World Cup 2010: Day three action

The mascot looks nervous as she waits to walk out on to the pitch in Durban, but there's no sign of nerves for Aussie captain Lucas Neill, right, and Mark Schwarzer as they prepare to take on Germany. Many Aussie fans see this as the last chance for their talented but ageing Socceroos side to show the world what they are capable of on the big stage. Three-time winners Germany, however, have no such worries about the effects of old father time on their players as they have the second youngest squad in the tournament Photograph: Quinn Rooney/FIFA via Getty Images Photograph: Quinn Rooney/guardian.co.uk The whistle goes to start the match and it looks like the Socceroos have been necking Red Bull rather than Horlicks as they dominate the first seven minutes. Then, like a teenager who eventually gets out of bed ages after the alarm goes off, the Germans wake up and create their first chance with a shot that Aussie keeper Schwarzer comfortably deals with. Just a minute later, youthful exuberance wins over older conservativism when Muller is released down the inside-right channel. Once in the area, he cuts a low diagonal ball back towards the corner of the area where Lukas Podolski races in to hammer the ball high into the net. 1-0 Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images Photograph: Jamie McDonald/guardian.co.uk The young and now attack-minded German side double their lead 18 minutes later when Schwarzer hares out of the Aussie goal to flap at a cross but is too slow and Miroslav Klose rises high to head into an empty net. 2-0... Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images Photograph: Jamie McDonald/guardian.co.uk ...as he informs us so we don't forget. Something else he'll be reminding everyone about is the fact that it's his 11th World Cup goal – he scored five in both of the 2002 and 2006 tournaments and is now just four goals from breaking Gerd Müller's record number of World Cup tournament goals Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Javier Soriano/guardian.co.uk It's Germany's time to shine now and they have stepped up a gear. Just after the half-hour mark, Mesut Ozil chips the ball over the the top of the onrushing Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer but it's cleared before it crosses the line Photograph: Tony Marshall/Empics Sport Photograph: Tony Marshall/guardian.co.uk Germany are running rings round Australia ... Photograph: Roberto Candia/AP Photograph: Roberto Candia/guardian.co.uk ... and Aussie captain Lucas Neill looks a bit sheepish. They don't seem to have an answer to the Germans' dominance Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images Photograph: Robert Cianflone/guardian.co.uk Then things gets even worse for the Socceroos just before the hour mark when Tim Cahill is shown a red card by Marco Antonio Rodriguez after a challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger. It was a clumsy foul rather than a malicious one as the Aussie striker bundled into the German. But for some reason the referee produced a straight red, wrecking Cahill's and possibly Australia's World Cup Photograph: Tony O'Brien/Action Images Photograph: Tony O'Brien/guardian.co.uk Now with the numerical advantage, Germany continue to surge forward and pepper the Australian goal with shots. In the 68th minute Thomas Mueller puts the game beyond doubt when he drops a shoulder on the edge of the Aussie area to confuse Neill and give himself a smidgen of space. He then strokes a shot off the bottom-left post and into the net. 3-0 Photograph: Ali Haider/EPA Photograph: Ali Haider/guardian.co.uk Then, just one minute after coming on as a substitute, Cacau connects his right boot to the ball which comes to him courtesy of a low left-wing cross from the man-of-the-match, Ozil, following a lovely free-flowing move. 4-0 Photograph: Gero Breloer/AP Photograph: Gero Breloer/guardian.co.uk It was a devastating performance by the Germans and provides a real signal of intent to the other teams in the tournament. Coming into the competition with such a young squad, question marks over the coach and Ballack missing through injury, a lot of people expected the German side to struggle Photograph: Steve Haag/Getty Images Photograph: Steve Haag/guardian.co.uk Asamoah Gyan of Ghana waits to start the Black Stars' 2010 World Cup campaign against Serbia. It's the second World Cup appearance of the four times African champions Photograph: Jeff Mitchell/FIFA via Getty Images Photograph: Jeff Mitchell/guardian.co.uk The first half is a frantic affair with both sides putting together some nice moves but few clear cut chances Photograph: Marcos Brindicci/Reuters Photograph: Marcos Brindicci/guardian.co.uk Ghana dominate during most of the match, here John Pantsil outjumps Nemanja Vidic Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Photograph: Ezra Shaw/guardian.co.uk This Ghana fan seems to be enjoying what he's seeing Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images Photograph: Ian Walton/guardian.co.uk In the 74th minute, Serbia's Aleksandar Lukovic receives the second red card of the day for a second bookable offence after hauling down Asamoah Gyan Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Photograph: Ezra Shaw/guardian.co.uk Then six minutes from time, Asamoah Gyan had a chance to put Ghana in front from the penalty spot after Zdravko Kuzmanovic left his arm out when clearing a cross and the ball hit it. The Ghana striker emphatically dispatched the ball past Vladimir Stojkovic to make it 1-0. The score stayed like that which ensured that the Black Stars, who were unbeaten in qualifying for the tournament, started their campaign with a win Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images Photograph: Ian Walton/guardian.co.uk Ghana's players and staff give thanks for their victory after they finish celebrating Photograph: Jeff Mitchell /FIFA via Getty Images Photograph: Jeff Mitchell /guardian.co.uk In Polokwane, Algeria start their 2010 campaign against Slovenia with their fans hoping that, following their dramatic qualification, they put in a good account of themselves and that their fate is down to their own performances and not some shady cynical shenanigans cooked up by others as was the case in 1982 Photograph: Jonathan Brady/EPA Photograph: Jonathan Brady/guardian.co.uk Unfortunately the match is a tight and dire affair with a distinct lack of chances and quality Photograph: Jamie Squire /FIFA via Getty Images Photograph: Jamie Squire /guardian.co.uk Algeria's Karim Matmour and Slovenia's Miso Brecko chase the ball Photograph: Shaun Botterill /FIFA via Getty Images Photograph: Shaun Botterill /guardian.co.uk Finally, with 15 minutes to go, the game finally springs into life as the Algerian substitute Ghezzal gets himself sent off after receiving his second silly yellow card. This seems to spur Algeria into action as just five minutes later they put together a decent move down the left and the ball falls to Robert Koren who is 20 yards out. He shapes up and hits a decent curling shot towards the far post, It should be an easy save for Faouzi Chaouchi in the Algerian goal ... Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Photograph: Cameron Spencer/guardian.co.uk ... but, seemingly inspired by Robert Green, he completely misjudges the flight of the ball and scoops it into the net to give Slovenia the lead and a 1-0 victory. If both keepers put in this kind of performance when England and Algeria meet on Friday we could be in for a goal-fest Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Photograph: Cameron Spencer/guardian.co.uk