Though the club warned the injury involved a joint and could take longer to heal than previously thought, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson predictably played down the implications.

The Swede told a news conference he wanted a clearer idea of the prospects and the switch had been at his request.

Typically, he remained upbeat, telling reporters: "I'm always positive about it, optimistic...I'm not worried.

"I don't think it's a change at all. I was in the medical meeting today and I don't think it's anything new."

Hosts Germany were pleased to learn that one of their key men, captain Michael Ballack, could yet play a part in their penultimate warm-up against Japan on Tuesday after making a pain-free return to training.

Ballack suffered an ankle strain in a practice game last week and missed the 7-0 win over Luxembourg on Saturday.

"I had no pain," Ballack said. "If it's no worse overnight I assume I can play."

There was good news for Ghana who beat Jamaica 4-1 in a friendly played in Leicester in England.

Serb coach Ratomir Dujkovic was impressed enough to declare: "We are getting better each game and by the time of the World Cup we will be ready to beat any team."

The message is unlikely to be lost on Ghana's Group E opponents - the Czech Republic, the United States and Italy.

French fans were still fretting over a below-par performance by Zinedine Zidane at the weekend in the 1-0 win over Mexico.

The classy playmaker, who will retire after the tournament, was only a shadow of his former brilliant self.

The balding 33-year-old, was winning his 100th cap and playing his last match at the Stade de France where he scored twice in France's 3-0 defeat of Brazil in the 1998 final.

But coach Raymond Domenech was not too concerned, saying Zidane still had time to get in shape before France's opening match against Switzerland on June 13.

Serbia and Montenegro coach Ilija Petkovic solved his problem of replacing injured striker Mirko Vucinic by calling up his son Dusan Petkovic -- a central defender.