Loew recalls Frings, Borowski and Fritz

The trio have only just recovered from injury and played in Werder's 3-1 defeat against Olympiacos in a Champions League match midweek.

 Loew stuck with goalkeepers Timo Hildebrand and Jens Lehmann, both of whom are not regulars for their respective club sides Valencia and Arsenal.

 The coach, who goes into the game with an impressive record of 10 victories and just one defeat in 12 games, will be without striker Miroslav Klose, as well as captain Michael Ballack. Philipp Lahm, Christian Pander and Thomas Hitzlsperger have also been ruled out through injury.

 Ahead of the game against Ireland in Dublin on October 13 and the Czech Republic in Munich four days later, Germany have a two point lead at the top of Group D from the Czech Republic. They also have a game in hand.

 They are eight points ahead of third-placed Ireland and also have a game in hand and with the top two from each group advancing, they are just about qualified for the finals next year in Austria and Switzerland.

 Goalkeeper: Timo Hildebrand (Valencia), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal)

   Defender: Gonzalo Castro (Bayer Leverkusen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Manuel Friedrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid)

   Midfield: Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Roberto Hilbert (VfB Stuttgart), David Odonkor (Betis Sevilla), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (SV Hamburg)

   Forwards: Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Cologne), Stefan Kiessing (Bayer Leverkusen), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)

DPA