World Cup Digest

A round up of today's World Cup stories

Ballack given break:

GERMANY: The host nation's captain, Michael Ballack, missed training as a precaution yesterday after straining his right calf muscle.

Ballack remained at the team hotel for a solo fitness session, a spokesman for the German Football Association said.

"It's a precautionary measure because the players will be doing sprints in the main session," the spokesman said.

Germany play Costa Rica in the opening match of the World Cup in Munich on Friday.

Ballack has scored 31 goals in 65 internationals and his form and fitness are crucial to Germany's chance of a home success in the tournament, which runs until July 9th.

Shevchenko to be fit

UKRAINE: The World Cup debutants warmed up for the finals with a 3-0 friendly victory over Libya in the Swiss town of Gossau yesterday.

Volodymir Yezersky headed the first from a 49th-minute corner before Olexiy Belik and Andriy Vorobei added two late goals.

Ukraine captain Andriy Shevchenko, recuperating from a knee injury he sustained last month, did not play.

The 2004 European Footballer of the Year, who joined English champions Chelsea from AC Milan last week, is expected to be fit for his team's World Cup opener against Spain on June 14th.

Ukraine's other Group H opponents are Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

Ukraine face Luxembourg in their final warm-up on Thursday.

Gomes recovers

PORTUGAL: Nuno Gomes and Luis Boa Morte have recovered from injury and are on course to play in Portugal's opener against Angola in Cologne on Sunday. Winger Boa Morte and striker Gomes missed the recent warm-up matches against Cape Verde and Luxembourg due to slight injuries.

"We have no muscle injuries, no players with muscle complaints," team doctor Henreque Jones said.

SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO: Striker Mateja Kezman has recovered from a knee injury and returned to training yesterday after passing a fitness test.

Kezman was injured after a clash with centre back Nemanja Vidic in training on Saturday and the damage initially looked serious as he was carried off the ground.

Fears for Linderoth

SWEDEN: Defensive midfielder Tobias Linderoth missed Sweden's training session yesterday with a pulled hamstring while goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson has recovered from a minor back injury.

"Isaksson trained today while we left Linderoth in the hotel just as a precaution because the tournament is getting closer," coach Lars Lagerback said.

PARAGUAY: Fifa has launched an investigation into claims that World Cup tickets designated officially to Paraguay have been put on general sale.

General secretary Urs Linsi confirmed yesterday that following "rumours and reports", he had written to the Paraguay federation.

Hard line to be played

REFEREES: Match officials will clamp down on elbowing, dangerous tackles and diving to allow matches to flow, they said yesterday.

Sometimes criticised for failing to adequately punish serious foul play, referees are under instructions from Fifa to ensure such problems do not spoil the tournament.

"Protecting skilful players is the main thing," English referee Graham Poll said yesterday. "You want to see the best players playing the best football at the world's biggest sporting event. And referees have got to play their part."

Referees have been given recordings of matches played by the teams they will be in charge of so they can become familiar with the different playing styles and formations.