2010 FIFA World Cup: Germans Look Like Champions, but They Should Be Worried

For a while there, it looked as though the big winners on the opening weekend of this 2010 World Cup would be Ghana.  They made a Serbian side favored by many to make it out of Group D look pedestrian and toothless. 

They were the first African team to win a game in the first World Cup played on the continent.  They briefly led the so-called Group of Death, one of the toughest in the competition. 

Their fans blew their Vuvuzelas loud enough to make up for the ubiquitous empty seats in the upper level of the stadium.  They even produced a more jubilant celebration than was seen after South Africa's match ended in an unlikely draw. 

Then came the German domination of Australia, and the Black Stars of Ghana fell off the front page.

Die Mannschaft bagged four goals, with two coming in the first third of the game against a full strength Socceroos side.  Another two were added in the celebratory final third of the game that followed the sending-off of Tim Cahill. 

Australia produced few chances despite the perceived weakness of the German defense coming into the tournament.

The Germans controlled the game with the efficiency of the Deutsche Bahn rail system, rarely making an errant pass or relinquishing possession. 

Every pass arrived at the right place at the right time, especially Lukas Podolski's left-footed laser, and Philip Lahm's brilliant cross to the head of Miroslav Klose. 

The first two goalscorers had struggled all season in the Bundesliga, but returned to the form they exhibited in Germany's 2006 campaign when Podolski scored three goals and Klose won the Golden Boot with five.

German coach Joachim Low, despite his disco-era fashion sense, seems to have cleverly retained Juergen Klinsmann's attacking approach that served Germany so well in the 2006 World Cup, where they placed a surprising third.

With tonight's performance, the first true blowout of the tournament, Germany has now been placed firmly in the worst possible position: The early favorite.

Coming into the tournament, without talismanic captain Michael Ballack or a great goalkeeper like an Oliver Khan, expectations were relatively low for this German side. 

They have weaknesses at striker, at keeper, and central defense.  Many of their players have little or no international experience, and were selected based on breakout seasons in the Bundesliga. 

Some of their veteran players, such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mario Gomez, and Miroslav Klose, had been looking worn down or out of form at the club level. 

Maybe they would win Group D, maybe, but they would probably not make it past a quarterfinal encounter with an Argentina or France.

Then they went and crushed Australia with overhwhelming possession and precision.  Now all of those weaknesses are forgotten, Germany played better than anyone else so far, so they must be better than anyone else, right?  Is it logical? 

How far the Germans will go in this World Cup is anybody's guess, but before fitting their crowns and embroidering Miroslav Klose on the Golden Boot, recall the only team that won an opening game by a score of 4-0 at the 2006 World Cup: Spain, who were then crushed by France in the round of 16.

Yes, that was 2006 and this is 2010, and it is just one example, but does domination in game one crown a champion?  That is a question Germany should ask itself as they celebrate tonight's victory.