| The first game of this years soccer World Cup | | | | three yards adrift on the wrong side. |
| surpassed all the previous opening day games, | | | | Wanchope was coolness personified as he |
| which are often tepid and tiresome affairs, | | | | advanced, then slotted wide of the advacing |
| to produce a truly memorable match. The long | | | | Lehmann. 1-1 and the minute Tico's following |
| awaited World Cup 2006 got under way on a | | | | in the crowd were now being heard.Germany |
| balmy Munich evening with an enthusiastic but | | | | again took control of the possession, and |
| subdued home nation crowd in | | | | were given room to attack down both flanks, |
| attendance.Germany, efficient in their | | | | with Lahm & Schweinsteiger busy down the |
| approach, perhaps personified by their | | | | left, and Schneider dangerous wide right. It |
| typically efficient German coach Jurgen | | | | was from Schneider that the second came. He |
| Klinsman, fielded a regimented 4-4-2 | | | | recieved the ball out wide and was ushered |
| formation, perhaps trusting to experience | | | | towards the right corner where he had time to |
| rather than real endeavour. Notably absent | | | | pick his pass to an alert Schweinsteiger, |
| from their side was Michael Ballack, who will | | | | whose direct run into the box and cross-shot |
| make the side stronger when he returns from | | | | allowed an easy tap in for Klose.Germany, now |
| injury later in the tournament.Costa Rica's | | | | fully in command, bossed the rest of the half |
| formation? Your guess may be as good as mine, | | | | without creating anything clear cut, although |
| if you are going for a sort of 3-6-1. A | | | | both Podolski and frings tested out the |
| strange selection from coach Alexandre | | | | wobbly ball from distance. The German defence |
| Guimares.The tension was evidently being felt | | | | when on the back foot did look decidedly |
| by the crowd much more than the participants, | | | | dodgy, and they were lucky to get a linesmans |
| as right from the whistle both sides showed | | | | flag when Wanchope was again through on goal. |
| attacking intent.Centeno showed some neat | | | | Surely Guimares would change things in the |
| ball control and surged forward right through | | | | second half.The second period began with more |
| the heart of the German midfield in the first | | | | of the same. Podolski went close from the |
| minute, only to be stopped illegally by | | | | edge of the box in the first minute and set |
| Frings who was quick to spot the danger. | | | | the tone for German dominance. Their midfield |
| Nothing came from the free kick.Frings then | | | | continued to roam almost unmolested, with |
| appeared at the other end moments later and | | | | Borowski & Frings becoming more involved, and |
| tested Costa Rican 'keeper Porras with a shot | | | | Schweinsteiger providing real quality & |
| from distance. Porras was keen to scramble | | | | vision.The third goal came on the hour from a |
| across his goal to get close to the ball, | | | | fine move down the left where Schweinsteiger |
| perhaps signifying that he was wary of the | | | | fed Lahm whose deflected cross left Marin, |
| new official ball being used by FIFA for this | | | | who had been easily Costa Rica's best |
| tournament. It does seem to travel through | | | | defender, for once flat footed. Klose rose |
| the air with an irregular flight path.The | | | | unchallenged to send a header seemingly |
| German midfield began to take hold of the | | | | goalward. A fine save by Porras only delayed |
| game, seemingly given space to play by the | | | | the inevitable as Klose emphatically |
| Costa Ricans that outnumbered them, and after | | | | despatched the rebound.The crowd now seemed |
| just 5 minutes the deadlock was broken. Costa | | | | to start enjoying the occasion as much as the |
| Rica failed to clear from the edge of their | | | | German players, and Lahm again caused |
| own box, and the ball wormed it's way out to | | | | problems down the left. Klinsmann saw the |
| diminutive full back Lahm on the left flank. | | | | chance to rest some of his players, and |
| Lahm swiftly cut in onto his right and | | | | started to make substitutions, Kehl on for |
| unleashed a hefty right foot shot from | | | | Borowski.Suddenly, against the run of play a |
| outside the corner of the box, which curled | | | | precision pass by Centeno unlocked the German |
| into the goalie's top left hitting the post | | | | defence, and Wanchope galloped through the |
| on the way. | | | | gaping hole to put Costa Rica back in with a |
| | | | shout. Wanchope's finish was precision itself |
| What a goal to open the World Cup | | | | with the outside of his right boot. Lehmann |
| scoring.Germany now took full control of the | | | | stood bemused, as he'd not yet had to make a |
| game, with their midfield four keeping | | | | save, but had let in two goals.The expected |
| possession well and looking to provide the | | | | grandstand finish never came. Costa Rica |
| openings for another goal. Scweinsteiger, who | | | | never really seemed to have the conviction to |
| was now being givem far too much room to | | | | get at Germany and cause an upset.The points |
| express himself onm the left, fed a ball | | | | were secured in the 87th minute by Frings |
| inside Klose who had evaded his marker, but | | | | with an absolute pearl of a strike from all |
| Porras raced quickly from his line to deter | | | | of 30 yards, curling away from a desperate |
| him.Then, out of the blue, the German back | | | | Porras into his top left corner. A fitting |
| four were caught hopelessly flat footed by a | | | | end to any game, and one which may not be |
| Costa Rican one-two. Wanchope laid off to | | | | bettered throughout this tournament. |
| Centeno, who's superbly weighted return ball | | | | |
| split the German defence wide, with Friedrich | | | | Final score: Germany 4 Costa Rica 2. |