Germany picks newcomer Tasci for Belgium

Germany coach Joachim Loew picked rookie defender Serdar Tasci in his squad to play Belgium in an international friendly next week, while he begins his search for a replacement for retired goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. Lehmann retired from the national team last week prompting Loew to select Hannover's Robert Enke and Bayer Leverkusen's Rene Adler. Both were in the squad for the European Championship but did not play. Loew has said he will test several candidates before deciding who will be Germany's goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The game against Belgium in Nuremberg on Aug. 20 is Germany's first since losing 1-0 to Spain in July's European Championship final. As well as introducing Stuttgart defender Tasci to the squad, Loew also named three players who were dropped in the final cut before the European... [read full story]