Germany v Australia full time result
Germany 4 Australia 0
A stylish Germany eased to an opening Group D win in Durban, as Australia had Tim Cahill sent off.
Inspired by the excellent Mesut Ozil, first half goals from Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose set the Germans on their way to a hugely impressive victory, with Australia simply unable to cope with their quality and movement.
The had no chance once Cahill was harshly given a straight red card for a challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger shortly before the hour mark, and Klose, Podolski and Ozil would all go close to extending the three times winners' lead.
That lead was finally extended with two goals in two minutes from Thomas Muller and substitute Cacau, with the Germans laying down an impressive marker for the rest of the tournament.
Joachim Low's side were excellent, with Werder Bremen's Ozil at the centre of all their good work.
Australia - starting without a recognised centre forward - had actually started well, and Richard Garcia's close range effort was blocked by Philipp Lahm following a corner.
But it didn't take long for the Germans to get into their stride, and when they did, they made it count.
Ozil had earlier released Miroslav Klose to shoot straight at Mark Schwarzer, before the midfielder picked out Thomas Muller on the right flank, and his cutback was smashed home by Podolski's left foot, via Schwarzer's stung right hand.
It was Podolski's 39th international goal, and the forward - who only turned 25 last week - was soon testing Schwarzer again with good cross from the left flank, before there was widespread disbelief in the stadium when Klose somehow failed to convert Podolski's perfect centre.
You can't keep a good man down though, and Klose - top scorer in the 2006 World Cup in Germany - was soon beating Schwarzer and Lucas Neill to a pinpoint Lahm cross, heading the Germans into a two goal lead, and scoring his 11th goal in World Cup finals football in the process.
Ozil's chip over Schwarzer soon looked to have made it three, only for Neill to clear off the line, before Sami Khedira headed Lahm's powerful cross over the bar, and Ozil took the ball too far around Schwarzer when played through by Podolski.
Australia were glad for the half time whistle, and started the second period on the front foot, appealing for a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Per Mertesacker on the hand, before Cahill headed over from a corner, and subtitute Brett Holman struck a left footed effort wide from outside of the penalty area.
It wasn't long before Germany were back on the attack though, and Muller lifted a shot over following another crisp move, before the moment that spelt the end of any Australian hopes.
Cahill's challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger was late, but it was clumsy at worst, and the Everton man can consider himself highly unfortunate to have been shown a red card by Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez. Germany are masters at exploiting weakness though, and the sight of Cahill trudgging off the field was all they needed to confirm their dominance.
Klose and Khedira somehow contrived to miss a golden opportunity when either of the pair looked certain to score, before, with Germany almost swaggering now, Podolski drove straight at Schwarzer before picking out Klose, who missed from six yards.
A third was on the cards, and Muller duly delivered with his first international goal.
Coolly sidestepping Scott Chipperfield, the young Bayern Munich forward powered in an effort off the post to firmly establish his side's dominance, and it wasn't long before Brazilian-born Cacau - who'd only been on the pitch for a minute after replacing Klose - was slotting in Germany's fourth from Ozil's centre. It was his first international goal too, and coming from his first touch of the game.
It was all too easy for the Germans, who played out the game's remaining moments safe in the knowledge that they've given themselves the perfect start in the battle to qualify from Group D.
On this form, they are set to go a lot further than that.
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