KLAGENFURT, Austria, May 29, (Agencies): Striker Shane Smeltz scored in the first half to give New Zealand a 1-0 win over Serbia in a World Cup warmup match on Saturday.
Smeltz rounded off a quick counterattack in the 23rd minute with a low shot past Serbia goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic for his 16th goal in 29 appearances for New Zealand.
Both teams created few chances in the second half when conditions were poor due to heavy rainfall.
The match was briefly interrupted shortly before the end when Serb fans threw fireworks and came onto the field.
Serbia takes on Ghana, Germany and Australia in Group D.
In Innsbruck, Fernando Llorente headed a last-minute winner for Spain in a 3-2 victory over Saudi Arabia on Saturday as the European champions made a sluggish start to their preparations for the World Cup finals.
Spain should have felt at home in the Tivoli Neu stadium as it was where they beat Russia 4-1 to kick off their successful Euro 2008 campaign, but they fell behind to an Osama Hawsawi header in the 17th minute.
David Villa and Xabi Alonso scored either side of the break but a deflected shot from Mohammad Al-Sahlawi in the 75th minute put the Saudis level, before Llorente headed in at the end.
“This kind of thing happens sometimes but we have to be positive; we started a little lazily because we have had 15 days without playing and we found it hard to get into it,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque told Spanish state television.
“I’m not happy with everything. We are a little behind because we have these 15 days without playing but we have to remain optimistic.”
Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas made his 103rd appearance to become the country’s second most capped player.
Andres Iniesta, who looked lively on the left flank after recently recovering from a thigh injury, set up Spain’s equaliser after defender Hawsawi had put the Saudis ahead.
The Barcelona midfielder cut back inside his marker and floated a cross for Villa to nod in unmarked from close range.
Cameroon 1, Slovakia 1
In Klagenfurt, Austria African giants Cameroon’s unimpressive World Cup build-up continued on Saturday as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with finals debutants Slovakia in a friendly here.
Enoh Eyong’s goal seven minutes from time saw the ‘Indomitable Lions’ escape with a draw after the Slovakians, who in a previous entity as Czechoslovakia reached the last eight in 1990 losing to eventual winners West Germany, had taken the lead through Kamil Kopunek in the sixth minute.
Kopunek scored with a great strike from 18 metres out after being set up by Chelsea midfielder Miroslav Stoch, giving no chance to Cameroon goalkeeper Hamidou Souleymanou.
The Slovaks dominated the first-half against a Cameroon side still without their superstar striker Samuel Eto’o, who has been given time off since winning last Saturday’s Champions League title, and their defence whenever threatened held firm, superbly marshalled by Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.
They have a final friendly after that against fellow qualifiers Serbia on June 5 in Belgrade.
Ireland 3, Algeria 0
In Dublin, Ireland defeated a second World Cup bound team in four days on Friday when they followed up Tuesday’s victory over Paraguay with an easy 3-0 win over an under-strength Algeria.
Ireland took the lead just after the half hour when Derby County midfielder Paul Green, who made his international debut as a substitute in the 2-1 win over Paraguay, stooped low to head home winger Liam Lawrence’s free kick unmarked.
They doubled it six minutes into the second half when visiting goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi flapped at a Damien Duff cross and captain Robbie Keane dinked the ball over Chaouchi and his watching defenders.
Algeria, who upset African champions Egypt en route to their first appearance at the finals since 1986, started with debutants Habib Belaid, Adlane Guedioura and Djamel Mesbah, and looked like a side that had not played much football together.
US 2, Turkey 1
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Clint Dempsey scored in the 75th minute to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Turkey Saturday and a triumphant send-off to the US World Cup bid in South Africa.
Two weeks ahead of their World Cup opener against England, the Americans looked woeful in the first half and fell behind before Jozy Altidore and Dempsey answered for the victory on the eve of the US flight to South Africa.
Arda Turan’s breakaway in 27th minute gave Turkey a 1-0 half-time edge but Altidore finished a chip-and-charge play by reserve Robbie Findley to equalize in the 58th minute.
Dempsey netted the winner in the 75th minute, taking a perfect pass from US veteran Landon Donovan and fighting off a defender as he ran to the five-meter line, then flicked the finish past Turkish goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.
Germany 3, Hungary 0
Striker Cacau scored his third goal in two games for his adopted country to seal Germany’s 3-0 win over Hungary in a World Cup warm-up friendly here on Saturday.
Brazilian-born Cacau, who qualified to play for Germany last year, came off the bench to add to the two goals he scored in the 3-0 win over Malta to strengthen his case for the starting line-up for Germany’s World Cup side.
Germany start their World Cup campaign in Group D on June 13 against Australia and fly to South Africa on June 7 after their final warm-up game against Bosnia-Herzegovina next Thursday.
Alongside Cacau, Lukas Podolski and Mario Gomez weighed in with goals to cap impressive performances.
With Germany captain Michael Ballack injured and out of next month’s World Cup, Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose took over the skipper’s armband.