England's Theo Walcott (centre) competes for the ball with Sergei Shtanyuk (left) and Aliaksandr Shahoika of Belarus during their friendly international soccer match at the Madejski Stadium in Reading, yesterday. Belarus won 2-1. - REUTERS
LONDON, (REUTERS)
ENGLAND SUFFERED A double blow in their build-up to the World Cup finals on Thursday when keeper Robert Green playing for England B suffered a serious injury during a 2-1 defeat by 10-man Belarus.
Jermaine Jenas put England ahead in the 35th minute, but Vitaly Kutuzov struck a freak equaliser five minutes after the break when Green, England's third-choice keeper, collapsed in agony with a suspected groin injury as he took a goal-kick.
The miscued kick went straight to the Belarus forward who, with Green lying on the floor, sent the ball into an empty net.
Green, a second half substitute for David James, was carried off on a stretcher grimacing with pain.
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who will hear today about Wayne Rooney's likely chances of making the finals, confirmed Green would almost certainly miss the tournament.
Belarus were reduced to 10 men in the 73rd minute after Sergei Omelyanchuk was shown a red card, but it did not prevent substitute Sergei Kornilenko from scoring an 80th minute winner.
On the other side of the world, Australia defeated European champions Greece 1-0 before a record 95,000 crowd for a soccer match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in a rousing send-off to their first World Cup finals for 32 years.
Josip Skoko's 15th-minute volley was the difference between the sides, who were cheered on by a huge contingent from Melbourne's large Greek community.
In Gothenburg, Sweden, without several first choice players, were held to a goalless draw by Finland in their penultimate warmup match.
It was another lacklustre performance by the Swedes who were beaten 3-0 by Ireland in March.
Germany captain Michael Ballack was forced out of another warmup match after sustaining an ankle injury.
Ballack, who will lead the hosts in the opening World Cup match on June 9, was injured early in the practice match against Servette Germany's under-18 team.
France coach Raymond Domenech told a news conference that tempers had flared in the French World Cup camp on Wednesday with reserve goalkeeper Gregory Coupet storming out after a dispute over rival Fabien Barthez.
"There was indeed a problem," said Domenech, who made Barthez his number one ahead of Coupet.
"Gregory Coupet had the blues for a moment. He cracked. Such things can happen."
Coupet initially packed his bags before deciding to return to the camp in the French Alps resort of Tignes.
LOUD CRITICISM
Spain coach Luis Aragones held Wednesday afternoon's training session behind closed doors after loud criticism from dissatisfied fans.
Aragones, who has been under fire for leaving striker Fernando Morientes out of his squad, eventually decided to hold a closed session after appealing for calm.
To add to Aragones's woes, defender Asier del Horno's chances of playing in Germany hung in the balance after he picked up an ankle injury.
Dutch coach Guus Hiddink said there was still much work to be done if Australia were to be competitive in a group containing world champions Brazil, Croatia and Japan.
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