GROUP F: Germany v Iran

The Germans are showing some nerves ahead of this evening's Group F clash with Iran in Montpellier, a match which Berti Vogts knows his side must come through if his own reputation is not to suffer irreparable damage.

The Germans do not necessarily need to win the game, although the players are not likely to need a detailed explanation of the advantages of avoiding the Dutch in the second round, so if their neighbours get a draw or better against Mexico this afternoon expect Juergen Klinsmann and the boys to go at it hell for leather at eight o'clock this evening.

Vogts has conceded that he will fall back on some of the squad's older figures (and this is a pretty old squad) for this game, with Lothar Matthaus, already the first outfield player to play in five World Cups, and Thomas Helmer both tipped to start this time. "I know certain players have a mental problem. I know who I can rely on," said Vogts yesterday.

Matthaus may play in midfield where he came on against Yugoslavia and from where he helped to turn the game around, but his preferred sweeper's role looks to be the more likely spot for him, with Olaf Thon moving forward as Dietmar Hamann and Jens Jeremies drop on to the bench.

The Iranians, unsurprisingly, are content to stick with the men that prompted wild celebrations back at home by beating the Unites States. They proved in that game that they have some quality players, not least Mehdi Mahdavikia, and several have benefited from playing in the Bundesliga over the past couple of years. However, whether they have what it takes to put the Germans out of the competition at the first hurdle for the first time since the competition was last held here back in 1938 remains highly questionable.

Probable Teams

Germany: Koepke, Matthaus, Kohler, Woerns, Heinrich, Thon, Moeller, Helmer, Tarnat, Klinsmann, Bierhoff.

Iran: Abedzadeh, Khakpour, Pashazadeh, Zarincheh, Mahdavikia, Bagheri, Estili, Mohammadkhani, Minav and, Daei, Azizi.