Germany go for Gomez
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Article summary
VfB Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez has earned his first Germany call-up for the friendly against UEFA EURO 2008™ co-hosts Switzerland in Dusseldorf next Wednesday.
Article body
Löw praise
The 21-year-old Gomez has scored ten times in the Bundesliga this season, most notably twice in Tuesday's 3-2 defeat of DSC Arminia Bielefeld which took Stuttgart into third place. Germany coach Joachim Löw said: "We have been looking at him for a while now. He's a dangerous and dynamic striker who will get his chance in the squad." Also included are forward Kevin Kuranyi, who just missed out on last summer's FIFA World Cup, and fit-again defender Christoph Metzelder.
Germany squad
Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal FC), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart).
Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha BSC Berlin), Manuel Friedrich (1. FSV Mainz 05), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcell Jansen (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Christoph Metzelder (BV Borussia Dortmund).
Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea FC), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Jan Schlaudraff (TSV Alemannia Aachen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), Bernd Schneider (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
Forwards: Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Mike Hanke (VfL Wolfsburg), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Kevin Kuranyi (FC Schalke 04).