It146;s bad news, Rooney

Ballack was taken off with an ankle sprain after taking an awkward step midway the first half of a practice game against Servette Geneva under-18s on Thursday. Germany are likely to be without their captain in the World Cup warm-up match against Luxembourg in Freiburg Saturday. The injury was not serious but Juergen Klinsmann is highly unlikely to risk his most influential player against Luxembourg.

Rooney8217;s scan report came and the metatarsal didn8217;t look too good. Manchester United said Rooney would have another scan on June 14, meaning he will definitely miss England8217;s World Cup opener against Paraguay four days earlier and second game against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15. Rooney is also almost certain to miss England8217;s final Group E game against Sweden on June 20, but could possibly be ready for the subsequent knockout stages starting June 24-25 8211; if the team gets that far.

Man U manager Alex Ferguson, who has seemed at odds with England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson over Rooney8217;s chance of playing, said the next scan would be crucial. 8220;Hopefully, by June 14 the fracture will have healed,8221; Ferguson said. 8220;If not, it will be impossible. There has to be an improvement. There has to be a complete recovery.8221;

German coach Klinsmann has had his squad together since May 16 and with two weeks to go before the opening match of the World Cup against Costa Rica on June 9, the coach will be not bargain for any risk. After taking on Luxembourg, Germany return to Geneva before the final two dress rehearsals against Japan at Leverkusen on May 30 and Colombia at Moenchengladbach on June 2.

Germany also face Poland and Ecuador in Group A of the 32-team tournament.

ANOTHER SCAN

8226; United said in a statement on Friday that a scan showed the metatarsal break was healing as expected but another would be needed on June 14. 8220;Manchester United has received the results from Wayne Rooney8217;s CT scan performed Thursday and can confirm findings consistent with an injury four weeks old,8221; United said. 8220;His injury is progressing as expected and we now hope to gradually increase his rehabilitation as planned.8221; Rooney was injured in a Premier League match at Chelsea on April 29.

Thursday8217;s scan followed weeks of anxious speculation about Rooney8217;s chances of joining the squad in Germany, where England are bidding for their first major trophy since winning the World Cup in 1966.

Rooney has been vital to England8217;s attack since becoming the youngest player to play for his country as a 17-year-old in 2003 and going on to become its youngest scorer later that year in a Euro 2004 qualifier.

8220;We8217;re still hoping that the second scan will show further improvement and that Wayne can play his part in the World Cup,8221; said England coach Eriksson. Under FIFA rules, the Swede can replace Rooney in the squad up to 24 hours before the Paraguay game.

GREEN FADES

8226; England keeper Robert Green is virtually certain to miss the World Cup after suffering a serious groin injury in their B international against Belarus on Thursday. 8220;It8217;s bad news 8212; almost for sure he is out of the World Cup,8221; coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said of England8217;s third-choice keeper behind David James and first-choice Paul Robinson.

8220;They8217;re going to do a scan on him tomorrow but it8217;s just to confirm that he8217;s out. It8217;s a bad groin injury,8221; Eriksson told a news conference after his team8217;s 1-2 defeat.

Liverpool8217;s Scott Carson, England8217;s standby keeper for Germany, took over between the posts at Reading and will now be promoted into the World Cup squad.

Green suffered the injury as he tried to take a goal kick in the 50th minute, five minutes after taking over from James for the second half. He collapsed in agony as his left leg gave way and he left the pitch distraught on a stretcher.

His miscued kick went to Belarus forward Vitaly Kutuzov who, with Green lying flat out in the box, knocked the ball into an empty net 8212; to boos from an angry crowd.