Host Germany opens World Cup with win
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-10 08:43
MUNICH - What a start! Germany kicked off the World Cup by beating Costa Rica
4-2 Friday in the highest-scoring opener in tournament history.
The host nation's performance could inspire Juergen Klinsmann's young and
inexperienced team a long way as it looks to add a fourth World Cup title.
Germany's Torsten Frings jubilates after
scoing the 4th goal for his team during the Germany v Costa Rica Group A
soccer match at the World Cup stadium, Munich, Germany, Friday, June 9,
2006. Germny won the mtch 4-2. The other teams in Group A are Ecuador and
Poland. [AP] |
"If the players want to go out tonight and have a beer, they can do it,"
Klinsmann said.
Particularly Miroslav Klose, who eased the absence of captain Michael Ballack
by scoring twice on his 28th birthday.
"That's how I imagined this day, more or less," Klose said. "Every opener is
difficult and we are pleased that we won."
Klose scored three goals in Germany's opener in 2002, an 8-0 win over Saudi
Arabia, but that wasn't the opening match of the tournament. Germany then went
on to reach the final, losing to Brazil.
This victory could provide a real boost, too.
"We wanted to play well and get the fans involved. We were a little bit
nervous. We made some mistakes, but they happen," Klinsmann said. "We can draw a
lot of positives from this game."
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