Kuranyi sinks Stuttgart in League Cup final

Schalke 04 striker Kevin Kuranyi stole the headlines by scoring the winning and only goal before being sent off in a bad-tempered German League Cup final against his former club VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday.

After going ahead in the 10th minute, Schalke were unable to extend their lead and finished the game with nine players after Kuranyi was dismissed for kneeing Stuttgart midfielder Silvio Meissner in the groin and Lincoln was red carded for spitting.

An early error by Stuttgart's Portuguese defender Fernando Meira let in Schalke's Brazilian midfielder Lincoln, whose clinical pass picked out Kuranyi who beat Stuttgart keeper Timo Hildebrand with a rasping shot from 14 metres.

Schalke dominated the first half, with Kuranyi and Bordon going close for last season's Bundesliga runners-up.

After the break, Stuttgart coach Giovanni Trapattoni sent on new signing Denmark striker Jon Dahl Tomasson, Kuranyi's replacement at the club, but the Gelsenkirchen outfit were rarely troubled.

Stuttgart pressed forward in search of an equaliser but, apart from a long-range effort by midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger six minutes from time, it was Schalke who came closest to scoring after Kuranyi's dismissal in the 66th minute.

As the game entered injury time, Hitzlsperger clashed with Lincoln while attempting to get the ball back for a throw-in.

In response, the Brazilian spat in Hitzlsperger's face and was dismissed by referee Lutz Wagner.