Podolski returns to Germany squad for qualifiers

FRANKFURT (AP) -Striker Lukas Podolski, goalkeeper Robert Enke and defenders Arne Friedrich and Marcell Jansen are back in Germany's squad for World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Liechtenstein.

All missed Germany's 1-0 loss to Norway in a friendly in February because of injuries.

"We are very pleased that Lukas is playing well for Bayern again,'' coach Joachim Loew said Thursday when he announced his 23-man squad. "We would have invited him for the two games anyway because he is a valuable striker for is and in whom we have great confidence.''

Podolski has enjoyed Loew's confidence even when he was only a backup at Bayern. With Luca Toni absent through injury, Podolski has scored three goals in three games for Bayern.

Miroslav Klose, Podolski's partner with Bayern and Germany, is out with an ankle injury.

Enke was designated Germany's No. 1 goalkeeper to succeed Jens Lehmann, who retired after last year's European Championship, but the Hannover player broke his hand and missed three months in the Bundesliga.

Enke joins Rene Adler and Tim Wiese as one of three goalkeepers called up.

Loew said Jansen could be used as a midfielder if his Hamburg teammate Piotr Trochowksi does not recover from a knee injury.

Defenders Andreas Beck of Hoffenheim and Marcel Schaefer of Wolfsburg return after making their debuts, Beck against Norway and Schaefer against England. Germany lost both friendlies.

Germany plays Liechtenstein in Leipzig on March 28 and against Wales in Cardiff on April 1.

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Germany squad:

Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Robert Enke (Hannover).

Defenders: Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Andreas Hinkel (Celtic), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schaefer (Wolfsburg), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke).

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart), Marcell Jansen (Hamburger SV), Marko Marin (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowksi (Hamburger SV).

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich).