Bayern Munich travel to Hamburg SV on Saturday for their Bundesliga match this weekend. The match offers Hamburg coach Thomas Doll a final chance to spark a revival at the sorry northern club.
Hamburg's 3-1 defeat away to Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday left them bottom of their group and without a point from the five matches played so far. Their Bundesliga form has been just as bad with 13 games played. They are languishing second from bottom with just one win, and a total of 11 points.
Doll has been assured that his job is safe for the time being but the patience of the club might be running out soon.
If Saturday's game is to spark the start of a fightback rather than the end for their coach, the team will have to recapture the spirit that carried them so well just last season. There were some signs of that in the defeat against Arsenal as the Germans took the lead with a great strike from Rafael van der Vaart and scrapped hard throughout the game.
'Our only chance is to pick ourselves up and get back in there fighting,' goalkeeper Stefan Waechter said after the latest Champions League disappointment. 'That way I know we will win again, although I'm not sure when that will be.'
Hamburg may see some hope from Bayern Munich's less than convincing start to their title defence this season. The Bavarians have lost three away games in the Bundesliga already. A 2-1 win over VfB Stuttgart last weekend still left them three points behind leaders Schalke 04 in fourth place.
Bayern, of course, have had a much easier time in Europe. They are clear at the top of Group B after a 2-2 draw away to Spartak Moscow on Wednesday and their place in the knock-out phase is secured. Still, Hamburg will view the extra day they have had to prepare as an advantage for them as they seek to climb out of the relegation zone.
Schalke have the chance to extend their lead to five points, at least for a day, when they play at home to neighbours Bochum on Friday. Schalke have won three in a row since their 2-2 draw with Bayern, scoring 10 goals in the process.
They should be strengthened by the return from injury of Lincoln, the Brazilian playmaker, and Bochum, in 16th place, are likely to struggle against them.
VfB Stuttgart should be confident of bouncing back from their defeat against Bayern last week by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.
Gladbach's 1-0 defeat by Hanover 96 last weekend was their sixth match without a win in the Bundesliga.
Werder Bremen have slipped to second place, two points behind Schalke, after managing just a point from their last two matches.
They pulled off an outstanding 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday, though, and if they find anything like the same form they should get back on track at home to Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday.
As the next international game for Germany won't be until next year, I have decided to post Bundesliga news updates and scores as well. This will be done as soon as Bundesliga scores and news are available. Any news and updates should be sent to 'hs(dot)chin(at)lycos(dot)com'.
Cyprus held Germany to a 1-1 draw in a Euro 2008 Group D qualifier in Nicosia.
Germany started carefully as they sized up their plucky opponents in what proved to be a tricky fixture. The Cypriots played aggressively from the kick-off and tried continuously to get their forwards behind the German defence.
Germany took the lead after 15 minutes with a well-crafted move from Ballack, who was celebrating his 75th international appearance. Torsten Frings and Bastian Schweinsteiger looked to have made a mess of a short free kick but Ballack ran on to the misplaced pass, rounded one player and sent in a shot just inside the keeper's right-hand post from 25-yards out, leaving the keeper clutching at air. The goal had looked likely to set the team on the way to a fourth win out of four in Group D, and a sixth in six games under Loew, including friendlies.
However, Cyprus's efforts were rewarded with a goal close to half time (43rd min.) when Yiannakis Okkas hit a first-time volley on the edge of the area that flew past stand-in keeper Timo Hildebrand. The cross was supplied by Larisa's Efstathios Aloneftis whose pace on the left wing proved a handful all night.
The start of the second half was held up when a spectator ran on to the field and stuffed the ball under his T-shirt. When it did begin, Cyprus attacked once again with conviction and were almost rewarded in the 50th minute. Clemens Fritz played a weak back pass to Hildebrand and his hurried clearance struck Constantinos Charalambides. The attacker looked likely to have a simple chance to put Cyprus ahead as he raced for the loose ball but Fritz was quick to get back and clear the ball.
Germany gradually improved towards the end with Ballack and substitute striker Mike Hanke both going close before Schweinsteiger was just wide with a point-blank strike a minute from time. However, their efforts were not enough to provide a clear winner for the match.
'We weren't precise enough and we weren't fully concentrated,' said Löw after the match. 'But we can live with this result.'
Germany were forced to make three key changes with Arsenal's goalkeeper Jens Lehmann pulling out with a heavy cold, Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski still injured, and Bayer Leverkusen's Bernd Schneider missing with a muscle strain.
Germany still took the lead in Group D on goal difference after wins over Ireland, Slovakia and San Marino. After four games, Germany have 10 points and are level on points with fellow group heavyweights Czech Republic. Cyprus are fourth with four points behind Slovakia on six. Moreover, Cyprus managed to score only the second goal ever against Germany.
Germany coach Joachim Löw has called up Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Paul Freier on Monday for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Cyprus, after Bernd Schneider and Piotr Trochowski were ruled out from the game with injuries.
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann will also miss Germany's Euro 2008 qualifier away to Cyprus on Wednesday because of a heavy cold. Lehmann's illness forced him to miss Arsenal´s 3-0 league win against Liverpool on Sunday. After speaking with coach Joachim Löw by phone, he decided to pull out of the squad. On Sunday, Löw called up Hanover goalkeeper Robert Enke to replace Lehmann. VfB Stuttgart keeper Timo Hildebrand, Lehmann's backup, will almost certainly start the match in Nicosia on Wednesday.
'We need players who are 100 percent fit,' said Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff. On Sunday it was not clear how seriously Schneider and Trochowski were hurt. 'It wouldn't make any sense to take Bernd or Piotr with us.'
Freier, 27, has 18 caps for Germany and he last appeared in a 2-2 draw against Argentina on Feb. 9, 2005.
Loew will also be without injured strikers Lukas Podolski and Gerald Asamoah, midfielders Tim Borowski, Sebastian Kehl and Sebastian Deisler as well as defenders Christoph Metzfelder, Marcell Jansen and Alexander Madlung.
Coach Joachim Löw has called up 19 players. Per Mertesacker is back in the squad. Due to injury, the centreback from Werder Bremen has not been in the team since the World Cup this summer.
Germany are second in Group D after beating Ireland (1-0), San Marino (13-0) and Slovakia (4-1) in their three games so far. Cyprus had a surprising 5-2 win against Ireland in October and are placed fifth. With a win Germany will climb to the top of the table, taking over the Czech Republic as leaders of the group.
Germany has played Cyprus four times and the world champion of 1954, 1974 and 1990 have won all matches and scored 24 goals, conceding none. The last game between both teams ended 12-0 on May 29th 1969 in Essen.
The German national team will meet in Frankfurt today to begin preparations for the Euro 2008 qualifying match against Cyprus in Nicosia on Wednesday. Although both Bernd Schneider and Piotr Trochowski are injured, coach Joachim Löw has opted for them to make the trip too.
Schneider suffered muscular problems and had to be replaced after 71 minutes during the Bundesliga match betweeen Bayer Leverkusen and title holders Bayern München, which ended with a score of 2-3. Trochowski played only 63 Minutes in the match of his Hamburger SV club, who drew 1-1 with Borussia Mönchengladbach, before he was substituted after complaining of an inflammed Achilles' tendon.
The duo's physical condition will be evaluated carefully by the medical team of the German Football Association (DFB) before a decision will be made on whether they will play. Monday will be the earliest time which Löw will be able decide about the possible nomination of another player as replacement for Schneider and Trochowski.
Coach Joachim Loew has called up 19 players to Germany's squad for Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifying match against Cyprus in Nicosia. The squad was announced on Thursday and back in the squad is Per Mertesacker. The centre-back playing for Werder Bremen has not been in the team since the World Cup this summer.
"Per was an important part of the team during the last two years. After his long lay-off due to injury, he got better and better at Werder Bremen and played on a high level in the Bundesliga and Champions League matches. After speaking with Bremen's coach Thomas Schaaf, I decided to call him up for the last match of the year", Loew said on Thursday.
Germany are second in the Euro 2008 qualifying Group D after beating Ireland, San Marino and Slovakia in their three games so far.
