Soccer-Second-string Germany lose 3-1 to Slovaks in Euro warm-up

AUGSBURG, Germany, May 29 (Reuters) - A second-string Germany side suffered a 3-1 Euro 2016 warm-up washout to Slovakia on Sunday as heavy rain threatened to force the encounter to be scrapped in the second half. The Slovaks recovered from a goal down, scored by forward Mario Gomez from the penalty spot, to win the friendly thanks to goals from Marek Hamsik, Michal Duris and Juraj Kucka. World Cup winners Germany, facing Poland, Ukraine and Northern Ireland in Group C next month in France, imploded after a solid start, suffering a third loss in four matches. Germany coach Joachim Loew rested several key players, including Thomas Mueller, Marco Reus and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, giving several youngsters a chance to impress him ahead of the final 23-man squad announcement on May 31. Gomez put Germany ahead after 13 minutes, though the hosts deserved more in a dominant first period despite also missing injured captain Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mats Hummels plus Real Madrid's newly-crowned Champions League winner Toni Kroos. The visitors struck late in the half with their first two chances as Germany's makeshift defence was caught napping. Marek Hamsik found far too much space, with central defender Jerome Boateng hesitating at the edge of the box, and unleashed a fierce shot past keeper Bernd Leno after 41 minutes. Michal Duris' glancing header at the near post two minutes later put Slovakia, who have been drawn in Group B along with England, Russia and Wales, ahead. Heavy rain and lightning delayed the start of the second half by about 20 minutes as Leno made way for Marc-Andre ter Stegen in Germany's goal. But things did not improve under the Barcelona keeper, who let a weak Juraj Kucka shot slide through his legs seven minutes after the restart to complete a soggy evening for the 2014 world champions, who play Hungary in their final warm-up next week. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Ken Ferris)