Germany 8-0 Saudi Arabia
Germany took control of Group E with a resounding victory over a desperately poor Saudi Arabia outfit.
Rudi Voeller's men lifted some of the clouds that had started to gather over the national team with a controlled display in what ended as a training session for the Germans.
Germany recorded their biggest ever World Cup win with their eight-goal haul, in part inspired by hat-trick hero Miroslav Klose.
The striker scored all three goals - two in the first half, one in the second - with his head and the cerebral quality of his play more than justified his starting place in Voeller's line-up.
The impressive Michael Ballack maintained his excellent scoring record for a midfielder, heading in Germany's third.
And Carsten Jancker joined the first-half rout with a deserved goal against the hapless Saudis.
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MATCH FACTS |
20 mins: Klose heads Germany in front
25: Klose nets second
40: Ballack adds third for Germany
45: Jancker slots home from close range
69: Klose gets hat-trick
73: Linke gets on the scoresheet
84: Bierhoff in seventh heaven
90: Schneider fires in eighth
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After the break, Thomas Linke, substitute Oliver Bierhoff and Bernd Schneider joined in the goals fest as Germany now look ahead to what will be a decidedly sterner test against the Republic of Ireland.
Saudi coach Nasser Al Johar had been assured by the country's prince that his job was safe even if the team failed to progress from the first round.
But any more displays similar to this embarrasing capitulation - where the Saudi players failed to make a single tackle in the first half - could see the Asian coach of the year on the first plane out of Sapporo.
From the outset, the tall imposing figure of Jancker was the focal point of Germany's attacking play.
Whenever possible the ball was hoisted to the striker and the Germans' tactics caused Saudi Arabia all kinds of problems.
Within the first minute, Jancker had dragged a shot wide from a tight angle and six minutes later the striker had the ball in the back of the net.
But the "goal" was ruled out after Jancker was penalised, rather harshly, for a foul on Abdullah Suleiman Al-Zubromawi in the build-up.
However, it was only a matter of time before Germany opened their World Cup scoring account and Klose duly obliged on 20 minutes with a brave stooping header.
The Saudi defence were ruthlessly exposed by their opponents' clever attacking play.
And Klose quickly doubled Germany's advantage, rising adroitly to meet Ballack's pinpoint cross and head home his second of the game.
With Germany in the ascendancy, it was always going to be a damage limitation exercise for the Saudis.
Yet they were helpless to prevent Germany from scoring a third. On this occasion, the protagonists were different but the result the same.
Christian Ziege delivered a sumptous left-foot cross and Ballack applied the finish with his head.
On the stroke of half-time, Jancker ended a personal goal drought to put away Klose's deft flick with aplomb.
With the game over as a contest, it was case of which Germany player could get their name on the score-sheet in the second half.
Goalkeeper Oliver Kahn must even have harboured thoughts of a run upfield.
But it was left to Klose, who completed his hat-trick, Linke, substitute Bierhoff and Schneider to condemn Saudi Arabia to a humiliating defeat.
Germany: Kahn, Frings, Linke, Metzelder, Ziege, Schneider,
Ramelow (Jeremies 45), Hamann, Ballack, Jancker (Bierhoff 66),
Klose (Neuville 77).
Subs Not Used: Asamoah, Baumann, Bode, Bohme, Butt, Kehl,
Lehmann, Rehmer, Ricken.
Booked: Ziege, Hamann.
Goals: Klose 20, 25, Ballack 40, Jancker 45, Klose 69,
Linke 73, Bierhoff 84, Schneider 90.
Saudi Arabia: Al Daeyea, Tukar, Ahmed Al Dossari, Zubromawi,
Sulimani, Noor, Al Owairan (Ibrahim Al Shahrani 45),
Abdallah Al Shahrani, Al Temyat (Al Khathran 45), Al Jaber,
Al Yami (Abdallah Al Dossari 77).
Subs Not Used: Obeid Al Dossari, Al Ghamdi, Al Jahani,
Al Shehri, Al Shlhoub, Al Thagafi, Babkr, Harthi, Zaid.
Booked: Noor.
Att: 32,218
Ref: Ubaldo Aquino (Paraguay).
| MATCH STATS |
| | Germany | S Arabia |
| Corners (1st half) | 2 | 1 |
| Corners (2nd half) | 8 | 0 |
| Fouls committed | 18 | 11 |
| Shots on target | 15 | 0 |
| Caught offside | 3 | 2 |
| Shots off target | 12 | 2 |
| Hit woodwork (back into play) | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| STOPPAGE TIME | |
| First half - 2 mins | Second half - 3 mins |
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