Euro 2008/Cyprus v Germany: A Germany team beset by injuries must rouse themselves for one final endeavour in Cyprus tonight, or risk seeing a wonderful year end in embarrassment.
Germany re-established themselves as a world-class team under Juergen Klinsmann in 2006, clinching third place at their home World Cup.
The results have been just as good under Joachim Loew, who has maintained the same spirit of adventure since replacing his former boss.
Maintaining their 100 per cent record under Loew in Nicosia would keep them firmly on track for Euro 2008, but they will have to do it without a series of first-team regulars.
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, with a heavy cold, and injured midfielders Bernd Schneider and Piotr Trochowski are the latest to drop out of the squad. They join Lukas Podolski, Sebastian Deisler, Christoph Metzelder, Sebastian Kehl and Tim Borowski on a long casualty list.
"We are not going to underestimate Cyprus at any stage," Loew said. "We know that Cyprus has some good players up front. It may be difficult for us to pronounce their names but we know their abilities."
CYPRUS (Probable): M Morphis; G Theodotou, E Charalambous, L Louca, L Lambrou; C Michael, C Makrides, C Charalambides, Y Okkas; M Konstantinou, E Aloneftis.
GERMANY (Probable): T Hildebrand; C Fritz, A Friedrich, P Mertesacker, P Lahm; B Schweinsteiger, T Frings, M Ballack, T Hitzlsperger; M Klose, O Neuville.
