A comprehensive 5-2 aggregate play-off win over the Ukraine to book their places in the World Cup briefly gave Germany some hope, but then their star players were struck down by long-term injuries one by one. Playmaker Mehmet Scholl, midfielder Sebastian Deisler--- the German Beckham and his country’s most talented prospect--- and defender Jens Nowotny were all cruelly ruled out of the finals. And the injuries had come after Germany's former World Cup winning captain and manager Franz Beckenbauer had proclaimed, "... the frustration inside of me swells like a volcano... some of his (Voller's) players are not good enough."

Today, however, it is Germany rather than their more celebrated rivals that are smiling after being the first side to secure a quarter-final berth. France, Argentina and Portugal all failed to even make it out of the round-robin stage.

Champions France put up the worst performance ever witnessed as reigning World Cup holders, limping out of the competition without scoring a single goal. It was a case of good riddance and thanks for the memories as few shed a single drop of tear for the decrepit over-the-hill French squad. Argentina committed a similar folly in ignoring exciting prospects to choose more experienced players nearing the end of their careers. Hence World Youth Champions Javier Saviola, Juan Riquelme and Andres D'Alessandro were left out of the finals altogether, while Hernan Crespo spent most of his time watching an ineffective Batistuta from the bench as the Argentines, for all their attacking options, struggled to overcome the more pragmatic English and Swedes. Portugal, as always, saw their genius flawed by ill-discipline and were unceremoniously dumped out by South Korea.

Having maneuvered their way out of a potentially tricky group including Cameroon, Ireland and Saudi Arabia, Germany saw their problems confounded with three players--- Christian Ziege, Carsten Ramelow and Dietmar Hamann suspended for this match. Paraguay, on the other hand, were on a high having sneaked into the next round at the expense of South Africa with a late 3-1 win over Slovenia in their last group match, with inspirational captain Luis Chilavert back to command his team after serving a ban for spitting on Brazil’s Roberto Carlos in the qualifying round.

Played in the lush resort island of Jeju, with a sublime piece of architectural beauty for a stadium--- the spectacular curving roof symbolizing the crater of a famous Jeju volcano--- the dull game failed to do justice to its surroundings with neither side looking particularly adventurous with the stakes so high. Paraguay were dealt a blow on the half-hour mark when star striker Roque Santa Cruz, who plays his club football in Germany for Bayern Munich, limped off with an injury.

With veteran goalkeepers Oliver Kahn (who looks like a pale Frankenstein with blond hair) and Luis Chilavert (who resembles anything that is ten stone overweight) in fine form, the fans adorning the half-empty stadium were treated to the sight of hopeful long shots safely parried by the experienced custodians. World Cup tickets don’t come cheap, and this is a high price to pay for watching a circus act where a cannonball is fired into a fat man's stomach. The beautiful rock formations off the Jeju coast seem much more appealing in contrast.

With the game heading for extra-time and a penalty shoot-out, Germany finally put the spectators out of their misery by conjuring a goal two minutes from time. Birthday boy Oliver Kahn launched a quick counter attack and Bernd Schneider peeled away on the right flank to whip in an inviting low cross for club-mate Oliver Neuville to blast a fine half-volley past the near post to make it 1-0. At the rate this stalemate was going, it seemed that the dormant Mount Hallasan would erupt before a goal would arrive, but the Germans got through anyway. One wonders what the headlines in Germany would read the next morning.

Germany (4:3:3): Kahn; Linke, Metzelder (Baumann, 60), Frings, Rehmer (Kehl, 45); Ballack, Jeremies, Schneider; Neuville (Asamoah, 90), Bode, Klose

Paraguay (5:3:2): Chilavert; Caniza, Arce, Gamarra, Caceres, Ayala; Struway (Cuevas, 90), Acuna, Bonet (Gavilan, 84; Santa Cruz (Campos, 29), Cardozo