Germans bank on Mueller’s magic

GERMANY need to find their cutting edge. More specifically, Thomas Mueller does.

Though they are unbeaten in their three games at the European Championship, the world champions have struggled to convert their chances. That was particularly evident in their final group match against Northern Ireland when Germany had 26 efforts on goal but converted only one through Mario Gomez.

Still, the 1-0 victory was enough for the team to progress to the round of 16. Their reward, a seemingly straightforward match against Slovakia in the northern French city of Lille tomorrow.

Coach Joachim Loew knows there’s a problem and has juggled his front line during the tournament, introducing Gomez into the team for the match against Northern Ireland. Though the rejigged attack created a lot more and showed more fluency, Loew said he’s ‘‘not happy with the goalconversion rate’’.

One puzzle is the performance of Mueller, who has yet to score in eight games over two European Championships. He arrived in France following his best season yet for Bayern Munich, scoring 32 goals and setting up 12 others, helping his team to win the Bundesliga and German Cup double.

‘‘I’m not worried,’’ Loew said of the forward who contributed nine of Germany’s 24 goals in qualifying. If he hadn’t any chances, I’d have had to have a couple more thoughts on how we’d solve it. But as soon as a forward has chances it’s a good sign. He was close. I think it’ll work out the next time.’’

Slovakia, who defeated Germany 3-1 in a pre-tournament friendly in Augsburg on May 29, also have injury worries after coming through as one of the four best third-place finishers behind Wales and England in Group B.

Also tomorrow, France face the Irish in a last-16 clash in which the host nation will start as heavy favourites.

However, the Irish will take extra motivation from the Thierry Henry drama at the Stade de France in 2009, that ruined Ireland’s chances of a World Cup appearance.

‘‘It is absolutely [extra motivation], but we’ve got all the motivation in the world here regardless of that, we’ve got a side that are prepared and actually love playing for their country and that’s very, very important. It’s a driving force,’’ Ireland manager Martin O’Neill told reporters.

His assistant, Roy Keane, believes the team has the qualities to trouble the French, who have been remarkably quiet on the Henry incident.

‘‘It’s massive game against France who will be red-hot favourites,’’ he said, adding that Ireland’s goal was to create another bit of history.

France coach Didier