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Germany includes four newcomers on team for U.S. tour

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Real Madrid's Sami Khedira (left) and Mesut Oezil (middle) will both miss Germany's upcoming tour.

Real Madrid's Sami Khedira (left) and Mesut Oezil (middle) will both miss Germany's upcoming tour.

FRANKFURT (AP) -- Coach Joachim Loew has called up four newcomers for Germany's exhibition games against Ecuador and the United States, with the stars of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund absent because the teams are playing in the Champions League final.

Real Madrid's Mesut Oezil and Sami Khedira also will miss the trip because the Spanish season won't be over. A total of 15 first-string players are missing from the U.S. tour.

Germany plays Ecuador on May 29 in Boca Raton, Fla., and the United States on June 2 in Washington.

Lazio striker Miroslav Klose and two Borussia Dortmund players, Kevin Grosskreutz and Sven Bender, are scheduled to join the team after their club commitments for the friendly against the United States.

The four new players are defender Philipp Wollscheid of Nuremberg, and midfielders Sidney Sam of Bayer Leverkusen, Nicolai Mueller of Mainz and Max Kruse of Freiburg.

Midfielders Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen) and Stefan Reinartz (Bayer Leverkusen) have been recalled , along with defenders Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV) and Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim).

The timing of the tour has come under fire from Bundesliga clubs, but Loew said it was a chance for some players to present their case.

"National team games always have a high significance. For the nominated players it's something special to be there,'' Loew said. "I am sure we'll send a strong team into matches against Ecuador and the United States.''

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Germany:

Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Hamburger SV), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Moenchengladbach).

Defenders: Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Marcell Jansen (Hamburger SV), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Heiko Westermann (Hamburger SV), Philipp Wollscheid (Nuremberg).

Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen), Nicolai Mueller (Mainz), Roman Neustaedter (Schalke), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Stefan Reinartz (Bayer Leverkusen), Sidney Sam (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schuerrle (Bayer Leverkusen), Max Kruse (Freiburg).

Forward: Miroslav Klose (Lazio).