Germany and Ecuador became the first teams to qualify for the second round of the 2006 World Cup in contrasting fashion.

After the host nation edged Poland 1-0 Wednesday, courtesy an Oliver Neuville goal in injury time, Ecuador breezed past Costa Rica 3-0 Thursday with goals from Carlos Tenorio, Agustin Delgado and Ivan Kaviedes.

Poland, which lost 2-0 to Ecuador in its opening game, and Costa Rica, which was defeated by Germany earlier, were eliminated.

The host, looking for a second successive win, had a series of chances and hit the bar twice through Miroslav Klose and captain Michael Ballack in a desperate late attempt to score.

Just when it looked as if they would have to settle for a draw, substitute Neuville popped up in the area to score.

“These are very special moments, also for the coach,”said Germany's Juergen Klinsmann, who had suffered criticism before the finals.“When everything comes together like this it's like a big burst, one feels the emotion of the players.”

It was Germany's first tournament win over European opposition since beating Czech Republic in the Euro 96 final.

Poland, which played the last 15 minutes with 10 men, battled gamely against its near neighbors but was left heartbroken by Germany’s last-gasp goal.

The Poles, who succumbed weakly 2-0 to Ecuador in their opener, battled manfully but never looked like scoring.

Poland, which had not beaten its neighbor and fierce rival in 14 attempts spanning 85 years, snapped into the tackle at every opportunity in a high-paced opening.

However Germany had much the better of the first half.

Miroslav Klose, who scored twice in Germany's 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in the tournament's opening match, should have had his third when he glanced a header just wide from a Philipp Lahm cross after 21 minutes.

Lukas Podolski, like Klose Polish-born, then put the ball in exactly the same place in first half injury time after another Lahm cross and the chance went begging.

Poland, desperate to avoid a second successive first round exit, showed plenty of aggression but there was a lack of quality about their attacks and they rarely threatened.

After a low-key start, Ballack, who missed the first game with a calf strain, gradually began to exert an influence with his probing passes forcing the Poles to defend ever more desperately.

It became even tougher for them in the last 15 minutes when Radoslaw Sobolewski was sent off for a second booking.

Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc made two outstanding saves to deny Lahm and Neuville in a furious finale.

But he could do nothing to keep out Neuville's smartly taken close range goal from fellow substitute David Odonkor's cross.