Klose double as six-goal Germany thrash Azerbaijan (Roundup)

Sep 7, 2010, 22:55 GMT

Cologne, Germany - Miroslav Klose led the way with two goals as Germany made light work of Azerbaijan in running out 6-1 winners in Cologne Tuesday to keep their Euro 2012 qualifying momentum going.

After a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Belgium Tuesday, the Germans were never in any trouble against a team ranked 105 in the world and now lead Group A above next opponents Turkey on goal difference.

Substitute Heiko Westermann opened the scoring in the 28th minute and further resistance was broken when two more goals came just before half-time from Lukas Podolski and Klose.

An own goal eight minutes after the break from Rashad Sadygou gave Germany a fourth, Holger Badstuber headed a fifth and Klose completed the scoring in stoppage time to take his international tally to 55.

It puts the Bayern Munich striker level in second place with former East Germany international Joachim Streich in the all-time German scorers' list, with only Gerd Mueller (68 goals) ahead of him.

The visitors, led by former Germany coach Berti Vogts, notched a consolation in the 57th minute when a corner from Vagif Javadov found its way into the net.

Germany coach Joachim Loew can now look forward to a meeting in Berlin with Turkey, who beat Belgium 3-2, on October 8.

'The team combined well in parts,' he said.

'It's fun to see this combination play. It's also good that we didn't stop playing at 3-0 but carried on.'

Loew had preferred Wolfsburg's Sascha Riether at right-back, switching captain Phillip Lahm to the left-back position made vacant by injuries.

That meant no starting place for Westermann as expected, but the Hamburg defender was on after 11 minutes to replace central defender Per Mertesacker who suffered a cut near the eye after being caught by Javadov's arm in an aerial clash.

Westermann then broke the deadlock when he poked the ball into the roof of the net from close range after a first attempt on goal had been blocked by keeper Kamran Agayev.

Podolski, playing at his home Cologne ground, capped a lively first half with the second in the 45th minute after a neat combination with Mesut Oezil.

With first-half stoppage time underway, Klose then struck from close range after Podolski had set him up instead of shooting himself.

Sadygou turned a Sami Khedira cross into his own net for Germany's fourth in the 53rd minute, but there was a quick reply four minutes later when keeper Manuel Neuer under pressure at the near post failed to clear Javadov's corner which deflected over the line.

Germany continued to create chances but had to wait until the 86th minute for another goal when defender Holger Badtsuber rose unmarked to head in an Oezil corner.

Klose then notched his second and Germany's sixth from in front of goal with the last attack of the game after inadvertently being played clear by substitute Cacau.

'It really was a lesson for my team,' said Azerbaijan's Vogts whose team next visits Austria.

'Germany play in a different league. The result is absolutely fine. We played much too passively.'