The World Cup kicked off in the southern German city of Munich on Friday, as the host nation met Costa Rica in the first match.
MUNICH/ GELSENKIRCHEN: Germany scored a thrilling 4-2 win over Costa Rica in the highest scoring opening World Cup match in history while Ecuador produced the first shock of the World Cup in the tournament's second match when they beat Poland 2-0 in Group A on Friday.
An opening goal from Philipp Lahm after six minutes, two from
Miroslav Klose on his 28th birthday and a screamer from Torsten Frings three minutes from time gave Germany victory after Paulo Wanchope scored twice for Costa Rica.
Lahm, wrong-footing a defender, curled a magnificent shot from the edge of the box off the far post into the top left-hand corner of keeper Jose Porras's net for the opening goal after six minutes.
Costa Rica equalised in the 12th minute through Paulo Wanchope but Germany regained the lead five minutes later when Klose scored from close range and they made it 3-1 when Klose scored again after 61 minutes.
Wanchope beat the offside trap to pull a goal back for Costa Rica after 73 minutes but Germany made it 4-2 when Frings scored with a shot from around 30 metres just before the end.
Klose was named Man of the Match by FIFA's Technical Study Group.
Ecuador upset Poland with 2-0 win
GELSENKIRCHEN: Ecuador produced the first shock of the World Cup in the tournament's second match when they beat Poland 2-0 with goals in each half by Carlos Tenorio and Agustin Delgado in Group A on Friday.
After Tenorio scored in the 24th minute Ecuador, ranked fourth among the South American qualifiers and competing in the finals for the second time, had to show terrific defensive fortitude to hold off the Poles in the second half.
Delgado then settled it with 10 minutes remaining to put Ecuador alongside Germany at the top of the group on three points after the hosts beat Costa Rica 4-2 in the tournament's exciting opening match earlier on Friday in Munich.
It was Ecuador's second competitive win away from the rarefied atmosphere of Quito since the last World Cup but if they repeat it against Costa Rica next week they could reach the second round even if they lose to Germany in their final game.
For Poland it was a repeat of four years ago when they opened with a 2-0 defeat by hosts South Korea and failed to progress to the last 16.
They seem set for another early flight home having failed to score in their opener for the fifth time.
It was not a situation that looked likely in the first 20 minutes as the Poles looked confident and controlled. However, as they failed to trouble goalkeeper Christian Mora, Ecuador grew in confidence and got their reward with a well-created goal in the 24th minute.
Ulises De La Cruz launched a long throw into the box, Delgado flicked it on and Tenorio timed his run perfectly to glance a header past Boruc.
The goal stunned the Poles and they had to weather a storm for the rest of the half as Ecuador pressed for a second.
They should have got it when Carlos Tenorio crossed for Delgado, who sidefooted over the bar from close range.
Poland Coach Pawel Janas, who began the match with Maciej Zurawski as a lone striker, pushed Ebi Smolarek up in support after the break.
They certainly looked more dangerous but the final ball was too often loose, and when they did close in the Ecuadorean back four proved athletically adept at getting the vital touch.
As the Poles pushed forward they were caught out on the break by substitute Ivan Kaviedes who broke on the right and rolled the ball for Delgado to touch into an empty net.
It was exactly four years to the day that Delgado scored Ecuador's first goal at a World Cup final.
Delgado was named Man of the Match by FIFA's Technical Study Group. after the second Group A game in the World Cup on Friday. He took his tally to 30 goals in 69 internationals and is Ecuador's record international scorer.
Delgado, who had an injury-plagued spell with Southampton which ended in 2004, said that Ecuador have much to do to reach the next phase.
"This is a big step forward. But we have to look ahead. Our country will be celebrating, but we have to work and give them even more to shout about," said the lanky forward.
"Our movement was good and we kept our shape. The two goals were our just reward."
Poland coach Pawel Janas was disappointed by the defeat. "It's painful. We're in a very uncomfortable situation. Now we have to pick up the pieces. We're devastated," he said.
Polish midfielder Jacek Krzynowek, who plays in the German Bundesliga for Bayer Leverkusen, was philosophical about his side's bad start, the fifth straight opening game for the Poles where they have failed to find the net going back to 1974, the last time the finals were in Germany.
"We must look forward and put this match behind us and turn to the German game. We didn't play well going forward, but that's football," he said.
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