World Cup qualifiers round-up: Thomas Müller scored twice for the second World Cup qualifier in a row to lead dominant Germany to a comprehensive 3-0 win over Czech Republic in Hamburg on Saturday.
Toni Kroos was also on target to leave the world champions on six points from two games in Group C, alongside Azerbaijan after they beat Norway 1-0 in Baku with an early goal by Maksim Medvedev, and firmly on course for the finals in Russia in 2018.
The Czechs, who have one point, won 3-0 on their last visit to Germany in 2007 in the early days of coach Joachim Löw’s long reign but never threatened a repeat.
“I’m very satisfied, we had control of the game for the whole time,” said Löw.
“We built up our moves very well from the back. We put together some great combinations and didn’t give our opponents any chance.”
Germany broke the deadlock after 13 minutes when Mario Götze burst down the left, his pass into the area was touched on by Mesut Özil and Müller scored with a shot which took a slight deflection off a defender.
Germany, who beat Norway by the same score in their opening qualifier last month, continued to carve open the Czech defence with neat interchanges between Müller, Özil, Julian Draxler and Götze who was playing as a false number nine.
Draxler pinged a shot just wide after Götze pulled the ball back to him, Müller saw a low drive turned away by Czech goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik, then Götze dinked the ball wide after a one-two with Müller.
Kroos doubled Germany's lead four minutes after the restart when he got in front of his marker and placed a sidefooted shot past Vaclik after Joshua Kimmich rolled the ball across the edge of the area.
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made his first save in the 63rd minute when he parried Borek Dockal's powerful effort and the home team struck again two minutes later, Müller turning in Jonas Hector's low cross at the near post.
“We could have scored more goals, we have played a very convincing game,” said Müller. “I’m happy to have scored two.”
A hat-trick by deadly finisher Robert Lewandowski lifted Poland to a 3-2 victory over Denmark in a thrilling World Cup Group E qualifier in Warsaw on Saturday.
A packed 56,000 crowd at the National Stadium in Warsaw saw the home team go in front in the 20th minute when Kamil Grosicki delivered a cross and Lewandowski scored from close range.
Poland kept attacking, mainly down the wings, and Lewandowski made it 2-0 with a penalty nine minutes before half-time after full back Jannik Vestergaard brought down Arek Milik.
The Bayern Munich marksman’s third goal came at the start of the second half when he pounced on a clearance by Vestergaard.
Denmark pulled one back in the 49th minute as Poland's Kamil Glik turned the ball past his own goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski.
The visitors then suddenly started to dominate possession and it was no surprise when lively substitute Yussuf Poulsen netted in the 69th minute.
However, with playmaker Christian Eriksen tightly marked by Poland's defenders, Denmark were unable to draw level.
Poland are joint top of the group, alongside Montenegro and Romania, with four points from two matches. The Danes are fourth on three points.
