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Mario Gomez has been ruled out of Germany's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan on Friday after picking up a thigh strain in training.
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• Gomez: Strikers like me essential
Gomez, 27, may still have a chance of featuring in the return fixture in Nuremberg on Tuesday, though, after being told to rest for a few days.
The injury leaves Germany coach Joachim Low with just one striker in Lukas Podolski, as Miroslav Klose is sidelined due to injury and Stefan Kiessling was left out of the squad.
Low, however, looks likely to deploy a system in Astana without forwards, instead giving Mario Gotze and Marco Reus free roles as attacking midfielders.
Germany will be looking to extend their three-point lead over Sweden at the top of Group C with victory in Kazakhstan.
Information from the Press Association was used in this report