DORTMUND // Germany's crucial 2-1 win over Russia lost some lustre today when the striker Kevin Kuranyi was kicked off the national team by coach Joachim Loew after disappearing during the match. The Schalke striker was not included in Loew's 18-man squad for Saturday's game and watched the first half from the stands. He disappeared during half-time and had his belongings picked up overnight from the team hotel.
"I cannot accept Kevin's reaction and I will not call him to the national team in the future," Loew said today. "We are all stunned, it was a surprise to all of us." Kuranyi was once Germany's darling striker, but he was overlooked by the former coach Juergen Klinsmann and did not make the cut for the 2006 World Cup held in Germany. The striker was recalled for the Euro 2008 tournament in June but did not make much of an impression and his form has been in decline ever since.
After being told he would not even be on the bench for the game against Russia, Kuranyi talked to Loew and expressed his disappointment, the coach confirmed. Loew refused to let the incident sour the team's mood after the win over Russia ? thanks to goals from Lukas Podolski and captain Michael Ballack. Russia pulled a goal back from Andrei Arshavin early in the second half and did come close to equalising several times.
*AP
