Germany produced an impressive performance to overcome Hungary 3-0 in their latest warm-up game.
Podolski, Gomez and Cacau on target in 3-0 triumph
Germany produced an impressive performance to overcome Hungary 3-0 in their latest World Cup warm-up game.
Despite resting the four players that started Bayern Munich's UEFA Champions League defeat to Inter Milan, Germany dominated throughout in Budapest.
Lukas Podolski opened the scoring from the penalty spot after just four minutes and only a string of saves from Gabor Kiraly prevented Germany from leading by a greater margin at the break.
Mario Gomez and Cacau then struck in the second half to seal a comfortable victory for Joachim Low's side.
Podolski, who scored just twice for Cologne in the Bundesliga this season, showed how he transforms when he pulls on a Germany shirt as he tested Kiraly with a powerful drive in the third minute.
The Hungary goalkeeper was in for a busy night and he passed his first test by tipping the ball over, but he was let down by his team-mates from the resultant corner when Sandor Torghelle pulled down Per Mertesacker inside the penalty area.
Podolski stepped up to place his penalty into the top corner to give Low's side the lead.
A good combination between Mesut Ozil and Piotr Trochowski led to a shot from the former being saved by Kiraly, who denied the Werder Bremen winger again moments later.
Kiraly made further saves to thwart Miroslav Klose and Ozil again as Hungary held on desperately until half-time.
Changes
Low made several changes to his side at the break and one of his substitutes
Gomez scored with practically his first touch of the match.
He was sent through by another substitute, Marko Marin, and managed to just poke the ball into the bottom corner as Kiraly raced from his line in the 69th minute.
Gomez was on target five times in a midweek 24-0 victory over a local amateur team in Germany's training camp in Sudtirol and showed he is desperate not to be one of the two names dropped by Low to form his final 23-man squad next Tuesday as he set up the third.
His pass sent Cacau through and the Stuttgart striker rounded Kiraly before placing the ball into the empty net to boost his chances of boarding the flight to South Africa.
And Low's task in trimming his squad will be made all the harder after Marcell Jansen, Marin, Trochowski and debutant Holger Badstuber all made good impressions.
