Germany kick-off campaign in style

Germany 4 - 2 Costa Rica The 2006 FIFA World Cup got under way in fine fashion as hosts Germany scored two stunning goals in an entertaining 4-2 victory against Costa Rica in Munich. Frentic pace The tone was set early on when Philipp Lahm cut in from the left on six minutes, before firing a blistering shot into the top right corner to send the partisan crowd into raptures. Paolo Wanchope quickly quelled the atmosphere when he sprang the offside flag to equalise on 12 minutes, but Miroslav Klose soon restored Germany s advantage from close range in a frenetic opening. It helped calm Jürgen Klinsmann s team who began to dictate the game, with Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger both causing problems in the absence of the rested Michael Ballack. Frings strike The goal was also birthday boy Klose s first ever World Cup goal scored with his foot after five headed efforts four years ago, but he did not have to wait long for another, tucking in the rebound after goalkeeper José Porras had saved his initial effort just after the hour. Wanchope restored Costa Rican hope with a tidy finish ten minutes later but again, it merely stoked the home team and Torsten Frings made it 4-2 in the dying minutes with a stunning long-range strike. Other match of the day: Poland 0-2 Ecuador