On a busy day of international friendlies featuring 11 of the 32 nations competing in next month's finals, the hosts got in some much-needed shooting practise against a side ranked 152nd in the FIFA [ Images ] rankings.

Miroslav Klose [ Images ], Lukas Podolski and Oliver Neuville all grabbed a couple of goals to raise the feel-good factor in Juergen Klinsmann's squad.

Germany captain Ballack missed the friendly in Freiburg, still nursing a strained ankle which he sustained in Thursday's workout against Servette Geneva's under-18s.

"It did us some good," said Klinsmann. "It was a small but important test and we got going straight away."

Argentina, who are among the favourites for the tournament, are resigned to possibly being without teenage sensation Lionel Messi [ Images ] for their first game against the Ivory Coast on June 10.

The 18-year-old Barcelona [ Images ] player, who has not played competitively since damaging a thigh muscle against Chelsea [ Images ] in the Champions League [ Images ] in March, arrived in Rome with the Argentina squad on Friday.

"Today, I don't think I'll be in the team," Messi said on Saturday. "I know I still have some way to go...I think I'll get into the rhythm in the time left."

Ivory Coast came from behind to draw 1-1 with Switzerland [ Images ] in their warm-up in Basel. Emerse Fae equalised in the 47th minute after the Swiss, who are in Group G in Germany along with France [ Images ], had gone ahead through Tranquillo Barnetta.

Another of Argentina's opponents in Group C, Serbia & Montenegro, suffered a blow on Saturday when striker Mirko Vucinic was ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury.

The Lecce player, very much the understudy for Mateja Kezman, picked up the injury on Tuesday in the under-21 team's opening game against Germany at the European championship in Portugal.

Coach Ilija Petkovic said he will name a replacement in a few days.

The pick of Saturday's later friendly internationals included France against Mexico, Serbia & Montenegro against Uruguay, Spain versus Russia [ Images ] and the Netherlands against Cameroon.