Soccer-World-It's Swede only on the menu

BREMEN, Germany, June 22 (Reuters) Hosts Germany have been nothing but friendly to the Sweden team since the fierce European rivals discovered they would meet in the World Cup second round -- but the Swedes are taking no chances.

Goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson today said they were only eating what their Swedish cook prepared at the team hotel in the centre of Bremen and steering clear of German cuisine.

''We have a Swedish cook for security,'' Isaksson told Reuters.

A case of suspected food poisoning hit 10 Tottenham Hotspur players before their final Premier League match last month against West Ham but it turned out to be a virus. The players were struck down after a buffet meal at the team hotel.

Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said he detected no change in the climate in Germany towards his team. They have been based in Bremen for three weeks, a city that warmly embraced the team. Swedish flags adorn many shops and buildings throughout Bremen.

''It's hard for me to say,'' Lagerback said when asked if Germans had turned frosty. ''I'm almost never outside the hotel. With the Germans I meet at the hotel there is no difference. They are still very kind.'' Germany and Sweden have played many bitter matches since their first meeting in 1911.

ANGRY GERMANS After hosts Sweden beat West Germany in the 1958 semi-final 3-1 in Gothenburg, angry Germans refused to sell Swedish tourists petrol and Swedish food was taken off restaurant menus.

''Everybody's been nice here so far,'' said Isaksson, 24, when asked if the climate in Bremen had grown frosty since the two ended up paired for Saturday's round-of-16 match in Munich. ''So far, it's been very good.'' The 1.99-metre goalkeeper on Thursday acknowledged Germany have a dangerous goalscorer in Miroslav Klose. Isaksson had been widely quoted in German newspapers this week saying he did not know the man with four World Cup goals in three matches.

''Who is that?'' Isaksson had said after Sweden's 2-2 draw against England in the final Group B match.

But by Thursday he had done some homework.

''He's scored four goals so far in this tournament,'' said the Swede, who missed his team's first match against Trinidad&Tobago after suffering concussion.

''We have to do the best we can to stop him.'' REUTERS SB KN2242