Adler facing fitness race

Adler: Untimely knock

Germany keeper Rene Adler has seen his World Cup dream cast into doubt after sustaining a broken rib.

The Bayer Leverkusen shot-stopper is currently Joachim Low's number one and was expected to hold that responsibility in South Africa.

However, the 25-year-old broke a bone while on domestic duty against Stuttgart on Saturday.

With the World Cup set to get underway on 11th June, Adler's claims to a place in the squad heading to South Africa are now under threat.

"The doctors say the fracture is expected to heal pretty quickly, so I am cautiously optimistic," said Adler.

Adler, who won the first of his nine international caps in October 2008, was tipped to compete for starting duties at the World Cup alongside Schalke's Manuel Neuer and Werder Bremen's Tim Wiese.

Germany have been drawn in Group D, where they will face Australia, Serbia and Ghana, and are set to take in pre-tournament friendlies against Malta, Hungary and Bosnia as they ready themselves for a tilt at global glory.