An even first half with both teams enjoying periods of dominence. Borowski has kept Zambrotta pinned back and Camoranesi doing the same to Lahm.
Grosso on Italy's left side has seen the greatest success getting forward. Without width both sides are playing a lot of "north-south" balls which makes life difficult for the strikers.
Lehmann has been the busiest of the goalkeepers.
Ballack is playing further forward to squeeze Pirlo. It's largely worked but it hasn't allowed Ballack much space to work in.
Corners and free kicks have been poorly executed so far. Both sides have looked most likely to score after forcing turnovers.
Arne Friedrich as he decided to run his own offside trap three yards behind the other three members of the German defense.
Per Mertesacker - first goal - and Christoph Metzelder on the second marker didn't look too smart either. Mertsacker was caught ball watching while Metzelder decided it was time for a bad Tony Adams impersonation.
Jose Porras didn't have a chance on any of the four German goals but nevertheless it is not a great start to the tournament for the Costa Rican keeper.
The Polish midfield was unimaginative and pedestrian against Ecuador. They moved the ball well until they hit the Ecuadorian midfield and then it all went pear shaped.
Tim Borowski was given the job of replacing Michael Ballack but he failed to establish himself in the game against Costa Rica.
It was a good day for....
Bayern Munich'sPhilip Lahm who has struggled with injuries for the last year or so. He was the unlikely scorer of the opening goal and set up the third German goal. He got forward to support the attack and linked well with Bastien Schweinstieger on the left hand side in the first half.
Miroslav Klose and Paulo Wanchopeboth notched doubles in the first game but failed in an attempt to become the first player to score a hat trick in the first game of the World Cup finals.
Torsten Fringswent close in the early stages but waited until the 87th minute to unleash a goal of awesome power. Taking a ball coming across your body is not easy but to hit the ball as well as he did - well that was quite something. Not dissimiliar to a winning goal by Arie Haan of Holland against Italy at the 1978 World Cup I thought.
Agustin Delgado set up the first goal for Ecuador with a near post flick from a long throw-in ala Bolton and scored the second one. I wonder what Gordon Strachan has to say about that performance.
As an aside - as I made my way to the FSC studios this morning I was informed by the world wide leader in sports (radio version) that the FI-FA (as oppossed to the FE-FA) World Cup kicks off today. Cute or what!
No surprises for Germany - Ballack on the bench. Germany with a bright start. Good effort from Frings as Costa Rica is caught in possession.
Philipp Lahm turns a negative into a positive. Lahm and Sweinsteiger are both right footed players playing on the left side which makes the German a bit unbalanced. But it does allow Lahm to check back inside onto his right foot and he hits an absolute corker. Great start for Germany.
Back come the Ticos. Well worked goal from Wanchope. Looks like Friedrich played the striker onside. Suspect defending from Geramny as they are caught very square.
Two goals in first 12 minutes - not a bad start.
Oh yes what a fantastic start to the tournament - another goal. Schweinsteiger given too much space as he arrives late - shot come cross and Klose gets a goalscorers goal. Schweinsteiger could be one of te stars of this tournament. Costa Rico has Gomez playing deep so they are really playing a 4-5-1. However they seem to be dropping back to quickly and giving Germany far too much time on the ball.
The first yellow card of the game to Fonseca but this one has been an easy game so far for the ref.
The game has settled down - will Germany look to hold what they have or are there more goals? Here's a chance as a Germany get the their first free kick within shooting distance.
Podalski is a bit high with his effort but maybe it will help him get his range should the chance come along. Back to back corners - from the left it was poor - the second more dangerous. Into the last couple of minutes of the half - important time.
Half time arrives and time to take a breather. If Germany continue to push there are more goals in this game. They have the option of shutting the game down but the defense has not looked solid. In fact both back fours look more than capable of driving a coach to drink or beyond.
Underway again... ball drops to Podalski who rips one just over the bar. Corner for Costa Rica and a bit of slack marking allows a free header but the ball goes wide. Germany is starting to press again - the Ticos defense is giving Germany acres of space to work in.
Coming up to the hour mark and the game is drifting with neither team able to create a clear cut chance. Ooops drifting no longer - Lahm turns provider and Klose score his second. Borowski gives Lahm a clear run to the goal line and this time the full back crosses on the run with his left peg. Klose gets the header in - the keeper saves but Klose puts the rebound away. 3-1 Germany. We haven't seen as many goals as this in a world Cup opener since 1962 - I think - one more and it will exceed the 62 opener when Chile beat Switzerland 3-1.
Borowski comes off and on comes Sebastian Kehl. I don't he did himself any favours with his display.
Costa Rica back in this one - Friedrich decides to play his own offside trap and gets caught not playing with the other members of the back four as Mertesacker and Metzelder step up and the full back doesn't. Friedrich came into the tournament as a player who plays well north to south but is poor east to west. It's cost Germany two goals. Oh by the way - Wanchope got the goal.
78 minutes - Klose off and Neuville on. Germany create a couple of chances straight away but Costa Rica clear the danger.
Into the last five minutes and Frings has just put this game away. Square ball played into his path and he just put his foot right through the ball. Not bad for a holding midfield player!
Whistle goes - all Germany celebrates but there will also be a sense of relief. Costa Rica kept it close with their two goals but the German defense looked bad on both of them. Even the slighest bit of pressure indecision spread through the German back four like a bad outbreak of the flu. For the neutrals - six goals is not a bad start and two of them (Lahm and Frings) are earlier contenders for goals of the tournament.
Man of the match for me - Philipp Lahm. A great goal and a good cross for the third one.
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
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