Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez and Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes have both pulled out of the Germany squad for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan.

Wayne Rooney is “match fit” but Sven-Goran Eriksson has yet to decide if he could play against Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow.

Hamburg’s hopes of hanging onto the coat-tails of runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich were dashed as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to lowly Nuremberg.