Benjamin Lauth, one of Germany’s most promising young strikers, scored the last two goals to lead his national team to a 4-2 victory over an All-Star selection of foreign players in the Bundesliga in a charity match yesterday. Lauth, 21, is among a crop of rapidly rising forwards that could give Germany a formidable strike force at the 2006 World Cup at home. The match suffered from a lot of no-shows from both sides and included many second-stringers, especially among the foreigners, coached by Berlin’s Huub Stevens, a Dutchman.Still, nearly 40,000 fans came to see the match at the Schalke arena and the game raised 3.5 million Euro for the victims of the catastrophic floods in August.Jens Jeremies shot Germany ahead after 22 minutes, driving a powerful shot from more than 20 meters into the roof of the net after a poor clearance by the All-Star side.Oliver Kahn need all his experience to block an effort by Ebbe Sand, Schalke’s Danish striker. The first half produced some pleasant soccer but little excitement in front of the nets, with the All-Star side having more possession at the start of the match and Rudi Voeller’s World Cup runners-up squad in control after gaining the lead. Just three minutes into the second half, Hertha Berlin’s midfielder Brazilian midfielder Marcelinho tied the score, intercepting a weak clearance by his Berlin teammate on the German side, Marco Rehmer.In the 63rd, striker Miroslav Klose, who led Germany with five goals at the World Cup, made it 2-1 with a good volley from close range.Jan Koller, the towering Czech forward, controlled a cross with his chest in the 68th and then blasted the ball past his Borussia Dortmund teammate Jens Lehmann, who replaced Kahn in Germany’s goal in the second half.Not a full minute later, Lauth restored Germany’s lead for good with a spectacular overhead bicycle kick.
