PREVIEW-Soccer-Germany confident despite Klose concern

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BERLIN, June 4 (Reuters) - A nagging doubt about the form of Miroslav Klose will be the only concern for coach Joachim Loew as Germany prepare to face Slovakia in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Hamburg on Wednesday.

Germany beat San Marino 6-0 on Saturday to move two points clear of the Czech Republic and three ahead of Ireland in Group D, and with a game in hand on both.

Despite the emphatic scoreline it was not the most convincing of wins. It was only in the final minute of the first half that Germany broke the deadlock against a side they beat 13-0 in September.

Klose looked out of touch, as he did over the closing weeks of the season for Werder Bremen, while strike partner Kevin Kuranyi was not much better.

The gloss on the scoreline came from Mario Gomez, who came off the bench to score twice in the second half.

Despite his dazzling display, Loew has promised to keep faith with Klose, meaning Gomez, the 21-year-old VfB Stuttgart striker, will have to make do with a place among the substitutes once again.

If Klose can rediscover anything like the form he showed when finishing top scorer at the World Cup last year Germany should have few problems seeing off Slovakia, who are in fourth place in the group, seven points behind them.

Germany beat Slovakia 4-1 in Bratislava in October and even though all their goalscorers from that night are injured -- Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger -- Loew is optimistic.

"Slovakia will be a very defensive opponent, just as San Marino were," Loew told reporters. "We need to take our chances and be more determined and I'm sure we can do that."

Slovakia's hopes of getting back into contention for a place in the finals in Switzerland and Austria have been hit by the absence of Marek Mintal after the striker was injured playing in Nuremberg's German Cup final win over Stuttgart.

The Slovaks will also be without Nuremberg midfielder Vratislav Gresko, Saturn Moscow striker Martin Jakubko, Porto defender Marek Cech, Glasgow Rangers striker Filip Sebo and Slovan Liberec defender Peter Singlar.

Germany: Jens Lehmann; Philipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker, Christoph Metzelder, Marcell Jansen; Clemens Fritz, Torsten Frings, Bernd Schneider, Thomas Hitzlsperger; Miroslav Klose, Kevin Kuranyi

Slovakia: To be announced.

Keywords: SOCCER EURO/GERMANY