KIMETZ THE BARBARIAN

Lukas Podolski struck twice on Saturday to set Germany on the way to a 6-0 win away to Liechtenstein in their first 2010 World Cup qualifier. Podolski combined well with Piotr Trochowski to score either side of halftime in the Group Four clash and take his tally for Germany to 30 goals in 56 matches.

Two goals in the space of a minute from Simon Rolfes and Bastian Schweinsteiger made certain for Germany, before Thomas Hitzlsperger struck with a deflected free kick and Heiko Westermann nodded in four minutes from time.

Germany, runners-up at Euro 2008, next face Finland in Helsinki on Wednesday, while Liechtenstein are away to Azerbaijan. Germany were missing captain Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings through injury but the absence of the two senior midfielders was never a problem.

From the start, Liechtenstein found it tough to contend with the attacking trio of Podolski, Trochowski and Miroslav Klose and the opening goal only looked a matter of time.

It came midway through the first half when Podolski accepted a neat pass from Trochowski and lashed the ball past keeper Peter Jehle from the left of the area.

Podolski"s second, a very similar move, came shortly after the break and it signalled an end to the home side's hopes. Rolfes poked in after a corner had been only half-cleared and seconds after the restart Schweinsteiger lifted the ball over the keeper for the fourth.

Hitzlsperger's thunderbolt free kick looked like going in with or without the deflection before Westermann rounded off the win with a header from a corner.