Injury threatens Klose award hopes

BERLIN, July 6 (Reuters) Miroslav Klose's hopes of clinching the award for top goalscorer at the World Cup in Saturday's third place match could be hit by injury.

Klose has scored five times for beaten semi-finalists Germany, giving him a two-goal lead over team mate Lukas Podolski and France's Thierry Henry, who will play in Sunday's final.

A goal in Germany's game against Portugal in Stuttgart would make all but certain of the golden shoe award for Klose but the 28-year-old said today he was a doubt for the match.

''I have pain in the calf muscle,'' Klose said at a news conference today. ''We'll have to see how it is on match day.

''I do want to play but if it makes no sense I'll sit the game out.'' Germany defender Per Mertesacker will definitely miss the match. He will undergo surgery on his injured foot this week, the German Football Association said.

REUTERS AY RK1816