SPORT

- reported by Osiris.


GROUP A : GERMANY, COSTA RICA, ECUADOR, POLAND

Results of first matches played:

Germany 4 - 2 Costa Rica

Poland 0 - 2 Ecuador

Hosts Germany certainly kicked off the opening match of the 2006 World Cup in style as they beat the South American side 4-2 in Munich. Hopes of another stunning opener victory by Costa Rica were shattered when Germany scored the first goal through defender Phillip Lahm in the 6th minute. Costa Rica's Danny Fonseca lost his footing just outside the penalty box, allowing Lahm to round him and curl a beautiful kick from the top left corner of the box and go in off the far post.

German coach Jugen Klinsmann was certainly delighted with the team's performance and result, especially due to the fact that he had decided to rest captain Michael Ballack even though he had declared himself fit less than 24 hours before the match.

Klose was denied by Costa Rican keeper Jose Porras from close range, and Schneider missed the follow-up. The miss would prove to be costly mistake as former Derby, Manchester City and West Ham striker Wanchope beat the offside trap to receive a through-ball and fire past Jens Lehmann. It was Costa Rica's first shot in the 12th minute and already it had been sent into the net.

That goal served as a wake up call for the Germans - just 6 minutes after they had scored the game was now level. The hosts pushed on and five minutes later they were leading again through Klose's goal. Bastian Schweinsteiger dribbled his way past two defenders before firing a pass to the far post where Klose swept home. There was no better way to celebrate Klose's 28th birthday which coincidentally fell on the same day.

The first half soon became a one-sided affair with Germany maintaining their possession of the ball and they were unable to break down the opponents' defence, which seemed to be a bit disarranged.

Podolski fired a 20-yard shot just 26 seconds into the game, and an unmarked Fonseca came close to levelling the game with a header. But it was birthday boy Klose who scored the third for Germany. He headed in a cross from Lahm, but the ball rebounded off Parras's gloves and the striker, who had scored a hat-trick in the 8-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia in 2002, quickly smashed back a shot to give the hosts a comfortable lead.

The underdogs closed the gap with another Wanchope goal, which looked to have been offside. Centeno beat the offside trap and lay a superb through-ball to the striker who gently placed the ball past the Arsenal keeper. Parras's kept Costa Rica's hopes alive by brilliantly saving a shot from Per Mertesacker but Frings put the issue beyond doubt in the 87th minute. Schweinsteiger laid a freekick to the Werder Bremen man and he hammered home from full 35 yards to give the hosts a winning start.

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