Germany head coach Joachim Low has said that his side will not win by the same scoreline against the Republic of Ireland on Friday night that they did last October.
When the two nations met in Dublin, Marco Reus and Toni Kroos both scored braces as the Germans ran out 6-1 winners over their hosts.
Ahead of the reverse fixture in Cologne, Low has told his players not to expect such an easy encounter this time around.
"In Dublin we faced Ireland and caught them off guard. It was deserved but it won't be the same this time. They can defend extremely well, they can be very organised," he told reporters.
Should Germany claim maximum points, they will book their place in next year's World Cup.