 Miroslav Klose scored his second hat-trick in two games as the three-time champions handed out a warning to Group E rivals Republic of Ireland and Cameroon.
Michael Ballack recovered from a foot injury to pull the strings and his
crosses allowed Klose to put Germany 2-0 ahead inside the first 25 minutes.
Ballack, who inspired Bayer Leverkusen to the Champions League final, added
the third himself before the dominant Carsten Jancker made it 4-0 by half-time.
Kaiserslautern's Klose completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute, while
Thomas Linke made it six two minutes later.
Former captain Oliver Bierhoff came off the bench to give Germany their
biggest win in a World Cup finals, beating their 6-0 hammering of Mexico in
1978.
However, the best was still to come with Bernd Schneider scoring a spectacular
free-kick in injury time Saudi Arabia, though, failed to register a decent
effort on goal during the whole 90 minutes, and it is unlikely they will make
the second round in three competitions.
Germany had almost gone ahead as early as the second minute, with Klose just
failing to turn the ball home two yards out from Jancker's drilled cross-shot. The big Bayern Munich man was a constant threat with his physical strength,
and bundled the ball in the net in the eight minute, only for his effort to be
harshly ruled out.
Referee Ubaldo Aquino decided that the striker had held back Abdullah Sulaiman
as they raced to reach the ball on the edge of the penalty area.
Strike partner Klose took his turn to get on the end of Germany's attacking
moves, twice going close in the space of a minute. First he headed over from seven yards, and then saw his shot towards the far
corner saved by Mohammed Al Deayea. Ballack, who had been uncharacteristically quiet for the first quarter of an
hour, drilled a shot just too high after the ball had rolled to him 20 yards
out.
The Saudis could not get into the game as the Germans continued to peg them
back in their own half, and with 19 minutes gone, Rudi Voller's men did get the
goal their possession deserved.
An inswinging left-wing cross from Ballack, who introduced himself to the
match in style, was missed by Jancker's attempt at a spectacular overhead kick.
But Klose made no such mistake at the far post, powering a downward header
past Al Deayea for his ninth goal in 13 internationals. With Germany bounding in confidence, Dietmar Hamann hit a 30-yard drive
straight into the midrift of Al Deayea, who was beaten for the second time in
the 25th minute - again by the Ballack-Klose combination.
 The 25-year-old crossed from almost an identical spot, and Klose again met the
ball with his head to double Germany's lead.
Jancker, who did not score in 18 Bundesliga games last season, was enjoying
the freedom afforded to him by the Saudi backline.
In the 34th minute, he tried to back header Christian Ziege's corner into the
net from three yards, only to get too much height on his effort.
Germany went 3-0 ahead in the 40th minute as Ballack turned from provider to
goalscorer. Bernd Schneider's pass found Ziege on the left and he crossed for the unmarked
Ballack to net with a diving header.
Sami Al Jaber enjoyed a rare foray into the Germans' penalty area two minutes
later, but he was outmuscled by Schneider.
They were back on the defensive on the stroke of half-time, as Germany scored
their fourth. Jancker was repaid for his relentless running, turning home from eight yards
after Klose had flicked on Frings' cross from the right.
Germany did not let up after the restart, with Linke putting a volley just
wide of Al Deayea's right-hand post from Schneider's cross in the 48th minute. They were unlucky not to have a chance to extend their advantage yet further
when, three minutes later, Abdulaziz Al Khathran brought down Torsten Frings in
the penalty area with little or no contact made with the ball.
Jens Jeremies, on as a half-time sub for Carsten Ramelow, was given acres of
space to shoot from 30 yards in the 61st minute, but his effort sailed high and
wide of the target.
Jancker, exhausted by his first-half exertions, was taken out of the action in
the 67th minute to be replaced by Bierhoff.
Klose completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute, his third of the year for
the national team following his three-goal hauls against Austria and Israel. The
forward headed home from Schneider's cross. Two minutes later Germany made it six, with Linke nodding in Ziege's corner
inside the six-yard area.
In the 84th minute, Bierhoff added number seven, as he poked the ball past Al
Deayea from 30 yards after being put clear of the Saudi backline. And Schneider sealed the rout as he struck his 20-yard free-kick into the top
corner.
Germany
Kahn, Frings, Linke, Metzelder, Ziege, Schneider, Ramelow (Jeremies 45), Hamann, Ballack, Jancker (Bierhoff 66), Klose (Neuville 77).
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).
Att: 32,218
Ref: Ubaldo Aquino (Paraguay). |
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