Chit Chat Bola: World Cup Edition

Germany 4 Costa Rica 2

The average fan often roots for the underdog, and in hopes that Costa Rica would do what Senegal managed in Asia, I rooted for the Central American side. It wasn't really because I thought they would win; it was just quite a bit more exciting to see if they could.

Germany, as a football team, have never etched themselves in my brain as a team that plays particularly entertaining football. To me, they rank even lower than the score-one-goal-and-put-ten-men-behind-the-ball Italy; and by most standards, I believe that's pretty droll football they dish out. At least the Italians looked good in their tight blue shirts.

But then again, German teams of the past didn't have Jurgen Klinsmann at the helm; the nation's hero at the Italia 90, and to his enemies, plies his footballing somewhat the Argentinian way with lots of sliding and diving.

If the tournament opener served as an omen for the tone of the whole World Cup Finals, then as things went, you couldn't ask for much more. Within the first ten minutes of the kick-off, Phillip Lahm blasted a superb goal to the far top corner; a move that perhaps had more to do with the ball's engineered swerve than Lahm's intentions, but a superb World Cup opening goal nonetheless. Less than 10 minutes after, Paulo Wanchope equalised for Costa Rica and it was game on.

Two goals on either side of half time by birthday boy Miroslav Klose put the Germans ahead 3-1, only for Wanchope again to make a mockery of Arsenal goaltender Jens Lehmann as it looked as if second choice German keeper Oliver Kahn tried hard to supress his delight. But a brilliantly executed shot from Torsten Frings put the Germans 4-2 ahead with minutes to go, and a Costa Rica upset was not on the cards this time.

In all honesty this has to be one of the most exciting openers I've seen in recent World Cups; and the 2-0 Ecuador upset of Poland that followed seemed to signal that Germany 2006 may not quite be as predictable as the bookies want them to be.

posted by Idlan @ 6:52 PM