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Germans Top Swiss 3-1

DW staff / DPA (sms)February 7, 2007

German national soccer team coach Joachim Löw continued his impressive run as Germany coach with a 3-1 victory against Euro 2008 co-hosts Switzerland in a friendly match in Düsseldorf on Wednesday.

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The Swiss looked best when Germany was up two goals and taking it easyImage: AP

Löw took over from Jürgen Klinsmann after Germany finished third at their home World Cup last year and has since taken the team to six victories and one draw.

Goals by Kevin Kuranyi, Mario Gomez and Torsten Frings set up a comfortable 3-0 lead before Marco Streller pulled one back for the Swiss in the 71st minute.

Schalke 04 striker Kuranyi, who was playing his first game for Germany in 15 months after being left off the World Cup roster, opened the scoring for the home side in the 7th minute with a low diving header.

Deutschland gegen Schweiz, Ballack
German captain Michael Ballack's shot set up Kuranyi's goalImage: AP

He was kicked in the head as he scored and had to receive treatment for a bleeding head wound at the side of the field, but could return to action shortly afterwards.

New cap Gomez added his name to the score sheet -- and probably earned an exclamation point next to his name on Löw's list, on the half hour with a glancing header past Diego Benaglio from a cross by Clemens Fritz.

Germany began the second half less forcefully and sat back much more allowing the Swiss to have more of the game.

Somewhat against the run of play they put the game beyond the visitors in the 66th minute though with a rather fortuitous goal.

Werder Bremen midfielder Torsten Frings' freekick from well outside the area was missed by friend and foe alike and Benaglio should have done better, but the ball curled past him into the goal.

The German defense gifted their opponents a goal in the 71st minute, when Philipp Lahm played the ball back, Per Mertesacker missed it and VfB Stuttgart's Streller took the ball around goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and toed it into the back of the net from close range.