Ballack hurt in practice game
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-26 09:29
GENEVA, May 25 - Germany captain Michael Ballack will be forced to rest for a
few days after suffering a minor ankle sprain in a practice match on Thursday.
German national soccer team captain Michael
Ballack sits on the pitch prior to his substitution during a friendly
match against the Under-18 team of Servette Geneva at the stadium of
Geneva, southern Switzerland, May 25, 2006.[Reuters] |
"From the first diagnosis it's nothing dramatic," Germany's assistant coach
Joachim Loew told reporters after the game against Servette Geneva's Under-18
side.
"There is no danger of him missing the World Cup. Maybe he'll have to rest
for two or three days."
That assessment means Ballack is likely to miss Saturday's friendly
international against Luxembourg in Freiburg.
The injury to Ballack's left foot took the gloss off Germany's 12-0 win over
the Servette youngsters, who wilted following a bright enough start at the Stade
de Geneve.
Lukas Podolski scored twice in the first half, with further strikes from
Robert Huth, Bernd Schneider and Bastian Schweinsteiger making it 5-0 by
halftime.
Gerald Asamoah, Tim Borowski, Sebastian Kehl and Mike Hanke scored after the
break and Oliver Neuville rounded things off with a 10-minute hat-trick.
Germany have further international friendlies against Japan and Colombia
before playing the first match of the World Cup against Costa Rica in Munich on
June 9.
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