Klose returns for clash with Wales

BERLIN, Germany -- Germany coach Joachim Loew is able to welcome back several key players including striker Miroslav Klose for the Euro 2008 qualifier against Wales in Cardiff.

Klose, the top scorer at last year's World Cup, was among several players unavailable for Germany's 2-1 win over England at Wembley on August 22 after he strained knee ligaments.

The Bayern Munich marksman is back in the 22-man squad for the Group D qualifier on September 8 at the Millennium Stadium and the friendly against Romania in Cologne on September 12.

Loew is still without several first-choice players, including Chelsea's Michael Ballack and Bremen's Torsten Frings, but has welcomed back four Bayern Munich men -- Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski and Marcell Jansen, plus Klose.

"It is very pleasing to have so many of our first-choice players back for such an important match against Wales," said Loew.

And there is also a place for Germany's player of the year Mario Gomez, after the 22-year-old striker recovered from the leg injury which had restricted his Bundesliga appearances this season.

Bayern's Philipp Lahm is expected to captain the side with Bayer Levekusen's Bernd Schneider serving a one-match suspension for the Cardiff match.

Three goalkeepers have been named because first choice Jens Lehmann of Arsenal is battling to shake off an Achilles tendon injury and Valencia's Timo Hildebrand could be promoted, with Hanover's Robert Enke on the bench.

Germany lead Group D by five points, with Wales fifth and the Germans are odds-on favorites to reach the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland next summer.

But the Welsh showed some spark in their 1-0 win friendly win in Bulgaria with Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Freddy Eastwood scoring the winning goal on his debut.

Germany squad:

Goalkeepers: Timo Hildebrand (Valencia), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Robert Enke (Hanover)

Defenders: Gonzalo Castro (Bayer Leverkusen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Manuel Friedrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid), Christian Pander (Schalke), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart)

Midfielders: Robert Hilbert (Stuttgart), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Cologne), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich) E-mail to a friend