Germany 4-0 Australia

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Germany have made a habit recently of making winning starts to World Cup Finals, but much of their pre-tournament build-up has indicated they are worried Australia will be a hard nut to crack in Durban on Sunday.

Coach Joachim Loew and midfielder Marko Marin are among those in the German camp who have got their retaliation in first concerning the Socceroos' defensive tactics.

Loew has accused Australia of "offering anything but a great spectacle", while Marin remarked: "Up front it will be very tight because Australia usually play a defensive formation. It's important to create gaps and outnumber them."

But Tim Cahill, the Socceroos' prolific midfield player who faces a fitness test on a neck injury, insists Pim Verbeek's squad are not bothered by the criticism.

"Let them throw stones, we'll just cop it on the chin," he said. "There is a lot of talk about the Germans talking us down and how well they are going to do, and for us that is a positive."

Loew has been forced by injuries to Michael Ballack, Simon Rolfes and Christian Traesch to select the youngest squad to represent Germany for 76 years, with only three players over 30.

As a result, captain Philipp Lahm feels it is more important than usual to open with a victory, something Germany have achieved in the last five Finals.

"We want to start with a win, that is very clear," said the Bayern Munich full-back. "That would give this young team more confidence. In my opinion it is the best national team I have played in, it's the team with the most quality."

Australia striker Harry Kewell, set to play after recovering from a groin injury, backed Lahm's view and rejected claims that the Germany squad is too young to succeed in South Africa.

"Let's not forget that every time they come to a big tournament, they are always among the favourites and often end up winning," he said. "It's a difficult game for us, but we are up for the challenge."

GENERAL GAME STATS

Germany 4-0 Australia

Germany handed a footballing lesson to 10-man Australia with a four-goal stroll in Durban

Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose both found the net in a first half that Joachim Loew's side dominated.

And when Australia's Tim Cahill was sent off just before the hour mark Germany were able to add two more through Thomas Muller and substitute Cacau.

Australia coach Pim Verbeek had named a cautious starting line-up featuring not a single recognised striker.

Yet the Socceroos almost took an early lead as Germany failed to deal with a corner.

Richard Garcia, the Hull City midfielder, fired in a shot from close range but Germany captain Philipp Lahm was in the right place to block.

Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer then had to parry a drive from Klose at the other end but the Fulham man was soon picking the ball out of the net.

Podolski's emphatic finish gave Germany an eighth-minute lead after Muller had cleverly pulled the ball back from the right.

Schwarzer managed to get a glove on it but with the ball travelling at 82 miles per hour it still flew in.

Podolski set Klose up for what looked an easy finish but the Bayern Munich man somehow managed to slice wide from six yards.

But he made amends straight away by heading home the second in the 27th minute when he beat Schwarzer to Lahm's lofted ball into the box.

Lucas Neill hooked away a goal-bound effort from the excellent Mesut Ozil and there were a few more close shaves for the Socceroos before the half-time whistle.

Any hopes Australia harboured of making a memorable comeback evaporated in the 56th minute when Cahill was shown a straight red card for a tackle from behind on Bastien Schweinsteiger.

From then on it was merely a matter of how many more Germany might add and Mueller made it 3-0 in the 68th minute with a calm finish inside the box.

Substitute Cacau, who had just come on for Klose, wrapped up the scoring three minutes later.