Germany's Miroslav Klose (centre) scores his team's second goal past Ecuador's goalkeeper Cristian Mora (right) as Geovanny Espinoza watches during their Group A World Cup 2006 soccer match in Berlin yesterday. Klose scored twice in Germany's 3-0 win. - REUTERS
BERLIN (AP)
NOW THAT GERMANY, backed by its enthusiastic home crowds, have accomplished its first goal, it sure looks ready to challenge for a fourth World Cup title.
Juergen Klinsmann's team beat Ecuador 3-0 yesterday to win Group A. The Germans are off to their best World Cup start in 36 years.
"We wanted to win the group, we scored three victories, we got more confidence and we are growing as a team," the coach said. "Now, the real World Cup is beginning. We have fantastic fans and great support and this integration with our fans is great, but we have to keep our feet on the ground."
Miroslav Klose scored twice and his partner and striker, Lukas Podolski, added the third against Ecuador, which rested some starters after having qualified for the second round.
ONCE-VULNERABLE DEFENCE
Even better than Germany's prolific offence - eight goals in the first round - is a once-vulnerable defence that has not conceded a goal in two straight games.
Both teams were assured of advancing before the kick-off. Germany play Sweden on Saturday in Munich, then Ecuador face England on Sunday in Stuttgart.
"The next games are going to be very different and we are going to be playing teams of a different calibre," Klinsmann said. "We have no problem with being named as one of the favourites. We are playing at home and more wins and shut-outs will earn us more respect. People will have to count us in."
In the other group game, the Polish fans wanted a goal for two weeks. They finally got one - two, in fact - and a win to boot. Too bad it was too late.
Bartosz Bosacki scored twice to lift Poland to a 2-1 win over Costa Rica in a match between two teams already knocked out of the tournament.
KNEE INJURY
Meanwhile, England drew 2-2 with Sweden to earn a second round World Cup clash with Ecuador while the Swedes go through to face hosts Germany.
England, who lost striker Michael Owen to a knee injury after just two minutes, took the lead with a stunning 34th minute volley by Joe Cole from over 30 metres.
Sweden levelled with a Marcus Allback header in the 51st minute and were unlucky not to knock England off the top of Group B after creating a string of chances.
Steven Gerrard put England back in front with a header from a Cole cross four minutes from time, but Henrik Larsson brought the scores level again after a long throw deceived the defence.
Owen will have a scan on a knee injury today amid fears his World Cup could be over. He was taken away on a stretcher after twisting his knee.
Asked if Owen would be out for the rest of the tournament, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said: "Maybe. I hope not, but it doesn't look good at all. Exactly what it is and how long it will take (to recover) I don't know.
"He's going to have a scan tomorrow and after that we'll see ... let's hope for him and for us.
"I spoke to him at half-time and he was not happy. Not happy at all."
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