Summary
RANGERS hopes of Champions League progression have been heightened by the news that Stuttgarts top scorer Mario Gomez is almost certainly out of Tuesdays clash. Gomez picked up a back injury in Germanys Euro 2008 qualifier with Wales in midweek but was deemed fit to start in Frankfurts Commerzbank Arena as Stuttgarts recent revival continued with an emphatic 4-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. The 22-year-old forward lasted just 40 minutes before succumbing to the pain and coach Armin Veh admitted: He had a problem before the game but we asked him to go out and do his best. Gomez was substituted barely 60 seconds before Eintracht took the lead through Benjamin Kohler. The impressive Roberto Hilbert equalised right on half-time and soon after the break set up Gomezs replacement, Ciprian Marica, for a near-post finish.
Thomas Hitzlsperger applied a cool third and, with the very last touch of the ball, Cacau completed a rout which made it four Bundesliga wins on the bounce. Having sorted themselves out domestically, Stuttgart will now look to try to put their first Champions League points on the board. With European advancement impossible, the Bundesliga is now a priority and its inconceivable that Gomez, who had scored six goals in his previous four club games and, indeed, bagged the Germans goal in their 2-1 defeat at Ibrox earlier in the season, will be risked against Rangers. They coped yesterday, however. This may have been a match between two teams in mid-table but the gulf in class was tangible. Eintracht, who had former Rangers stopper Sotirios Kyrgiakos in defence, could not cope with Stuttgarts midfield play and, in particular, the penetrative runs frequently made by stand-out performers Hitzlsperger and Hilbert.See the full content of this document
Extract
Germans Ooze Class in Victory, but Gomez Is Laid Low
Kyrgiakos said: Stuttga...
See the full content of this document
Sponsored links
