German fringe players arrive in Asia with eye on World Cup spot

A weakened Germany squad arrived in Shanghai yesterday for an ill-timed Asia tour which they hope will offer a chance for fringe players to stake a claim for a ticket to the 2010 World Cup finals.

Germany will provide the opposition for new China coach Gao Hongbo's first match in charge at the Shanghai Stadium on Friday before moving on to Dubai for an encounter with the United Arab Emirates on June 2.

With Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen contesting Saturday's German Cup final, and captain Michael Ballack on Chelsea duty in the English equivalent, however, coach Joachim Loew travelled East without a string of regular players.