Reigning World Cup champions Germany should qualify comfortably for Euro 2016, but they'll need to refocus themselves from Wednesday's struggles to avoid a close game against Scotland. Argentina, the team Germany beat in the World Cup final, took them apart in a friendly on Wednesday.
Germany vs. Scotland, Euro 2016 qualifying: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Matthias Hangst
While it was just a friendly, the Germans are looking thin in midfield. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, the Bender twins and Ilkay Gündogan are all out with injuries, meaning Toni Kroos has to move deeper and Christoph Kramer will step into a big role. Germany don’t have Philipp Lahm to move into that spot or play in defense either, and will have to play at least one central defender as a fullback.
Despite all that, even the most optimistic of Scotland supporters won't be terribly optimistic about winning this game. What they will be optimistic about, however, is finishing top three in this group and getting to the European Championships for the first time since 1996. They lack a superstar, but the Scots have a surprisingly deep player pool and will like their chances to better one of Ireland or Poland.
Key player - Toni Kroos (Germany)
As a member of Germany's double pivot, Kroos will be responsible for Germany's transitions in both directions. He'll have to do quite a bit of dictating play from deep, and he'll be the first line of defense against Scotland counter-attacks. It's not his best position, but he's going to be forced into a deeper role like this one for Real Madrid all season, so he might as well get used to it.
Key matchup - Scotland's defenders vs. Germany's forward line
While the Scotland midfield and forward groups look impressive by the nation’s recent standards, their group of defenders does not inspire confidence at all. If Germany don’t score a goal that was given to them directly via an individual error, they’ve done a respectable job.
Match Date/Time: Sunday, 8:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
TV: FOX Sports 1 (U.S. - English), FOX Deportes (U.S. - Spanish), Sky Sports 5 (U.K.), Sportsnet 360 (Canada), RTL (Germany)
Online: FOX Sports GO/FOX Soccer 2 GO (U.S.), Sky Go (U.K.)
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