EVEN IF THE GLASS IS WIRED UP TO electrodes there is a nagging feeling in the more realistic parts of the host country that it may also be half empty. Four goals, three points and one banana skin deposited in the bin failed to paper over the cracks in a porous defence, and it remains to be seen whether Germany can continue to suspend disbelief as successfully as they suspended women dressed as lampshades 50 feet in the air during the opening ceremony.

Devoid of Teutonic stereotypes, Jürgen Klinsmann’s Germany have received flak for everything from being too cavalier to using a sports scientist who believes in using electrodes on drinking water. The mere mention of the devices conjures up wonderful images of Klinsmann in Dr Frankenstein garb and, certainly, two soft goals, neatly put away by Paulo Wanchope, mean that cynics will view his side as a mish-mash of iffy parts operating at the B éla Lugosi end of the beautiful game. “These are perfectly normal mistakes,” Klinsmann said.

Germany showed a modicum of class in Munich, but the big guns will take solace from their staccato efforts. For the neutrals, however, it is to be hoped that, after so many dull openings to tournaments, this ripsnorter was a portent of attacking football.

Two goals from Miroslav Klose on his 28th birthday, a marvellous swerving strike from Torsten Frings that suggests David Beckham and Co will have fun with the new ball, and the knowledge that the injured Michael Ballack will return soon mean this was a satisfactory night’s work. The only negative was a twisted ankle suffered by Jens Lehmann that threatens to rule him out of action. The Arsenal goalkeeper received treatment in the first half before the ankle was taped up during the interval.

In Bernd Schneider, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Klose the tournament hosts have strong attacking players, but when Wanchope breezed into the penalty box late on to pull it back to 3-2, he struck at the heart of Germany’s insecurities. Frings still had time for his lustrous finale, but that merely added gloss to the scoreline.

It is not unusual these days for Germany to go into a tournament labouring under the mantle of the “worst side in living memory”. Four years ago the prototype recovered from a 5-1 mauling by England in qualifying to thrash Saudi Arabia 8-0 in their first game at the World Cup and promptly go on to make the final, where they were beaten by Brazil.

Ballack missed that game through suspension and yesterday they were missing him again. Germany wondered whether Klinsmann’s transatlantic tenure would translate into a sad story of lambs and a calf muscle. The German media have sensed a schism between Klinsmann and his midfield star, but the coach said: “If our medical team says there is a limited risk, it would be devoid of responsibility to play him.” Sir Alex Ferguson, if not Ballack, would no doubt agree.

Costa Rica hoped that the curse of the opening game would strike again, as it did in 2002 when Senegal beat France, but the pre-match assessment of the Ticos’ doctor, who said he was more worried about his side’s psychological problems, did not bode well.

Nor did going a goal down so early. Frings had already put one dipping shot on to the roof of the net before the ball broke to Philipp Lahm on the left wing. He skipped inside and hit a deft right-footed shot in off the post from 25 yards. It was not a cue for a rout, though, as Costa Rica fashioned a route back into the game.

A wonderful passing move ended with Michael Umana chipping a ball over a misfiring offside trap. Wanchope, the former Manchester City striker for whom the World Cup is his international swansong, gambolled into the space behind the statues and finished with aplomb.

After 17 minutes it was 2-1, Schneider playing a cute ball back from the byline and Schweinsteiger firing across the area for Klose to score. Alexandre Guimarães, the Costa Rica coach, said he drew “enormous confidence” from being able to hurt Germany, but added the caveat: “In the psychologically important moments, they were able to impose their power.” Another came after an hour, Lahm’s cross finding Klose unmarked. His header was saved by José Porras, but the striker poached the rebound.

That should have been it, but the quixotic skills of Wanchope, who added a second, and the nervous central defensive pairing of Per Mertesacker and Christoph Metzelder meant Germany could never relax. “It was pretty annoying,” Klose said of Costa Rica’s goals, “but we always believe in our ability to score another goal”. There is madness in that method for any side with true ambitions.