PREVIEW: fans expect big Germany win over Azerbaijan

By Klaus Bergmann Sep 6, 2010, 10:42 GMT

Cologne, Germany - German football expect a goalfest when their national team takes on lowly Azerbaijan in Euro 2012 qualifying on Tuesday.

The team spoilt the fans with big wins over Argentina, England and Australia en route to third place at the recent World Cup, and the Euro campaign also got off to a winning start, 1-0 in Belgium on Friday.

Miroslav Klose scored the winner in that game for his 53rd Germany goal as he moved within two goals of alltime second-placed East German Joachim Streich's 55 goals. Gerd Mueller tops the bill with 68 goals.

'It was important to win the first game. Now we must follow up against Azerbaijan,' said Klose.

The Cologne match is Germany's first home game since the World Cup and the players want to impress the fans with fast attacking football as they did in South Africa.

'We want to offer the fans in Germany good football and a few goals,' said Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira.

The expected good atmosphere in his home stadium could especially help Cologne forward Lukas Podolski who is yet to regain his World Cup form and is in danger of losing his place in the starting 11.

'He was not really in the game in the second half,' said Loew about the showing of Podolski in Brussels, where he was replaced by young Bayern Munich man Toni Kroos in the 70th minute.

A few goals in his 81st cap would help his cause but the Germans must be prepared for a very defensive opponent under the reign of former Germany coach Berti Vogts.

'I hope that we will have scored a goal or two in the first half hour. Azerbaijan is not that easy,' warned World Cup top scorer Thomas Mueller.

German teams have had trouble in the past creating chances and scoring against defensive teams, but the mood is upbeat overall ahead of the second Group A game.

Loew will be without injured left back Marcell Jansen, with his SV Hamburg team-mate Heiko Westermann expected to fill in.

Vogts, meanwhile, who won the so far last title with Germany at Euro 1996, has no illusions about his Azerbaijan team which he hopes will make the continental mid-table regions in a few years' time.

'Of course we want to try and avoid a big defeat. But it is a great learning experience for my team,' Vogts said.

'Germany are the best team in the world, even better than (world and European champions) Spain.'