Germany celebrates win, worries over defence

BERLIN, June 10 (Reuters) The German press celebrated a winning start to the World Cup for the host nation and a smooth opening ceremony but no one is getting too carried away.

''Dream goals!'' best-selling daily Bild roared today's front page below a picture of German players celebrating Philipp Lahm's spectacular first goal in the opening match in Munich.

''But our defence is a nightmare,'' the headline added.

Germany's 4-2 win over Costa Rica was a relief for home fans, who have been wondering how good their team really is as since as hosts they did not have to qualify for the finals.

''Hey, it works!'' Berlin's tageszeitung declared.

But many experts were shocked that Germany, traditionally well organised and strong in defence, let in two goals against the unfancied Central American side.

''A successful start with blemishes,'' was the verdict of the broadsheet Die Welt.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung described it as a ''reasonable start with more questions than answers''.

But even the sober broadsheet newspaper -- so serious it does not use photographs on its front page -- got into the spirit of enjoying the world's most watched sporting event.

''Football, football, football,'' was its main headline.

''Hundreds of thousands celebrate the start of the World Cup.'' While there was relief that the event got under way without a hitch, not everyone was impressed with the opening ceremony, which featured traditional Bavarian culture.

That was not the modern image some felt the first World Cup in a united Germany should present.

''The world saw us Germans as Bavarian folk dancers, whip-crackers and cowbell swingers,'' complained Bild, which made the official responsible for the ceremony its ''loser of the day''.

REUTERS PDS KN1626