Germany to experiment in friendly

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BERLIN, Germany -- Germany coach Joachim Loew has decided to release eight senior players, including captain Michael Ballack, from his squad to face Denmark in a friendly on Wednesday.

Germany secured a valuable 2-1 win over Czech Republic in Prague on Saturday, with two goals from Kevin Kuranyi giving them another big push towards qualification for Euro 2008.

The friendly against Denmark in Duisburg will be a chance for Loew to experiment.

He decided he could rest Chelsea's Ballack, Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, Bayern Munich trio Philipp Lahm, Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger, the Werder Bremen players Torsten Frings and Per Mertesacker and Bayer Leverkusen's Bernd Schneider.

Loew called up two uncapped players on Sunday, striker Patrick Helmes of second division Cologne and midfielder Simon Rolfes of Bayer Leverkusen.

They will be joined by Clemens Fritz, Alexander Madlung, Christian Schulz and Paul Freier, who were already scheduled to hook up with the squad for the friendly.

Germany, who finished third at last year's World Cup, are in a good position to clinch a place at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland after Saturday's win kept them top of Group D with 13 points from five matches.

The Czechs are second on 10 points, with Ireland also on 10 in third place but having played a game more.

"We were up against first class opponents but we always said we were aiming for a win," Loew told reporters after a victory that came despite the absence of Miroslav Klose through suspension.

"Kuranyi showed again he is back in the squad on merit and that he can score important goals for the team."

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