The German national team captained by Bayern’s Philipp Lahm banished any last lingering doubts on Friday and booked their place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with a game to spare. Joachim Löw’s side, featuring six Bayern men in the starting line-up, defeated Ireland 3-0 in Cologne with goals from Sami Khedira (12), André Schürrle (58) and Mesut Özil (90+1), but although the result fairly reflected the balance of play, there were a couple of nervous moments for Manuel Neuer and Co against the determined visitors.
Coach Löw selected Neuer in goal, withLahm at right back and Jérôme Boateng at centre-half. Three FCB stars lined up in midfield, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos joining forces with Khedira of Real Madrid to add balance and bite to the central area. Thomas Müller took up station wide on the right, with the seventh Munich man, Mario Götze, coming on as a sub four minutes from time. Hamburg’s ex-FCB defender Marcell Jansen also started the match.
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