capitalizing on a mistake by central defender Daniel van Buyten. Bastian Schweinsteiger grabbed possession and passed the ball to his Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Mueller who set up Klose for his 53rd goal for Germany.…

Joachim Löw, coach of Germany’s national football team, confirmed Wednesday that veteran midfielder Michael Ballack will remain his first-choice captain despite being left out of their opening Euro 2012 qualifying games.

Ballack, 33, has been dropped for the first two games against Belgium in Brussels on Friday and Azerbaijan at home four days later as he continues his recovery from the ankle injury that kept him out of the World Cup.…

Among the 21 players called upon by German coach Joachim Löw for two upcoming qualifying games, 17 were part of the DFB-team, that had clinched third place at the World Cup in South Africa. Germany kicks-off their qualifying run for the 2012 European Championships with matches against Belgium in Brussels on September 3, and against Azerbaijan on September 7 in Cologne.…

Real Madrid have signed German World Cup star Mesut Ozil from Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around €15 million.

Werder turned down an offer which was described as “risible” by general manager Klaus Allofs last week but have now reached an agreement for Ozil, who would have been available on a free transfer when his contract expired in 12 months.…

Denmark recovered from two goals down to grab a deserved 2-2 draw with Germany in the two nations’ first fixture since the World Cup.

Mario Gomez put Germany ahead against the run of play in the 19th minute and Patrick Helmes added a second in the 73rd.

However, Dennis Rommedahl and Mads Junker struck back to ensure that Morten Olsen’s side earned a draw in Copenhagen.

Both coaches were deprived of the majority of their regular first-team squads for this friendly match, which fell at an unfortunate time with domestic seasons on the verge of beginning and numerous players, mainly from the regular Germany squad, only just back in training following the World Cup.

Denmark’s players have had a longer holiday this summer following their early elimination in South Africa and they looked fresher early on.

Daniel Agger went close with a header in the seventh minute before a succession of dangerous free-kicks from Christian Eriksen threatened Tim Wiese’s goal.

Yet it was the visitors who went ahead with their first attack in the 19th minute.

Thomas Hitzlsperger was the provider, although his finely-threaded throughball seemed to be aimed at Toni Kroos, although it fell perfectly for Gomez to collect …

Only 7 of the 17 players called-upon by Joachim Löw belonged to the German World Cup team. The rest of the World Cup team have rejoined their clubs and are preparing for the new football season. Germany faces Denmark in a friendly at Copenhagen on Wednesday.

Löw nominated the goalkeepers Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04) and Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), defenders Jerome Boateng (Manchester City) and Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart), midfielders Toni Kroos (Bayern München), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen) as well as forward Mario Gomez (Bayern München).

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