Ballack set to miss Japan friendly

GENEVA, May 29 (Reuters) Juergen Klinsmann has hinted strongly that Michael Ballack will miss Germany's penultimate World Cup warm-up against Japan tomorrow.

''We'll talk to the doctor and see if he can play, or if it's better to wait two or three days,'' Klinsmann said at a news conference today.

''But in no circumstances will we take a risk.'' Ballack suffered what was thought to be just a minor ankle strain in a training match last Thursday but it was sufficiently painful for him to miss Saturday's 7-0 win over Luxembourg in Freiburg.

He was due to return to at least light training today but time is running out for him to play the Japan game in Leverkusen.

Germany play the opening match of the World Cup against Costa Rica in Munich on June 9 and also face Poland and Ecuador in Group A. Their final international match before the World Cup is against Colombia in Moenchengladbach on June 2.

REUTERS PG PC1759