PREVIEW: Klose reaches Germany decade against Kazakhstan

Mar 24, 2011, 12:03 GMT

Kaiserslautern, Germany - Veteran striker Miroslav Klose completes a decade in the Germany shirt on Saturday in the stadium where he earned his maiden cap.

Klose, 32, is set for his 107th appearance when Germany take a perfect 4-0 record in Euro 2012 Group A qualifying onto the Kaiserslautern pitch against Kazakhstan.

The Poland-born Klose started his Bundesliga career at Kaiserslautern in 2000 and played his first Germany game there as well, on March 24, 2001. He was an instant hit, scoring a late 2-1 winner against Albania.

'First cap, first goal, it was like a dream,' Klose told the Bild newspaper earlier in the week.

Ten years, 106 caps and 59 goals later, Klose may only be an eternal reserve player at Bayern Munich, but national team coach Joachim Loew never lost faith in him.

Team-mate Mesut Oezil named Klose 'a world class player' and Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff said it was 'impressive how Miro presents himself (at the national team) and puts aside the difficult times at the club.'

Only Lothar Matthaeus (150) and Juergen Klinsmann (108) have more caps and Klose is just nine goals shy of Gerd Mueller's German record 59 goals he hopes to reach at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

'Maybe it will work out at Euro next year. That is my aim,' said Klose, who has no retirement plans and doesn't even rule out an appearance at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Klose will lead the attack for the hosts who are big favourites against the former Soviet republic they beat 3-0 in the first meeting.

'It is our aim to dictate the game and to win it, of course,' said the Real Madrid star Oezil.

Loew has all players on board apart from injured reserve goalkeeper Rene Adler. Veteran midfielder Michael Ballack was not picked for the squad.

Kazakhstan have geared up for the game in Germany since March 18 under their new Czech coach Miroslav Baranek, who has to make do without six injured key players led by captain Andrei Karpovich.

Baranek, whose team has zero points and goals from four games, has no illusions about the outcome because of the different pace.

'We can only play in second gear while the Germans are in fifth gear,' he said.

Saturday's German lineup will be a familiar one with the likes of Klose, Oezil, Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Mueller. Loew then plans to give several youngsters a chance in Tuesday's friendly against Austrlia.

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