Germany coach Silvia Neid has selected Sara Doorsoun for the first time in the national team, in what is a well-stacked squad - despite several injuries - that will face Hungary and Croatia.
Big name absentees
Dzsenifer Marozsan, Lena Lotzen and Jennifer Cramer are all absent with injury, while the recently retired Celia Sasic is another one of the big names that isn't in the group following the World Cup campaign. Nadine Angerer has also hung up her gloves, allowing Almuth Schult to take her place as Germany's number one.
23-year-old Doorsoun will be keen to make a big impact in her debut in the squad, and kick on from her impressive showings at SGS Essen. Neid seems confident that she will put in a strong showing, “Sara is an interesting player who has really developed well. Now we want to see how she gets on with us.”
Saskia Bartusiak and Annike Krahn are both fit again after injuries at the start of the Frauen-Bundesliga season. The pair will almost certainly be included in both qualifiers, and the Germans will be keen to top a group that consists of the two aforementioned sides, Russia and Turkey. Neid, aside from wanting direct qualification, added: "The requirement is that we play with passion, creativity and commitment. That is our demand in every game.”
The squad
Germany squad in full to face Hungary (18th September) and Croatia (22nd September)
Goalkeepers: Almuth Schult (VfL Wolfsburg), Laura Benkarth (SC Freiburg), Lisa Weiß (SGS Essen).
Defenders: Saskia Bartusiak (1. FFC Frankfurt), Josephine Henning (Paris-Saint Germain), Tabea Kemme (1. FFC Turbine Potsdam), Annike Krahn (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Leonie Maier (Bayern München), Babett Peter (VfL Wolfsburg), Bianca Schmidt (1. FFC Turbine Potsdam).
Midfielders: Melanie Behringer (Bayern München), Anna Blässe (VfL Wolfsburg), Sara Däbritz (Bayern München), Sara Doorsoun-Khajeh (SGS Essen), Lena Goeßling (VfL Wolfsburg), Simone Laudehr (1. FFC Frankfurt), Melanie Leupolz (Bayern München).
Fowards: Pauline Bremer (Olympique Lyon), Anja Mittag (Paris Saint-Germain), Lena Petermann (SC Freiburg), Alexandra Popp (VfL Wolfsburg).