Guimaraes scents opening day upset for uneasy hosts
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Your support makes all the difference.Take a bus trip through Costa Rica and it will quickly become clear that every village, no matter how small, has a church, a school and a football pitch. Which is why Alexandre Guimaraes, the Ticos' coach, responded to a draw that pitted his team against the hosts in tonight's opening game of the World Cup with the words: "It is an honour."
It is also an opportunity. Germany may be three-time winners but there is as much trepidation as expectation as they prepare to launch the 20th tournament. This is especially so following the withdrawal of Michael Ballack with a calf injury.
Paulo Wanchope is Costa Rica's main hope of emulating Senegal and Cameroon in creating an opening game upset. The former Derby, West Ham and Manchester City striker is now back home with his old club Herediano, after spells at Malaga, which were most notable for confronting his own team's fans for their racist chanting, and in Qatar. However, he has said he would relish a return to the Premiership.
He will not be the only Tico looking to make a favourable impression on European scouts. One of their weaknesses is that too few players have experience of the major leagues. Of the squad, only defender Gilberto Martinez currently plays on the Continent and that with Serie B side Brescia.
Martinez is one of three key players who are doubtful for tonight's match, the others being former Derby midfielder Mauricio Solis and goalkeeper Jose Francisco Porras. With his understudy Alvaro Masen also carrying a knock, third- choice keeper Wardy Alfaro may have to play - however he is marginally more experienced than Scott Carson, England's equivalent.
With Germany having conceded 37 goals in 27 games under coach Jurgen Klinsmann, Costa Rica can expect to get chances. Their prospects depend on whether a team of notoriously bad finishers take them, and how well they cope with a German attack that has scored 67 goals in that time.
"It seems Michael will not be on the pitch for the Costa Rica game," Klinsmann said yesterday. "We'll leave him on the sidelines for this game and have him fit for the next one. It's annoying but not the end of the world. There's always someone who can jump in."
It seems that someone will be Tim Borowski of Werder Bremen. Borowski, who has promised to dye his hair red, yellow and black to match the German flag if they win the tournament, is the perfect understudy, having the Ballack-like ability to hit the penalty area late and score.
This will leave only two survivors from the team that played in the 2002 final, Bernd Schneider and Miroslav Klose, and three from the 11 humiliated by the Czechs in Rudi Voller's last game at Euro 2004 - Schneider, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger. For better or worse, it is very much Klinsmann's team which takes the stage tonight.
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