Match Number: 715 Date: 01.06.2002 Location: Sapporo, Japan Competition: World Cup, Japan/Korea 2002 GERMANY: Kahn - Linke, Ramelow (46. Jeremies), Metzelder - Frings, B. Schneider, Hamann, Ballack, Ziege - Jancker (67. Bierhoff), Klose (77. Neuville)- Coach: Völler SAUDI ARABIA: Al-Deayea - Ahmad Al-Dossary, Zubromawi, Tukar, Sulimani - Noor, K. Al-Dossari (46. I. Al-Shahrani), Al-Temyat (46. Al-Khathran), A. Al-Shahrani - Al-Jaber, Al-Yami (77. A. Al-Dossary) Coach: Al-Johar Scoring: 1:0 Klose (21., assist Ballack), 2:0 Klose (26., assist Ballack), 3:0 Ballack (41., assist Ziege), 4:0 Jancker (45., assist Klose), 5:0 Klose (70., assist B. Schneider), 6:0 Linke (73., assist Ziege), 7:0 Bierhoff (85., assist B.Schneider), 8:0 B. Schneider (90., direct free kick) Referee: Ubaldo Aquino (Paraguay) Yellow cards: Ziege, Hamann - Noor Attendance: 42,000Total domination as Germany steamrollered the Arabs in the DFB opener for the World Cup. Of course, Rudi Voeller's squad enters the tournament full of injuries and low expectations, and there was little idea of what to expect. But they came out fast and attacking from the start, and the Saudis were under intense pressure from the get go. After only 8 minutes, the Germans had already had several chances, and Carsten Jancker had forced in a goal - only for the ref to call it off incorrectly.
The outstanding player, Miroslav Klose opened the scoring off a cross from Ballack. He made a diving header after a dummy by Jancker, who had a forceful match. 5 minutes later a repeat, and then Klose returned the favor by providing the cross to Ballack's powerful far post header. Jancker then hammered in a shot shortly before half.
The Germans slowed things down a bit, but then opened the floodgates again midway through the 2nd half. Klose knocked in another short range header for his hat trick, then Linke hammered in a powerful header dircetly off Ziege's corner kick. Bierhoff blasted in a 40 yard shot as he beat the defender on a through ball. Bernd Schneider crowned the effort with a beautiful curling free kick into the upper corner, a la David Beckham.
German dominance was especially evident in the air, as 5 goals were scored off headers.
Overall, the rout was if anything too low, since the Germans played the 2nd half at "half-gas". You can't draw any conclusions, since the opponent was too weak, but at least some of the nervousness should be gone now.
Oliver Kahn never had to make a save, and the German defense was not tested at all, so hard to say how good they'll be. The attack was effective and the midfield dominant. The only definite weak spot evident was Christian Ziege's idiotic half Mohawk-half buzz cut hairdo.