European Championship 2012 Qualifier Preview: Belgium vs. Germany

  Date: 3^rd September 2010.

Venue: Roi Baudouin, Brussels, Belgium

Almost two months after a painful semifinal defeat in the World Cup to Spain, Germany start their qualifying campaign for the European Championships, to be hosted in 2012 by Poland and Ukraine. Germany's records in qualification campaigns are wonderful; in fact, they have lost only once in the previous four years in qualifiers- and that loss came in a game which took place after they had pretty much qualified for Euro 2008.

For Belgium, the story is different. They did not qualify for the European Championships in 2004 and 2008. Their new head coach, Georges Leekens will be hoping for a successful qualifying campaign this time around. Belgium did not have a great qualifying campaign for the World Cup; they scored 13 goals but conceded 20. Wesley Snock scored six of those 13 goals. However, Leekens has left Snock behind.

Belgium doesn't have a good record against Germany. Their last win against the Germans dates back to 1954 in Brussels; so, perhaps, this time around, they will be playing for a point rather than all three.

Squads

Germany's biggest absentee is central defender Arne Friedrich, who is out injured. Piotr Trochowski and Dennis Aogo are other absentees. Another important absentee is Jerome Boateng, who aggravated an injury after a collision with a cart in an airplane. Serdar Tasci has not been picked by Joachim Loew due to his lack of first team football for Stuttgart. A glaring absentee is Michael Ballack but I am pretty sure he will not mind much after the piece of good news he received from Loew. Rene Adler, Heiko Westermann and Christian Trasch are back in the fold after missing the World Cup due to injury problems.

Germany squad

Goalkeepers: René Adler (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (FC Schalke 04), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen)

Defenders: Holger Badstuber (FC Bayern München), Marcell Jansen (Hamburger SV), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Per Mertesacker (SV Werder Bremen), Sascha Riether (VfL Wolfsburg), Heiko Westermann (Hamburger SV)

Midfielders: Sami Khedira (Real Madrid CF), Toni Kroos (FC Bayern München), Marko Marin (SV Werder Bremen), Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München), Mesut Özil (Real Madrid CF), Lukas Podolski (1. FC Köln), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), Christian Träsch (VfB Stuttgart)

Forwards: Cacau (VfB Stuttgart), Mario Gómez (FC Bayern München), Miroslav Klose (FC Bayern München), Stefan Kießling (Bayer 04 Leverkusen)

Germany's defence will look very different compared to the one that featured at the World Cup. Arne Friedrich's place in central defence will most probably be taken by Heiko Westermann. The left back spot will most probably be given to Marcell Jansen. In goal will be Manuel Neuer while Philipp Lahm will be the right back and Per Mertesacker one of the central defenders.

The midfield will look the same with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira taking up the defensive midfield positions while Thomas Mueller, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Oezil will take up the positions of the attacking midfielders behind lone striker Miroslav Klose.

Belgium's Timmy Simons returns to the squad after almost a year away from the international scene. Coach Leekens feels that Simons is a "young warrior" who will add "balance" to his team. Belgium's defensive department consists of the likes of Thomas "the Verminator" Vermaelen, Daniel Van Buyten and Vincent Kompany. They also have good attackers such as Lille's Eden Hazard. Marouane Fellaini is one of their well known midfielders.

Belgium squad

Goalkeepers: Logan Bailly (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jean-François Gillet (AS Bari), Glenn Verbauwhede (KV Kortrijk) 

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (AFC Ajax), Laurent Ciman (R. Standard de Liège), Olivier Deschacht (RSC Anderlecht), Guillaume Gillet (RSC Anderlecht), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City FC), Daniel Van Buyten (FC Bayern München), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal FC) 

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (KRC Genk), Steven Defour (R. Standard de Liège), Marouane Fellaini (Everton FC), Timmy Simons (1. FC Nürnberg), Jan Vertonghen (AFC Ajax), Axel Witsel (R. Standard de Liège), Faris Haroun (KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen) 

Forwards: Christian Benteke (R. Standard de Liège), Eden Hazard (LOSC Lille Métropole), Romelu Lukaku (RSC Anderlecht), Kevin Mirallas (Olympiacos FC), Jelle Vossen (KRC Genk), Moussa Dembélé (Fulham FC)

Big decisions

Joachim Loew made two big decisions: primarily he announced that Michael Ballack will remain as the German captain; his deputy will be Philipp Lahm and the third vice-captain will be Bastian Schweinsteiger.

He also announced that Manuel Neuer will remain as the starting goalkeeper while Rene Adler and Tim Wiese will be his two deputies.

Tactics

Belgium conceded 20 goals during their WC qualification campaign and scored only 13. So, they will perhaps set up defensively and try to catch out Germany via counterattacks. Belgium's good defence alongside a very good keeper, Logan Bailly will not break-down easily. However, Van Buyten's presence could turn out to be a weakness.

There are seven Bayern players in the squad- all seven know Van Buyten's strengths and weaknesses and will definitely try to exploit him. They also know about his offensive strengths and will perhaps put Mertesacker on the case. They have to watch out for Vermaelen as well who can not only head well but can also take precise and ferocious shots. Germany will try to go out and attack; they are not the underdogs and will not only play off the counter-attack as they did in the latter stages of the WC.

The game could turn out to be one of those clashes where the offensive side tries to break-down a defensive side for 90 minutes. Fitness could play a part as the Germans have not reached peak fitness yet due to reaching the semis of the WC while Belgium have no such problems to deal with. Belgium will try to use set-pieces as well as the German defence can get caught out from free-kicks and corners.

Prediction

Despite the fitness issues, I expect Germany to edge this one out by a single late goal.

Final Score: Belgium 1:2 Germany