MesutOzilGetty

Ozil: Scotland can't stop in-form Germany

Mesut Ozil is convinced Germany will take another step towards a place at Euro 2016 against Scotland on Monday - providing Joachim Low's men replicate the performance that enabled them to beat Poland.

The world champions moved to the top of qualifying Group D with a 3-1 win over the Poles in Frankfurt on Friday with Mario Gotze scoring twice. Thomas Muller was also on the scoresheet with Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski netting for the visitors.

Germany are now two points ahead of Poland at the summit with the Republic of Ireland in third, a further two points adrift - another victory for Low's men at Hampden Park will see them move to the brink of a place in France next summer.

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And Ozil is confident they can achieve that aim, although he is wary of a Scotland side whose own qualification hopes were hit by a shock defeat to Georgia on Friday.

The Arsenal midfielder told reporters: "I think we deserve to be at the top of the group. Now we have to go further on Monday. We know it will be a tough game because Scotland will fight until the 90th minute. But if we show what we can then Scotland won't be able to stop us."

Germany were always in control against Poland, although Real Madrid star Toni Kroos believes they will need to tighten up defensively against Scotland.

"Overall you have to say that we earned the victory," he said. "We dominated for long periods of the game, we created chances and we scored some good goals. But we also allowed Poland a couple of chances – that’s somewhere we have to improve. All in all, it was a good day. It could be a difficult game in Scotland, and we’re prepared for that."

Gotze was pleased to have made a significant contribution after a summer which has seen his club future thrown into question with the Bayern man linked with a move away from the Allianz Arena.

He said: "We absolutely wanted to go home with three points and as group leaders. It could have gone much worse - also for me personally."

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