Germany v Australia Live

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Australia’s Socceroos face a tough opening test at the 2010 World Cup as they take on European powerhouse Germany at the Moses Mabhida Stadium this weekend. Join us today at Ole Ole Football and see Germany vs Australia live on your computer.

Germany come into this fixture on the back of three straight wins in their pre World Cup friendlies over Malta, Hungary and Bosnia. They scored three goals in each of those fixtures and conceded just once. The Germans will be without influential midfielder and skipper Michael Ballack in this tournament. Other missing players include goalkeeper Rene Adler and defenders Marcel Jansen and Heiko Westermann. Stuttgart’s Sami Khedira seems to have won the race for replacing Ballack in midfield, while Bayern Munich’s Philipp Lahm has taken over the captain’s armband.

Coach Joachim Loew is likely to start with a 4-2-3-1 formation at the tournament. Lukas Podolski is expected to play on the left wing while veteran Miroslav Klose will play as the sole forward upfront. Werder Bremen playmaker Mesut Ozil, one of the architects of the German U-21 side’s triumph at the 2009 European Championships, will play behind Klose. Vice captain Bastian Schweinsteiger also books a spot, leaving Toni Kroos, Piotr Trochowski and Thomas Muller to fight for the vacant attacking place.

Australia’s defenders will have to be wary of Klose and Podolski, who have been patchy at club level, but always seem to find their bearings while playing for the German national side. The Socceroos are sweating on the fitness of former Liverpool star Harry Kewell, and should he not be match fit, Joshua Kennedy should take his place upfront in Pim Verbeek’s 4-2-3-1. There is plenty of creative talent with the likes of Tim Cahill, Mark Bresciano and Luke Wilshire present, but Germany will prove hard to break down.

Australia suffered a heartbreaking loss to Italy in the second round of the 2006 tournament. Germany have never dropped a point in an opening game at any World Cup since 1990 and Australia’s patchy form in the leadup to the tournament has led to pundits declaring Die Mannschaft as firm favourites.

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