Friday June 18th

Group D

Serbs celebrate German off day

Serbia 1 Germany 0 (Port Elizabeth)
A sending off and missed penalty helped Serbia to a famous victory over Germany. Klose received a second yellow for a soft foul in the 36th minute and 2 minutes later a cross from the by-line was headed down by Zigic for Jovanovic to lash home from close range. A corner was punched away by Stojkovic as far as Khedira in the box in first-half stoppage time, but he smashed it against the underside of the bar. Podolski got through on goal in the 57th minute but dragged it wide, and hammered the ball into the side-netting 2 minutes later, but the main chance for Germany came on the hour when Vidic handled unnecessarily in the penalty area but Stojkovic saved Podolski's spot kick. Serbia almost went further ahead in the 66th minute when Krasic squared the ball to Jovanovic who side-footed it off the post, but his goal in the first half was enough to give Serbia 3 points.

Group C

American fight-back denies Slovenia

Slovenia 2 USA 2 (Johannesburg)

The USA came from 2 down to salvage a hard-earned point against Slovenia who were 8 minutes from the next round Birsa beat Howard with a stunning shot in the 13th minute to give Slovenia the lead, but the Americans came close when Torres lashed in a free-kick forcing Handanovic to get down to his left making a good save in the 36th minute, and in the 40th minute when a pass from Dempsey to Donovan across the face of goal was stolen off his toes, before Novakovic sent Ljubijankic towards goal for him to coolly pass the ball into the net 3 minutes from the break. Landon Donovan got a goal back for the USA 2 minutes after the interval when he took advantage of a defensive slip and ran into the box smashing his angled shot into the roof of the net. The Americans pushed for an equaliser firing several times at the Slovenian keeper but got their breakthrough in the 82nd minute when a long ball into the box was headed down by Altidore for Bradley to poke into the roof of the net. A third American goal by Edu was controversially disallowed 4 minutes from time.

Group C

Lacklustre England held by Algeria

England 0 Algeria 0 (Cape Town)

Algeria held a nervous England to a goalless draw. A defensive header from a cross in the 33rd minute fell to Lampard, but Mbohli did well to get down and save his shot. Other England shots in the first half didn't trouble the Algerian keeper. In the 2nd half England continued to play ineffective football hoping not to be punished by an Algerian side ready to pounce, and came closest 20 minutes from time when Heskey had his shot across the face of goal blocked by a sliding defender and Gerrarld headed powerfully from the corner into the grasp of the keeper. England will need to show much improvement in their final group match against Slovenia on Wednesday.