Played at Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium
Date: Sunday, 13 June 2010
Germany provided a real signal of intent with a thrilling demolition of 10-man Australia to get their 2010 World Cup campaign off to a flying start.Germany vs Australia Match Report
Germans hit ground running Germany got their World Cup campaign off to a flying start with a dominating display as they won 4-0 against 10-man Australia in Durban. With a young squad and without injured Michael Ballack, the Germans went on a scoring rampage.
Lukas Podolski opened their account in the eighth minute before veteran Miroslav Klose doubled the lead before the half-hour mark. Cheered by the numerous green and gold fans at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, the Socceroos showed more determination after the re-start but saw their challenge take a fatal hit when Tim Cahill was shown a straight red card in the 56th minute following a foul on Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Thomas Muller added Germany's third in the 68th minute before substitute Cacau got an easy tap-in less than two minutes after coming on as a substitute. The result lifted Joachim Low's side top of Group D alongside Ghana, who beat Serbia 1-0 earlier in the day.
The Germans, who had not lost a group game since 1994, made Australia pay for their sloppy defending. Low handed out-of-form Klose the lone striker's role and it proved a wise move. The men from Down Under had the better of the opening stages and came close to taking the lead in the third minute.
During a scramble in the area, Richard Garcia's close-range shot was blocked by Philipp Lahm. The Germans responded shortly after, with an unmarked Klose surging inside the area and hitting a right-footed strike towards the centre of goal which the Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer parried away. Podolski made no mistake seconds later.
He got behind Muller's pull back from the right and drove the ball in from 15 yards. Schwarzer managed to get a touch on the ball but it went in. Jason Culina could have restored parity in the 17th minute but he nodded high from Brett Emerton's cross. Midway through the first half, Klose missed a glorious chance to make it 2-0.
The veteran got behind Podolski's cross and struck the ball wide from the heart of the area. Klose made amends shortly after as he extended his team's lead in the 26th minute after sloppy defending by Australia. Schwarzer came off his line and got to Klose just as the striker headed home from Lahm's cross from the right.
On the half-hour mark, captain Lucas Neill managed to clear Mesut Ozil's goalbound shot with Schwarzer already beaten. Germany's Sami Khedira headed high over the crossbar as Germany went into the break after a near-perfect first half. Australia coach Pim Verbeek brought in Brett Holman at half time in the hope of sparking his team into life.
Holman tried to make an immediate impact but his diagonal shot went wide of Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's far post. Australia's hopes then nose-dived when Cahill was shown a straight red card for a tackle from behind on Schweinsteiger. With one man short, Australia struggled to stop Germany's advances and conceded shortly after the hour mark.
Muller got away from his marker before lashing home a shot in off the post. Australia had little time to react as Germany struck again two minutes later. Ozil surged down the left and cut it back for the Brazilian-born striker to hit it past Schwarzer.
Germany vs Australia line-ups:
Germany: Neuer, Friedrich, Badstuber, Mertesacker, Lahm, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Podolski, Klose, Muller.
Subs: Wiese, Jansen, Aogo, Tasci, Kiessling, Trochowski, Kroos, Cacau, Boateng, Marin, Gomez, Butt.
Australia: Schwarzer, Neill, Moore, Chipperfield, Emerton, Cahill, Culina, Wilkshire, Grella, Valeri, Garcia.
Subs: Federici, Beauchamp, Kennedy, Kewell, Holman, Jedinak, Rukavytsya, Milligan, Carney, Vidosic, Bresciano, Galekovic.
Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)
Germany vs Australia Extended Highlights Video 10.49 mins
8 mins GOAL by Lukas Podolski (Germany 1-0 Australia)
A goal is scored by Lukas Podolski from inside the box to the top left corner of the goal.
27 mins GOAL by Miroslav Klose (Germany 2-0 Australia)
The ball is sent over by Philip Lahm,Miroslav Klose scores a headed goal from close range.
68 mins GOAL by Thomas Mueller (Germany 3-0 Australia)
Lukas Podolski races forward and slips a pass in for Thomas Mueller, who brilliantly stops on the edge of the box, twists inside Scott Chipperfield and lashes in an arrow-like right-foot shot in-off Mark Schwarzer's right-hand post.
70 mins GOAL by Jeronimo Baretto Cacau (Germany 4-0 Australia)
Mesut Ozil makes a great run into space down the left and when he receives the ball he sends it quickly across goal, where Brazilian-born striker Cacau is on hand to slot in from eight yards with his first touch of the game.
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