Michael Ballack set to miss Germany friendly

GENEVA, May 26: Germany are likely to be without captain Michael Ballack in their World Cup warm-up match against Luxembourg in Freiburg tomorrow (kick-off 1500 GMT).

Ballack was taken off with an ankle sprain after taking an awkward step midway through the first half of a practice game against Servette Geneva under-18s yesterday.

The injury was not serious but Juergen Klinsmann is highly unlikely to risk his most influential player against Luxembourg.

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 keen to see tactical improvements.

The hosts laboured to a 2-1 win over Servette's senior team in their first practice match in Geneva this week. They then beat the juniors 12-0 on Thursday but a clash that was literally men against boys hardly proved much.

''We need these international games,'' striker Miroslav Klose said. ''There's a lot to work on in terms of our tactics.

''There are some things you just can't do in training, like perfecting the way we press.'' The result should not be in much doubt on Saturday. Germany have won 11 of the 12 internationals they have played against Luxembourg, who have a world ranking of 152, 133 places behind the World Cup hosts.

After taking on Luxembourg, Germany return to Geneva before the final two dress rehearsals against Japan in Leverkusen on May 30 and Colombia in Moenchengladbach on June 2.

Germany also face Poland and Ecuador in Group A of the 32-team tournament, which runs until July 9.

Probable Germany team: 1-Jens Lehmann; 3-Arne Friedrich, 4-Robert Huth, 17-Christoph Metzelder, 2-Marcell Jansen; 19-Bernd Schneider, 5-Sebastian Kehl, 18-Tim Borowski, 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger; 11-Miroslav Klose, 20-Lukas Podolski.

Referee: Rene Rogalla (Switzerland)

REUTERS