Podolski gala as four-goal Germany blast Cyprus

Podolski, giving an attacking midfield role, scored one goal and was involved in all three others as the Germans breezed to an easy Euro 2008 Group E win.

 Clemens Fritz after 75 seconds, Miroslav Klose in the 20th minute, Podolski in the 53rd and Thomas Hitzlsperger in the 82nd were on target.

 With qualification for next year's tournament in Austria and Switzerland already clinched, Germany and the Czech Republic are now vying only for the honour of finishing top of the group.

 The Czechs enjoyed a 3-1 victory over Slovakia to put both teams on 26 points. Germany are up against Wales in Frankfurt on Wednesday while the Czech Republic are in Cyprus in the concluding qualifying games.

 "All the goals were well worked and there was good movement from Lukas on the (left) side," Germany coach Joachim Loew said.

 "He was involved in all four goals. He moved well and was able to use the space. He is a top-class footballer. It is a good alternative for us."

   "We began with the concentration we didn't have against Czech Republic. If we keep the tempo up we can combine well, (but) if we take the pace off we make mistakes. All in all we can go into next year with a very positive feeling."

   Loew could call on his 2006 World Cup back four of Arne Friedrich, Christoph Metzelder, Per Mertesacker and Philipp Lahm in front of Jens Lehmann, earning his 50th cap in the German goal.

 However it was a new-look midfield, with Loew having to replace  the injured quartet of Michael Ballack, Bernd Schneider, Torsten Frings and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

 Podolski was given an attacking left-sided midfield role alongside Hitzlsperger, Fritz and Piotr Trochowski, with Stuttgart's Mario Gomez partnering Klose up front.

 The selection immediately paid off when Podolski set up the first goal after just 75 seconds when he bustled past three Cyprus defenders along the byline to cross for Fritz to score with a diving header.

 Podolski started the move which led to Werder Bremen's Fritz providing the pass for Miroslav Klose to thread the ball through two Cyprus defenders for a second in the 20th minute.

 Germany booked their ticket for the Euro 2008 last month before the setback of an embarrassing 3-0 home defeat against the Czech Republic.

 But there were no signs of a similar slip-up, with the Germans, who had drawn 1-1 with Cyprus in Nicosia a year ago, threatening to score with almost every attack.

 Podolski increased the lead eight minutes after the break when he steered in a low cross from the right from Bayern Munich team-mate Klose.

 Goalkeeper Antonis Georgallidis could only parry Podolski's close-range shot into the roof of the net, but the 'keeper did well three minutes late to turn a Podolski shot over the bar.

 However there was no stopping Podolski eight minutes from time when he raced past two defenders into the area to send in a cross which Hitzlsperger turned into the net from almost point-blank range to complete the scoring.

 "I know what I'm capable of but I haven't achieved anything yet," said Podolski, who has struggled this season to get in the Bayern Munich side.

 "I am trying to show what I can do and I think it worked out well. It was a small step forward but I have to carry on working on my game. Then I can manage to have games like this one, but it shouldn't be over-rated."

By Jens Mende, dpa