Opening Night

Entertaining start to the tournament, six goals and some pretty static defences. Paulo Wanchope scored twice as did Miroslav Klose as Germany became only the second side, after Brazil in 1990 and 2002, to beat the Ticos at the World Cup Finals. All the talk about the new ball seems justified after Torsten Frings, who looks like he should be in Iron Maiden, scored Germany's fourth with a shot that bent from the centre of the goal to just inside the right-hand post.


Phillip Lahm scores the first goal of the 2006 World Cup





Hours break now, time to get those frankfurters hot and that beer cooled right down before Poland play Ecuador.

Oh dear Poland!

I have a soft spot for Poland having visited the country ten years ago and found the people to be friendly, hospitable and generally interested in everything western Europe has to offer, it's a pity their defence seems to have been watching Oxford United rather than Manchester United's though. I haven't given Ecuador much chance in this tournament but the 2-0 win shows that they could be England's opponents in the next round. Two former premiership players: Agustin Delgardo and Ivan Kaviedes who between them couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo when in this country showed up the Poles weaknesses.




Former Saint Agustin Delgardo makes it 2-0





Tonights winning recipe comes from Ecuador

Pork Loin in Orange Juice (Lomo en Jugo de Naranja)

3 pounds of pork loin (boned)
3 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
salt, freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 fresh hot red or green pepper, seeded and ground, or 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco
2 cups orange juice
chicken stock
2 teaspoons cornflour

Heat the butter in a skillet and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is soft. With a slotted spoon transfer the onion and garlic to a flameproof casserole large enough to hold the pork loin. Season the pork with salt and pepepr and brown all over in the fat remaining in the skillet. Add the pork to the casserole with the grated orange rind, the hot pepper or hot pepper sauce, orange juice, and enough stock barely to cover. Bring to a bare simmer and cook, covered, over very low heat for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Put the meat on a serving platter, slice it, and keep it warm. Measure the liquid in the casserole and reduce it over brisk heat to 2 cups. Mix the cornstarch with a little water and stir it into the sauce. Cook, stirring, over moderate heat until the sauce is lightly thickened. Spoon a little of the sauce over the pork and serve the rest separately in a sauceboat. Accompany the pork with a salad made of cooked sliced beets, carrots, and potatoes in a vinaigrette sauce made with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. If liked, toss the vegetables separately in the vinaigrette sauce and arrange them in heaps on a bed of lettuce leaves on a platter. Or serve with plain rice and green vegetable.