A major mopping up operation was underway in the eastern state of Saxony, where tens of thousands of vehicles were damaged in the storms Friday evening.

Six people were hurt when they were hit on the head in Leipzig by huge hailstones. Throughout the region, thousands of windows were smashed, and firemen worked all night pumping water out of flooded cellars.

Other casualties included a man falling off his roof while trying to carry out repairs, a woman hurt when her mobile home collapsed and a man injured when his boat sank.

Lightning also started several fires, one of which destroyed an agricultural building at Blievenstorf, 150 kilometres (90 miles) northeast of Berlin.

Tens of thousands of football fans nationwide were drenched when the storms broke while they were watching the football on giant screens outside.

Six giant screens were temporarily put out of action by heavy rainfall in Berlin during the Ivory Coast-Netherlands match, although they were switched on again for Mexico v Angola at 1900 GMT.

USA team must improve: Rice
Afp, Washington

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice doesn't know much about non-American football. But she does know the US side better raise its game if it hopes to stay in the World Cup hunt.

Asked at a news conference with visiting Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema about Saturday's match between Italy and the United States, Rice tried to play the good diplomat.

"I learned a long time ago not to hold strong opinions or predictions about something about which I have so little expertise, as soccer, or European football," she told reporters.

But the top US diplomat, an avid fan of American football, could not resist a comment on her country's lackluster performance in its 3-0 loss Monday to the Czech Republic in a Group E opener.

"Obviously, I would like to see the United States do well," she said. "But even I, a pure novice in watching soccer, knows that they will have to play a lot better than they did."

The Americans are back in action later on Saturday taking on Italy in what has become a must-win game for the quarter-finalists of four years ago.

Kahn-tastic for autograph hunters
AFP, Berlin

Uzbekistan may not be playing at the World Cup but two fanatical football fans completed a remarkable 6,500 kilometres bike journey to Berlin to get the autograph of their hero Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.

According to the Suddeutsche Zeitung, Akram Marufshonow and his friend Musadshon Chornidow, both 58, embarked on their journey from the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent on March 8.

The autograph hunters braved rain and snow as they cycled to Germany via Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland, doing part time jobs to pay for food.

"Our hands and faces were blue at times it was that cold," Akram revealed."But I am not leaving without Kahn's autograph."

The Uzbekistan duo watched the World Cup curtain-raiser between Germany and Costa Rica on June 9 at the Berlin fan mile located next to the Brandenburg Gate and on Friday they got their wish granted.

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Kahn was pictured smiling as he signed his name to make Akram and Musadshon's dreams come true.

"My heart is racing I am overjoyed," confessed Akram.

Kahn, who turned 37 on Thursday, admitted their story had touched him, saying: "I can not believe it. It is incredible."

Spider celebration gets nod from FIFA
Afp, Berlin

Ecuador's troublesome striker Ivan Kaviedes will not face punishment by FIFA over his celebrations after he scored the South Americans third goal in their 3-0 victory over Cost Rica on Thursday.

The 28-year-old - who has had 10 different clubs in 11 seasons - put on a Spiderman mask in tribute to former international team-mate Otilino Tenorio, who was killed in a car accident aged 25 in May 2005.

Tenorio was nicknamed Superman as he had a habit of putting on masks of famous comic book heros after scoring.

"I do not know of any law forbidding such a gesture," said FIFA's head of communications Markus Siegler.

"Obviously, we don't want this happening too often," he added.

FIFA do punish players who take their shirts off after scoring, with referees being instructed to book them.

Ecuador face hosts Germany on June 20 to see who finishes top of Group A, with the South Americans, who went out at the first hurdle in their only previous appearance in the 2002 edition, leading them on goal difference.

Their second round opponents will be either 1966 winners England or 1958 finalists Sweden.