Kuranyi scores in Germany victory

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DUESSELDORF, Germany -- Stand-in strikers Kevin Kuranyi and Mario Gomez led Germany to a 3-1 win over Switzerland in a friendly international on Wednesday.

Kuranyi celebrated his recall from a 15-month exile by opening the scoring in the eighth minute, heading in the rebound after a Michael Ballack header was saved.

Gomez marked his Germany debut with a goal in the 30th minute, heading a Clemens Fritz cross past Diego Benaglio, and Torsten Frings made it 3-0 in the 66th with a free-kick that drifted in at the far post.

The Swiss pulled one back five minutes later through Marco Streller, who nipped between two defenders to poke a shot past Jens Lehmann, but there was never any doubt about a German victory in the 49th meeting between the two old rivals.

With Miroslav Klose injured and Lukas Podolski suspended, Joachim Loew was forced to name an all new strike partnership and the combination of Kuranyi and Gomez did not disappoint.

That will be encouraging with a view to the Euro 2008 qualifier away to Czech Republic in March, when Klose will be suspended.

"The two strikers did very well," said Loew. "We're very happy with the performance but now the big game is coming up against the Czechs, when we'll have the chance to take a big step towards the finals."

Gomez was quickly in action, winning a free kick on the right after a blazing run.

Frings picked out Ballack with the resulting cross and Benaglio did well to claw out the Chelsea midfielder's header only for Kuranyi to dive in and convert, receiving a boot in the face for his trouble.

Kuranyi then beat two defenders in the area only to scuff his shot and Ballack, clearly enjoying himself, went close with a 35-meter effort.

The second goal came when Fritz took a pass from Philipp Lahm and fizzed a cross low into the box for Gomez to convert with a perfect flick header.

Switzerland should have pulled one back just before halftime when Hakan Yakin played in Alex Frei on the right.

Yakin was unmarked in the center and screaming for a return pass but Frei instead opted to shoot and dragged the ball wide.

Ballack was replaced by Tim Borowski for the second half and the German attack lost a little menace as a result.

They lost none of their hold on midfield, however, as the Swiss, who are preparing to co-host Euro 2008, struggled even to win possession, let alone create chances.

The third goal came as an embarrassment to the defence and keeper, as they all missed a Frings free-kick from wide on the left, watching the ball sail past them and into the net.

Germany's night was spoiled somewhat when Streller was allowed space to reach a Lahm pass ahead of Christoph Metzelder and beat Jens Lehmann on the turn.

"That was something of a cold shower for us," said Swiss coach Koebi Kuhn. "Of course we were playing against top class opposition but we can't afford to lose the ball so often."

Ireland scrape narrow victory

Meanwhile, a last-gasp stoppage-time winner from Stephen Ireland gave the Republic of Ireland a narrow 2-1 victory over European minnows San Marino in a Euro 2008 Group D qualifier.

San Marino seemed set to take their first ever point in a European Championship qualifying match when Michele Marani equalised four minutes from time after Kevin Kilbane had given the visitors the lead.

But the Irish were saved from embarrassment when Manchester City midfielder Ireland tapped home from close range with the referee just seconds away from blowing his whistle.

Kilbane put Republic ahead four minutes after half time with a powerful close-range header from a Steve Finnan cross.

But Marani levelled the score after a defensive mix-up between Republic keeper Wayne Henderson and Richard Dunne.

Anthony Stokes shot wide for the Republic before Ireland pounced at the death to snatch all three points.

The win moved the Republic up to third in Group D on seven points, three points behind Germany and the Czech Republic who have both played a game less.

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