BERLIN - The third-place playoff will remain a World Cup fixture because, at least according to soccer's governing body, the losing semifinalists still have something to play for.

"There's still a high value in that match," FIFA communications director Markus Siegler said Wednesday, the morning after Germany lost 2-0 to Italy in a semifinal at Dortmund.

Instead of appearing in the final Sunday at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, Germany will have to regroup for a playoff for third place the previous evening in Stuttgart.

The usual criticism of the third-place match is that teams are deflated after losing semifinals and rarely perform at their peaks.

"If you speak to players, for them it still matters whether they finish third or fourth," Siegler said. "This particular case, in which we have the German team involved, I'm pretty sure this will be another great match.

"There's still prestige, it's still about the team knowing 'We finished third on the field of play.' "

There is no extra financial incentive. The third- and fourth-place teams each receive $17.5 million, according to FIFA.

The World Cup champion receives $19.9 million, with the runner-up getting $18.25 million.

Germany 2006 organizers reported no major trouble after the Dortmund match, but reflected the national mood.

"We regret the team is now playing in Stuttgart. We would have loved them to be playing in Berlin ¡ª but congratulations to the Italians for a great match," said local organizing committee spokesman Gerd Graus.

___

LEBANESE DISORDER: Rival fans in Beirut fought each other with bottles, sticks and chairs, and seven people had to be treated in a hospital Wednesday after watching Italy's 2-0 semifinal victory over Germany.

Officials said five Sunni Kurds and two Shiite Muslims were injured in the mainly Muslim neighborhood of Basta shortly in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Police intervened to restore calm. None of the injuries was serious.

Kurdish minorities in Lebanon are known to be staunch supporters of Germany because of a large Kurdish community in that European nation.

Brazil, where several million people are of Lebanese descent, has strong support in Lebanon, particularly among the Shiites. Italy, Argentina, England and France, the former colonial ruler with strong ties among Lebanon's Christians, also have loyal fans.

Angered by the Brazilian team's unexpected defeat to the French last week, its fans apparently vented against German supporters on Tuesday night by setting off fireworks in green, red and white ¡ª the colors of the Italian flag ¡ª for more than an hour.

Fireworks ignited by World Cup fans set two cars ablaze in Beirut last week.

Lebanon has never qualified for the World Cup, but soccer is popular in the nation.

____

MORE CONSOLATION: After a locker room visit from German Chancellor Angela Merkel following the host nation's 2-0 semifinal loss to Italy, the German national team received a lot more consolation than it could have expected.

Some 100 fans stood outside the team hotel in a secluded wooded area of Berlin in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday to applaud the 23-man squad upon its arrival from Dortmund.

The German Football Federation and the team hotel received more than 2,100 congratulatory e-mails from all over Germany, as well as four continents and 16 countries, including the United States, Italy, the Netherlands, Vietnam and China.

"They were words of congratulations, words of commiseration," federation spokesman Harald Stenger said. "It was beyond impressive to receive such a show of support."

____

WHAT'S THE POINT NOW?: Now that Germany has been bumped from the World Cup, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra says he sees no reason to fly there for the final.

Thaksin had been gearing up to attend the World Cup finale in Berlin on Sunday, repeatedly shirking criticism that he should stay at home and deal with a deepening political crisis.

"I changed my mind," Thaksin said Wednesday. "Now that the host has been defeated, it's better to stay at home."

Italy scored two goals in the last two minutes of Tuesday's match, ending Germany's dream of lifting the World Cup trophy in Berlin.

____

CONCRETE MYSTERY: Police believe they have solved the mystery of Berlin's concrete soccer balls.

Two young men suffered slight foot injuries in recent days after kicking concrete-filled balls chained to lamp posts and trees in the capital. The words "Can u kick it" were sprayed in pink paint close to each of the balls, at least six of which were left in the streets.

Police said they arrested two unidentified men, ages 26 and 29, on Wednesday. The men apparently set up a workshop to produce the offending balls. Officers found three new concrete-filled balls, spray cans and chains.

The suspects were being questioned by investigators and could face charges of bodily harm. There was no immediate comment on their motives.