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IBARAKI, Japan (Ticker) -- Miroslav Klose will try to maintain his torrid scoring pace on Wednesday when Germany meets Ireland in a Group E clash. Klose recorded a hat trick and Germany scored the most goals in a World Cup match in its distinguished history en route to Saturday's 8-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia. That matched the fourth biggest win in World Cup history. Klose notched his third hat trick for Germany, improving his international tally to an astonishing 11 goals in 13 matches. The 23-year-old Kaiserslautern striker already has been compared to World Cup legend Gerd Muller, who owns the record for most goals scored by a German player in a World Cup, netting 10 in 1970 at Mexico. "Miro always sweats blood for us and he always throws himself into the fray," Germany coach Rudi Voller told Frankfurter Allgemeine. "Gerd Muller's scoring rate will never be equaled. I know because I tried myself in my playing days and I failed." Carsten Ramelow and Marko Rehmer also have been declared fit for the Ireland match. Ramelow, a midfielder with Bayer Leverkusen, was replaced at halftime against the Saudis due to a strained right thigh muscle. Rehmer, a defender with Hertha Berlin, has recovered after pulling a muscle in a pre-tournament warmup match. The injury news also is good for Ireland. Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given is expected to take the field despite suffering a hip injury in the Irish team's 1-1 draw with Cameroon on Saturday. Defenders Gary Breen and Steve Finnan are reported to be fine despite having a hamstring injury with a groin strain, respectively. The match is sure to a memorable one for Irish defender Steve Staunton. Not only will he captain his national team -- replacing the dismissed Roy Keane -- in its first World Cup encounter against mighty Germany, but he also will become the first player to pick up his 100th cap for Ireland. Ireland looks for forwards Robbie Keane and Damien Duff to open their respective World Cup accounts. Both worked hard throughout the Cameroon match, but the Irish may need more than Robbie Keane's late shot, which smacked the post, when they play a German side which has rediscovered its confidence. The Germans and the Irish last met in a 1994 friendly, when Ireland posted a 2-0 win. But Germany owns the edge in their all-time series with a 7-6-2 mark. |
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