Despite the opening wins, nothing is settled for the two triumphant Eastern Asian sides with five rounds still to play.

The 20-year-old Johnson scored on the half-hour mark in only his fourth international appearance, while Lewis struck the eventual winner just after the break to clinch the points as the teams opened the 10-game final group qualifying stage.

The U.S. win, secured by a world class performance from keeper Kasey Keller, stretched their unbeaten run to 32 matches against regional competition and 14 versus all opponents.

The tournament will provide unprecedented publicity for CTS Eventim, the world's second-largest ticket supplier behind Ticketmaster of the US. But the most prestigious sporting event in Germany for 30 years comes with huge risks.

"The demand for tickets will be far greater than the number available," said Franz Beckenbauer, the competition's chief organiser and a former World Cup winner as both player and manager for Germany.

And even with 554 days still to go before the Opening Match on 9 June 2006 in Munich, the next FIFA World Cup is an increasingly influential factor driving the positive trend and the game's broad appeal.

The global festival of football topped a popularity ranking on 72 percent, reflecting a rising tide of anticipation around the country ahead of the second finals in Germany.

The event is still a year-and-a-half away, but the study indicates it has already gripped the popular imagination more than this year's major sporting highlights.