Lehmann delighted

Jens Lehmann has pledged to work harder than ever to vindicate Juergen Klinsmann's decision to make him Germany's number one for the World Cup.

The Arsenal goalkeeper was picked ahead of former captain Oliver Kahn on Friday after a series of faultless performances took his club into the semi-finals of the Champions League.

"I'm delighted the decision went in my favour," Lehmann said on the German Football Association website.

"I'm going to throw myself into it even more than I have done up to now, so as to live up to the requirements of the World Cup. I'll do everything to do justice to the confidence the coaching team has placed in me."

Lehmann has played just 29 times for Germany, making him a novice compared to Kahn, who has 84 caps. Both men are 36. While Kahn has played in the last three major tournaments for Germany, Lehmann has had to look on from the sidelines.

"I've sat on the bench at a total of four World Cups or European championships," he said. "I know what it's like not to play."

Lehmann's first taste of major tournament action should be Germany's World Cup opener against Costa Rica in Munich on June 9. The hosts then face Poland and Ecuador in the group phase. It remains to be seen whether Kahn will accept a place among the reserves or will call time on his international career.

German Football Association co-president Theo Zwanziger urged him to consider his decision carefully.

"It's obviously a big disappointment for someone who has done so much for German football but I hope he doesn't do anything too hasty," Zwanziger told a news conference in Bad Boll on Friday.

"I hope he thinks about it for a few days and continues to be available for the team."