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Germany v Costa Rica - 9/6 5PM BBC1


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Group A

Munich

Friday, 9 June

Kick-off: 1700 BST

Live on BBC One, BBC Radio Five Live & the BBC Sport website

 

World Cup hosts Germany open the tournament in Munich - and are without talismanic captain Michael Ballack.

 

Chelsea's new signing picked up a calf strain in the 3-0 friendly win over Colombia on 2 June and the injury has prevented him from training.

 

Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann is likely to use Tim Borowski as Ballack's replacement in central midfield with Bastian Schweinsteiger on the left.

 

Former Derby striker Paulo Wanchope is set to lead the Costa Rica attack.

 

Germany (probable): Lehmann, Lahm, Nowotny, Mertesacker, Friedrich, Schweinsteiger, Frings, Borowski, Schneider, Podolski, Klose.

 

Costa Rica (probable): Porras, Umana, Marin, Gonzalez, Sequeira, Martinez, Solis, Centeno, Fonseca, Gomez, Wanchope.

 

Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)

 

Ballack's absence is a blow for Germany, as the midfielder is considered to be their one true world-class star.

 

Despite beginning training on Wednesday, the 29-year-old was forced to end the session early.

 

Germany coach Klinsmann has previously insisted he will not play anyone who is not fit 48 hours before a match.

 

The Germans are likely to play with an attacking 4-4-2 formation as they attempt to avoid the fate of Argentina in 1990 and France in 2002 by losing the opening game to unfancied opponents.

 

Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski will not be isolated up front as Schweinsteiger and Bernt Schneider will push forward on the flanks.

 

Costa Rica are likely to pack their midfield in a 3-5-2 formation and wait for their chance to counter-attack.

 

BIG MATCH STATS

 

Head-to-heads

 

There have been no previous encounters between these nations.

 

(West) Germany are undefeated (four wins, one draw) in five World Cup matches against nations from the CONCACAF region.

 

Team facts - Germany

 

(West) Germany have lost only one of their previous 15 opening matches in a World Cup. In 1982 they were upset 2-1 by Algeria, but still managed to reach the final. The World Cup hosts have never lost their opening match (13 wins, five draws). Germany have featured in the tournament opener three times. In 1938 they drew with Switzerland 1-1. In 1978, they drew with Poland 0-0. In 1994, they defeated Bolivia 1-0 courtesy of a Jurgen Klinsmann goal.

 

Jurgen Klinsmann is one of two national team coaches (Mexico's Ricardo Lavolpe is the other) at the 2006 World Cup to have won the competition as a player. Klinsmann lifted the trophy on behalf of West Germany.

 

Team facts - Costa Rica

 

Costa Rica are playing at their third World Cup, having also appeared in 1990 and 2002.

 

Team boss Alexandre Guimaraes represented his nation at the 1990 World Cup, making three substitute appearances.

 

Player facts - Germany

 

Miroslav Klose, who netted five times in Germany's 2002 World Cup campaign celebrates his 28th birthday on the day of the World Cup's opening match. He is one of nine players from the campaign that finished as runners-up in 2002.

 

David Odonkor made his international debut against Japan, which means all 23 players in Jürgen Klinsmann's squad now have at least one international match under their belt. Mike Hanke is suspended for this match after having been red carded in the Confederations Cup last year.

 

Player facts - Costa Rica

 

Nine players in the Costa Rican squad also played at the 2002 World Cup.

 

Captain Luis Marin (120) and midfielder Mauricio Solís (107) are Costa Rica's all-time leading appearance makers. They are the only Costa Rican centurions in that respect.

 

Miscellaneous Info

 

Group A is the only group featuring four nations that were also present at the 2002 World Cup.

 

Germany also hosted the World Cup in 1974, when they emerged victorious by defeating Holland in the final at Munich's Olympiastadion. Mexico, Italy and France have also hosted the World Cup finals twice.

 

Even with Ballack missing Germany should still have too much for Costa Rica. 2-0 to Germany

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Guest Guest

Costa Rica isn't the strong squad that they were in 2002 when they bowed out only narrowly to Turkey and Brazil (1st and 3rd place in the tournament.) I expect a comfortable 2-0 or 2-1 win for the Hosts.

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Costa Rica isn't the strong squad that they were in 2002 when they bowed out only narrowly to Turkey and Brazil (1st and 3rd place in the tournament.)  I expect a comfortable 2-0 or 2-1 win for the Hosts.

146803[/snapback]

 

That was me btw.

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1-1 draw, Germany aren't much chop especially without Mercenary Man.

 

Expect the Costa Ricans to score early, while ze Germans are unsettled with nerves. Germany to equalise around the hour mark.

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Weren't they just at the open-air thing the other night?

 

Anyway, boo to Ballack being out, that's one less reason for my fella to actually watch the thing. This could be a difficult few weeks in terms of remote control control. :lol:

 

3-1 to the Jormans.

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Guest alex
Weren't they just at the open-air thing the other night?

 

Anyway, boo to Ballack being out, that's one less reason for my fella to actually watch the thing. This could be a difficult few weeks in terms of remote control control. :lol:

 

3-1 to the Jormans.

146846[/snapback]

Boo!

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Weren't they just at the open-air thing the other night?

 

Anyway, boo to Ballack being out, that's one less reason for my fella to actually watch the thing. This could be a difficult few weeks in terms of remote control control. :lol:

 

3-1 to the Jormans.

146846[/snapback]

Boo!

146859[/snapback]

I know. No sense of occasion. :unsure:

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Team Line-ups

 

Germany: Lehmann, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Frings, Borowski, Schneider, Podolski, Klose.

Subs: Asamoah, Ballack, Hildebrand, Hitzlsperger, Huth, Jansen, Kahn, Kehl, Neuville, Nowotny, Odonkor.

 

Costa Rica: Porras, Marin, Umana, Gonzalez, Martinez, Fonseca, Solis, Centeno, Sequeira, Gomez, Wanchope.

Subs: Alfaro, Azofeifa, Badilla, Bernard, Bolanos, Drummond, Hernandez, Mesen, Nunez, Rodriguez, Saborio, Wallace.

 

Referee: Horacio Marcelo Elizondo (Argentina)

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What's happened to Hamann, is he injured?

147093[/snapback]

he's not even in the 23 man squad.

147114[/snapback]

 

 

Terrible that like. I thought he had a mixed season, but still I think he's a vital player for them...ah well...!

 

 

COME ON COSTA! :lol:

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