Ballack, two others to miss Germany's friendly

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -Captain Michael Ballack and two other midfielders, Torsten Frings and Jermaine Jones, will miss Germany's friendly against Belgium on Wednesday because of injuries. Ballack was injured in Chelsea's 4-0 win Sunday over Portsmouth and left the game in the first half. Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said Ballack suffered an ankle injury, but the German football federation in Frankfurt said the captain had a "bruised foot,'' and that he would have a scan Monday, once the swelling had gone down. Ballack called coach Joachim Loew Sunday afternoon to say he would not be available for Wednesday's game in Nuremberg, the federation said. Frings and Jones were injured in their team's Bundesliga openers Saturday. Werder Bremen's Frings is out with a hamstring problem sustained in the 2-2 draw at Arminia... [read full story]