Germany crush Colombia to bolster World Cup confidence

Germany's Philipp Lahm controls the ball during the friendly football match Germany vs Colombia in Moenchengladbach in preparation for the 2006 FIFA World Cup taking place in Germany from 09 June to 09 July. Germany won 3-0.

Germany wrapped up their World Cup preparations with a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over Colombia in a pre-tournament friendly.

With Jurgen Klinsmann's team due to kick-off their World Cup challenge against Costa Rica in Munich next Friday, the hosts were looking for a comfortable win after a nervous performance against Japan earlier in the week.

All the pre-match talk centred around Germany's defensive frailties that were brutally exposed in Tuesday's 2-2 draw with the Japanese and even captain Michael Ballack admitted manager Jurgen Klinsmann's tactics were a bit gung-ho.

But there was no talk of defensive concerns after the game as Germany crushed Colombia without getting out of first gear.

The South Americans, who failed to qualify for the finals, asked few questions with their blunt attack and their defence was not much better.

Germany's goalkeeper Jens Lehmann shouts instructions to his defense during their friendly match against Colombia in Moenchengladbach, Germany. Germany won 3 to 0.

Ballack, who will play for English champions Chelsea after the finals, broke the deadlock with a trademark header in the 20th minute to net his 31st goal in 65 appearances.

Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who delivered the cross for Ballack's header, then made it 2-0 after 37 minutes.

Schweinsteiger produced a fierce free-kick from 30 yards that thundered past goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba into the back of the net.

It was a second goal in four days for Schweinsteiger who scored the equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Japan on Tuesday.

The German league's top-scorer Miroslav Klose and his Polish-born striking team-mate Lukas Podolski should both have added to the goals tally in the first half but lacked composure at the decisive moment.

The second half was more of the same but Colombia finally had a noteworthy attack on the hour mark but Elkin Soto headed over the crossbar.

In the 68th minute substitute Tim Borowski, only on the pitch seven minutes, was afforded too much space in the penalty area and finished with aplomb.

Germany's Marcell Jansen(R) dribbles past Colombia's Freddy Guarin during their friendly football match in Moenchengladbach, Germany. Germany won 3 to 0.

German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, a spectator for almost the entire match, nearly gifted Colombia a goal from the restart when he lost possession but Colombia failed to take advantage.

But Germany held firm for a clean sheet and aside from the result the return of first choice left back Philipp Lahm, out for several weeks following an elbow operation, was a real plus for the hosts.

World Cup winners Brazil, 4-3 victors in last year's Confederations Cup, are the only team to defeat Germany at home in Klinsmann's two-year reign so the hosts should go into the tournament on a high.

An opening group of Costa Rica, Poland and Ecuador should prove a formality but Klinsmann and his players will only know whether the defensive flaws have been solved in the knockout stages.