Turkey vs. Germany: Germans Will Extend Perfect Euro 2012 Run by Beating Turks

Germany has rolled right through its first eight matches in the qualifying rounds for the 2012 UEFA European Championship and is in perfect position to add a ninth victory in as many opportunities against Turkey on Friday.

Joachim Loew's side was the first to qualify for next year's competition in Poland and Ukraine, but has an eye (and a leg) toward rounding its run to a perfect 10, with a final qualifying fixture against Belgium on Tuesday.

Germany wrapped up the top spot in Group A long ago, though Turkey still has plenty to play for. The Turks, coached by Guus Hiddink, are competing with the Belgians to finish second in group play to secure either the 10th and final automatic qualifying spot for Euro 2012 or a berth in the eight-team, two-leg playoff that will determine the other four teams that travel to Poland and Ukraine.

Confusing as that all may seem, what it means is that Turkey will be playing for its life while Germany will simply be playing for pride and to turn a snowball of success into a championship-caliber Alpine avalanche.

As far as motivation is concerned, then, Turkey owns the advantage in this match. The Turks can also take comfort in playing in front of a highly partisan crowd at Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul. The change of venue should help the Turkish national team to improve upon its last showing against the Germans—a 3-0 defeat in the Fatherland last year.

What's more, Germany enters play on Friday with a number of question marks surrounding the fitness of some of its biggest stars. Midfielder Mesut Ozil and strikers Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez have been unable to train with the team of late due to injury and may have to sit out the match as a result. Ozil's absence would be particularly devastating, as he is a key cog in Germany's highly successful machinery. Should Ozil be unable to play, the responsibility would likely fall to 19-year-old Mario Gotze to serve as Germany's primary playmaker.

Turkey also sports a number of players who will be motivated by issues of conflict between national and cultural identities. While Ozil, a German-born Turk, decided to honor the roots of his birth country, four others in his ambivalent position, namely defender Oemer Toprak, striker Tunay Torun and midfielders Mehmet Ekici and Goekhan Toere, decided instead to play for Turkey.

So Turkey should win this match, right?

Not so fast, my friend. Germany is as talented and is playing as well as any international side in the world right now, Spain included. They may not have the same "do or die" motivations as the Turks, but the Germans take more than enough pride in their own handiwork and what they've accomplished thus far to ensure that they will put their best boot forward to move to 9-0 in their Euro 2012 campaign.

Turkey has some issues of its own to sort out, too. Hiddink is expected to turn to several wounded stars of his own to perform against the Germans, including midfielders Hamit Altintop and Emre Belozoglu and forward Mevlut Erdinc. If those three prove to be ineffectual, it may not matter who or what Germany brings to the table, so long as they have enough warm bodies to field a starting XI.

In other words, look for Germany to put the screws to Turkey, regardless of how healthy either team's talent is. The Germans look like a team of destiny, one that even the pesky Turks will be helpless to trip up on the way to the their record fourth UEFA European Nations Cup.