Kolo Toure gets recall to World Cup squad

Posted Saturday, October 05, 2013 by YAHOO Sport

BERLIN, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Germany coach
Joachim Loew once again overlooked last season's Bundesliga top scorer Stefan Kiessling for their World Cup qualifiers against Ireland and Sweden later this month despite missing his top strikers through injury.

Loew, who has not picked Kiessling for more than three years, recently praised the Bayer Leverkusen striker to raise hopes of a long-awaited Germany return, which the player had ruled out only weeks earlier.

But for the Oct. 11 encounter against Ireland and the trip to Sweden four days later, Loew opted for Borussia Moenchengladbach's Max Kruse, who has three caps, as his only attacking choice.

The 29-year-old Kiessling, who has scored five goals in seven league games so far this season, won the last of his six Germany caps in the 3-2 victory over Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup third place playoff.

The latest Germany snub is likely to end his meagre chances of making next year's World Cup.

"Our starting position in the group is good," said Loew, whose team needs two points to secure top spot and a place in next year's World Cup in Brazil.

"We have a lot of trust in the players we have nominated and want to quickly qualify for Brazil," said the German, who has been in charge since 2006 but has failed to win an international trophy with them.

"Our clear aim is to seal our ticket with a win against Ireland in front of a home crowd," said Loew.

Strikers Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez have both been ruled out with injuries as has Lukas Podolski, Ilkay Guendogan and Marcel Schmelzer.

Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Goetze are back in the squad after recovering from injuries while Loew also called up Hamburg SV defender Marcell Jansen.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Rene Adler (Hamburg SV), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover 96)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Marcell Jansesn (Hamburg SV), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal).

Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler 9Schalke 04), Mario Goetze (Bayern Munich) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Sidney Sam (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schuerrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Max Kruse (Borussia Moenchengladbach)