<!--Article Start--> <h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Striker Mario Gotze scored twice to seal Germany's 3-1 win over Poland on Friday as the hosts avenged last year's away defeat to top their Euro 2016 qualifying group.</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify">Having lost the corresponding fixture 2-0 in Warsaw last October -- Germany's first defeat to their neighbours in 19 matches -- the world champions gained sweet revenge by knocking Adam Nawalka's Poland from top of Group D.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">It was Poland's first defeat in seven Euro 2016 qualifiers in an impressive display from the Germans after several below-par performances last season.</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong>All four goals were scored by Bayern Munich players</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify">All four goals came from Bayern Munich players as Thomas Mueller gave Germany an early lead, then Gotze made it 2-0 before Poland captain Robert Lewandowski pulled one back with a diving header as it finished 2-1 at the break.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Mueller and Gotze then combined for Germany's third on 82 minutes to kill off hopes of a late Poland equaliser</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"We really wanted the three points to take first place," said Gotze, who also cleared a first-half Lewandowski header off the line.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"I was in the right place at the right time for the header off the line.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"I only found out I was playing on Thursday and it was great to get two goals. Things certainly could have gone a lot worse for me tonight."</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Georgia's 1-0 home win over Scotland, who Germany play in Glasgow on Monday, and Ireland's 4-0 thumping of minnows Gibraltar means Germany are top with 16 points with Poland now second on 14 while Ireland go third with 12, one ahead of the Scots.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Poland host Gibraltar in Warsaw on Monday having routed the part-timers 7-0 away last year.</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><a href="http://www.thehardtackle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/04913462.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-204881" src="http://www.thehardtackle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/04913462-1024x683.jpg" alt="Germany vs Poland" width="1024" height="683" /></a></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Emre Can made his debut for Die Mannschaft</strong></h3> <p style="text-align: justify">Germany coach Joachim Loew sprang a surprise before kick-off by naming Liverpool midfielder Emre Can at right-back to give the 21-year-old his debut.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The game started at a high-paced tempo in Frankfurt and Germany scored off their first clear chance.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">A superb exchange of passes with Karim Bellarabi put Cologne left-back Jonas Hector in behind the defence and he squared for Mueller to fire home on 12 minutes.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The hosts doubled their lead six minutes later when World Cup final winner Gotze cut in from the left and unleashed a fierce drive, which gave Poland's Swansea City goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski little chance just inside the near post.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Poland were rewarded for a sustained period of pressure when left winger Kamil Grosicki powered down the left wing, with Can out of position, curled in a superb cross and Lewandowski powered the ball home with a superb diving header on 36 minutes.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">It was his eighth goal in Poland's qualifying campaign.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The manner in which Lewandowski hastily gathered the ball from the net, punching the air with delighted, sent a clear message that Germany had a fight on their hands.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Early in the first half, Loew brought on Ilkay Gundogan for Bellarabi, who provided a superb pass to Gotze and the Bayern man hit the post on 57 minutes.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">At the other end, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had his hands full keeping Lewandowski and his forward partner Arkadiusz Milik quiet.</p> . <p style="text-align: justify">The pair have scored 12 of their side's 21 goals in their qualifying campaign.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Germany settled the matter when Mueller's fierce drive bounced off Fabianski's legs and Gotze tucked away the rebound.</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><strong>By AFP</strong></p> <!--Article End-->