Germany were not challenged in a comfortable 3-0 (2-0) victory at Kazakhstan in their World Cup Group C qualifier on Friday. Bastian Schweinsteiger opened the scoring after 20 minutes and Mario Götze doubled the lead in the 22nd before Thomas Müller finished off the Kazakhs with his score to make it 3-0 in the 74th minute.

The win gives Germany 13 points from five matches in the qualifying group while Kazakhstan have one point.

German national team coach Joachim Loew gave Schalke’s 19-year-old Julian Draxler his first start while Götze lined up as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 system with Mario Gomez out due to a strained thigh muscle. Götze was close to giving Germany the lead after 18 minutes but the Borussia Dortmund star shot over the bar from eight yards out.

Draxler’s starting debut was cut short after just 19 minutes after a clash of heads with Kazakh defender Mark Gurman. Schweinsteiger put the Germans ahead just a minute later when he collected Mesut Özil’s pass and had his shot deflected off Müller’s chest into the goal.

Germany doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute with Kazakhstan keeper Andrey Sidelnikov trying to clear a ball in the box that went to Götze, who calmly struck into the empty net.

After Germany dominated possession in the first half, Kazakhstan were able to mount a series of counter-attacks and won a number of corner in the first 10 minutes after the break, albeit without any serious test for German keeper Manuel Neuer.

Kazakhstan offered a wake-up call in the 69th minute as substitute Ulan Konysbayev hammered a drive off the crossbar. Neuer was called upon to make a great save three minutes later, fending away a shot by Genrikh Shmidtgal at the near left post. Germany answered in the 74th minute with Müller slotting home Özil’s pass into the box to make it 3-0.

Germany, top of 2014 World Cup qualifying Group C on 10 points from four games, will be looking to get all three points in Astana and will most likely try to do it without a designated forward.

With their last trophy dating back to 1996, the three-times world and European champions are eager to mould a team that can challenge for the biggest crown of all in Brazil next year and coach Joachim Loew is ready to try everything.

In what is likely to be the latest shift from the traditional German style of play, Löw could deploy “a fake nine” as a centre forward with offensive midfielder Mario Goetze looking set to start ahead of forward Mario Gomez.

Gone are the days of physical play and rock-solid defences; Löw has reinvented Germany as a lightning-quick, young team, more eager to score four goals and let in three than keep a clean sheet at all costs.

“I have been toying for some time with the idea that players could take turns playing as forwards,” Löw told reporters. “It does not always have to be a big, physical centre forward but smaller, more agile players who can find the right solutions in tight spaces and cause problems for the sometimes slower defenders.”

With Spain setting the standard for such a style of play when they cruised to the Euro 2012 title without an out-and-out striker, Löw is eager to try it out as German fans are getting desperate for success.

The trip to Astana could be a good opportunity to wean the Germans off their strikers with the pace likely to be quick on the artificial pitch. With Klose out injured and Gomez the only real striker option, Loew looks set to adapt their play.

Löw will also have holding midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger back to orchestrate their game and a so-called fake nine, falling back in midfield while also acting as a lone forward, could be exactly the connection they need to link their play.

The Germans will be looking to get the full six points from lowly Kazakhstan in their two games on March 22 and 26 to maintain their three-point advantage over second-placed Sweden, who have played a game less.

Probable lineup: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Benedikt Hoewedes, Per Mertesacker, Marcel Schmelzer; Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze, Thomas Mueller, Marco Reus.

Germany registered their first win over France in 26 years with goals from Thomas Müller and Sami Khedira in an entertaining 2-1 win at the Stade de France.

Both second-half goals came from the France left-back Patrice Evra’s side of the defence as Germany fought back after Mathieu Valbuena had opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time.

Valbuena, 5ft 4in, headed home from close range in the 44th minute after Karim Benzema’s free-kick bounced off the bar. But Müller slotted past Hugo Lloris early in the second half and Khedira wrapped it up from Mesut Ozil’s pass with 17 minutes left.

Benzema missed a clear chance in the first half and has not scored for France in his last 10 appearances.

France, trying to bounce back from a poor run that lasted from 2008-12, had drawn 1-1 with Spain in a World Cup qualifier and beaten Italy 1-0 in a friendly in their last two outings but the world’s second-ranked team proved a bridge too far.

Germany were without the midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, the striker Miroslav Klose and a trio of formidable Borussia Dortmund players – Mario Götze, Marco Reus and Marcel Schmelzer. But they still dominated possession on a cold night in Paris.

The win was the first by a German side against France since East Germany’s 1-0 triumph at the Parc des Princes in a Euro 88 qualifier in 1987. That year West Germany also notched up a victory against Les Bleus, wining 2-1 in a friendly in Berlin with goals by Rudi Völler.

Players from the 1982 World Cup semi-final between France and Germany were invited to Wednesday night’s match. Among them was the goalkeeper Harald Schumacher, who was booed by the Stade de France crowd 31 years after a violent challenge on the French defender Patrick Battiston during a 1982 World Cup game that France lost on penalties.

France, who had a goal disallowed for offside two minutes from time in this match, play World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Spain at home in March, while Germany go into back-to-back World Cup qualifying fixtures against Kazakhstan.

Germany will be without striker Miroslav Klose and Borussia Dortmund trio Marcel Schmelzer, Marco Reus and Mario Goetze when they visit France in a friendly on Wednesday looking to end a 26-year wait for a win over Les Bleus.

Klose, who has 126 caps and is one short of Gerd Mueller’s German record of 68 international goals, was ruled out on Monday after medical checks revealed a partial ligament tear sustained in Lazio’s 3-2 defeat at Genoa in Italy’s Serie A on Sunday.

“He does not look like he needs surgery,” the German football association said in a brief statement.

Defender Schmelzer is out with an ankle problem, midfielder Goetze has a flu virus and Reus picked up an adductor muscle injury in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

Another Dortmund player, midfielder Ilkay Guendogan, will make the trip despite a minor injury while teammate Sven Bender has been called up after the string of pullouts.

His twin brother Lars will also travel to Paris after also undergoing a medical check in Munich for a minor injury, the DFB said.

Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger had already been ruled out of Wednesday’s game with a minor knock.

The spate of withdrawals are a worry for Germany who have lost five of their last six meetings with France and last beat Les Bleus in August 1987.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be in the stands on Wednesday as well as some 12 former Germany internationals who were part of the team that beat France in the 1982 World Cup semifinals, as part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of a pact sealing the two countries’ post-war reconciliation.

“Records are there to be broken,” said manager Oliver Bierhoff. “A win would be a good morale boost for our team.”

Coach Joachim Loew is set to start with in-form Hamburg SV keeper Rene Adler instead of first-choice Manuel Neuer.

Adler lost his starting spot to Neuer after sustaining a rib injury ahead of the 2010 World Cup and has not played for his country for more than two years.

“I am happy to be part of the team again,” he said. “It is a sensational experience because I know how quickly things can change.”

Argentina exacted a revenge of sorts over Germany, winning 3-1 in a friendly – thanks in part to an unfortunate own goal. Playing much of the match with only 10 men, Germany answered back just once.

Germany coach Joachim Low wants to move on from his side’s Euro 2012 heartache with a strong performance in Wednesday’s international friendly against Argentina.

Germany’s defeat to Italy in the semi-finals in Poland and Ukraine triggered widespread criticism of the team’s performance, but Low says that one game will not define his tenure. Instead, he hit back at the critics and said he will not be changing his or his team’s ways.

“We have a long-term concept and we will absolutely be sticking to it,” he said. “Before the Italy game, we won 15 games in a row, which was a world best, and we beat teams in the group stage who are in the top 10, and I think the fans like the way we play football too.

“Despite that defeat, there is no reason to deviate from our path. Of course I accept the sporting criticism and I will try to draw solutions from it, but I think we all in German football can be proud of what this team has done over recent years and parts of this criticism I feel is simply not getting us anywhere.”

Bastian Schweinsteiger was in the firing line for his performances at Euro 2012, but Low leapt to his defence. The Bayern Munich midfielder will not play on Wednesday due to injury, but Low rejected the claim that Schweinsteiger’s lack of leadership contributed to Germany’s failure to reach the final.

“I want to make it quite clear – this leadership question, I don’t think it is fair to discuss it and I don’t want to hear it again in the future,” he said at a press conference. “Many teams with classic leaders went home before us and I don’t think there would have been millions of people watching us on TV and millions on the streets watching us on big screens if we did not have lead figures. We have players who want to win games and we have proven that often enough.”

Wednesday will provide the next chance to prove that and Low is particularly looking forward to seeing his younger players stake a claim for a place in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

“I think that some young players like Julian Draxler and others can get the experience for the upcoming challenges in future years to be able to measure up to Argentina, Messi and Co,” he said. “This game is important for the further development of these players.”

Ron-Robert Zieler should start in goal after Manuel Neuer withdrew from the squad due to injury. Borussia Monchengladbach custodian Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been called up as cover.

Marco Reus has been named as Germany’s footballer of the year in a poll conducted by Kicker magazine.

The Germany international picked up 217 votes from selected football writers in Germany, beating his new Borussia Dortmund team-mates Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski and Shinji Kagawa to the prize, which has been awarded annually since 1960. Second-placed Hummels receive less than half that tally.

Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp was the overwhelming choice as coach of the year, ahead of Borussia Monchengladbach’s Lucien Favre and Christian Streich of Freiburg.

“It makes me very proud because this is an award which will remain with me forever,” said 23-year-old Reus, whose achievements for Gladbach last season were recognised.

“This recognition is also an incentive to keep going and get even better in the new season.”

Reus paid tribute to Favre, who he said is “the best coach I ever had”, although he is now looking forward to improving under Klopp at the German champions.

“I am 23 and I am certainly not at the end of my development,” he told Kicker.

“Things are just getting going now. Experience is certainly a defining factor and that should build up over the coming years.”

Coach Joachim Loew was on Monday given the backing of the country’s football federation, nearly six weeks after his side was knocked out of the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

“We have heard a very convincing analysis of the Euros,” said the president of the DFB Wolfgang Niersbach after meeting Loew in the western city of Frankfurt, where the coach gave his assessment of the Mannschaft’s performance during the tournament.

“We absolutely agree with the sporting staff to say that the path chosen was the right one,” he added.

Germany were beaten 2-1 by Italy in the semi-final in Warsaw, leading to criticisms of Loew’s tactics and selections.

Niersbach, however, preferred to look to the future and in particular Germany’s friendly match against Argentina in Frankfurt on August 15, which will serve as a warm-up for their World Cup 2014 campaign.

“Qualification for the World Cup will not be easy but we believe in the strong potential of our team and are sure that they will bring us even more success,” he added.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is back to full fitness and ready to start the semi-final against Italy, Germany coach Joachim Low has said.

Schweinsteiger had been suffering a niggling ankle problem but was able to take a full part in training on Monday. Although he played in the 4-2 quarter-final win against Greece on Friday, Low said the midfielder had fallen short of his usual standards.

Giving his squad a clean bill of health, Low said: “There are only 100% fit players. No player will run out if he is only operating at 80 or 90% capacity. All players are fit – I assume Schweinsteiger will play.

“Schweinsteiger had problems, but it’s not as if these were hindering him. Against Greece, he was poor – but he realises that himself. Against Italy, that won’t happen.”

Low said he would not be singling out Andrea Pirlo, who produced an outstanding performance as Italy beat England on penalties, for special treatment.

Pirlo pulled the strings as Cesare Prandelli’s team dominated much of the match against their defensive opponents, but Low explained: “That [man-marking Pirlo] would make no sense. The Italians have a very different team from 2010 and excellent progress behind them.

“They have good strengths, a lot of quality. But we also know where their weaknesses lie, where they have their problems. We have to bring our own game, not focus so much on the opponents. If we manage to do that, then we have a good chance.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Mesut Ozil had stressed how important Schweinsteiger was to Germany’s hopes of winning the tournament, describing him as a “world-class player and a leader of the team.”

“He has had injuries in the past, but he is in a good way now,” Ozil said. “You saw against the Netherlands how important he is. I hope he is able to be fit as he is such an important player for us.”

Meanwhile, Miroslav Klose has said he expects to line up against the Italians despite competition from three-goal striker Mario Gomez – the Euro 2012 joint-top scorer.

Klose started the game against Greece as Low shuffled his attacking options, and rewarded his coach’s faith by getting on the scoresheet.

“I am assuming that I will play,” he said. “That’s what I am preparing for. But we are lucky to have two top strikers. We’ll wait and see which one the coach will pick.”

Germany ran riot as captain Philipp Lahm, Sami Khedira, veteran striker Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus all got on the score-sheet to cancel out Giorgos Samaras’ and Dimitris Salpingidis’ second-half strikes for the Greeks.

Germany will now play England or Italy, who meet in Sunday’s Kiev quarter-final, in the semi-final at Warsaw’s National Stadium on Thursday as they inflicted Greece’s heaviest defeat at a European championships.
It eclipsed the Greeks’ 3-1 defeat at the hands of Czechoslovakia in 1980.

“I would like to congratulate the Germans, they were really good,” said Greece coach Fernando Santos.

“They certainly have the game worked out. We should have had a few more chances, but they had more possession and put us under pressure.”

“That was a class performance from the team to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time in a row,” said Löw with the Germans having reached the semi-finals at both the last two World Cups and lost the Euro 2008 final.

The Germans dominated at Arena Gdansk with 700 first-half passes completed compared to the Greeks 70 and the Germans’ ball possession never dropped below
60 percent.

Santos brought in Grigoris Makos for suspended captain Giorgos Karagounis, who scored the winning goal against Russia which put the Euro 2004 winners in the last eight, with midfielder Kostas Katsouranis named as skipper.

Löw pulled off a pre-match triple surprise by leaving out striker Mario Gomez, plus forwards Lukas Podolski and Thomas Müller in a bold move.

“We can be proud of the team, it was clear that the Greeks could make something out of nothing. We failed to take an early lead, but we did not panic. There were a few changes and I thought I had to change things after three wins,” said the German coach.

Klose won his 120th cap to come in for Gomez to claim his 64th international goal leaving him just four short of Gerd Müller’s all-time Germany record.

Borussia Dortmund-bound Reus capped his first Euro 2012 appearance with a goal at Müller’s expense to win only his seventh cap while Bayer Leverkusen’s Andre Schürrle took Lukas Podolski’s place on the left wing.

The Germans had the ball in the net after only four minutes as Khedira’s shot was only parried by Greek goalkeeper Michaelis Sifakis, who was soon beaten, but Schürrle was flagged for offside.

Celtic’s Samaras earned the first booking when he ran his boot down the back of Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger’s ankle on 14 minutes while Sotiris Ninis forced Germany’s Manuel Neuer into a rare save on 31 minutes.

With the Germans enjoying 70 percent ball possession, the goal they had been threatening came on 39 minutes when Lahm burst through the left side of the Greek defence and fired home from the edge of the area.

It was a carbon copy of the goal Lahm scored against Costa Rica, the first of the 2006 World Cup, and his fifth for his country on his 90th appearance.

Greece coach Fernando Santos added an extra forward after the break with Sotiris Ninis making way for Fanis Gekas and midfielder Giorgos Fotakis on for defender Giorgos Tzavellas.

The switch paid off when Samaras slipped his marker Jerome Boateng to bundle the ball home from the cross of Salpingidis, who outpaced Lahm on the right flank on 55 minutes.

But Germany reclaimed the lead thanks to a volley from Real Madrid’s Khedira whose late run connected with Boateng’s cross to leave Sifakis with no chance.

Klose added to his impressive tally with a header from a Özil free-kick on 68 minutes, while Reus scored the fourth when Klose latched onto Özil’s pass, forcing Sifakis into a save.

But the ball fell to the Dortmund man, who hit the net on 74 minutes. With time almost up Salpingidis scored from the penalty spot after Boateng’s foul, but it was too little, too late.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had the last laugh as she praised her team for their 4-2 win over Greece which brought them a place in the semi-finals of Euro 2012.

Earlier, the German leader had been heckled by some Greek fans when the stadium camera at the Gdansk Arena showed her on the big screen as she sat next to UEFA president Michel Platini.

The heckling came in a highly-charged atmosphere, the match played out against a backdrop of economic crisis in the Eurozone with Germany seen as pressurising cash-strapped Greece to choose a programme of tough austerity to rein in ballooning debts.

“It was a great match,” beamed Merkel afterwards as she basked in a win courtesy of goals by Philipp Lahm, Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus lifted the team through to a match against either England or Italy.

Merkel admitted that she was nervous at the start but once Germany settled “I had the impression we dominated. It was a great match.”

“Congratulations – keep it up,” smiled the Chancellor, who raced to Poland from a meeting with top Eurozone economy leaders in Rome.