Klinsmann revolution rolls on

By Mark Bennett

Germany 3-0 Cameroon
Kevin Kuranyi and Miroslav Klose were both on target as Jürgen Klinsmann extended his unbeaten start as Germany coach with a 3-0 win against Cameroon in Leipzig.

Klose decisive
Germany looked the better side throughout, but had to wait until the second half before finally getting the breakthrough when Kuranyi opened the scoring on 71 minutes. Substitute Klose then sealed victory with two goals in the last 12 minutes as Cameroon finished the game with ten men after Eric Djemba-Djemba was sent off.

Schneider switch
Klinsmann will be equally pleased that his side kept a clean sheet after starting the game with a youthful back-four. Per Mertesacker partnered Robert Huth in central defence, with Philipp Lahm at left-back, though the coach decided against giving Moritz Volz his debut on the opposite flank, and instead opted for Bernd Schneider, a position the midfield player often assumes for Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Schneider shot
But it was at the other end that Schneider almost made an early impact when he had the first chance of the game, the 31-year-old shooting wide from Bastian Schweinsteiger's eleventh-minute pass. Germany were the brighter side throughout the opening exchanges and ten minutes later Kevin Kuranyi should have given Germany the lead.

Eto'o effort
The VfB Stuttgart striker connected with a sublime cross from the outstanding Schweinsteiger, but, like Schneider minutes before, he steered his header wide of the target. Seconds later Samuel Eto'o had the visitors' first chance, but he was denied by Jens Lehmann, preferred to Oliver Kahn in the Germany goal.

Kuranyi opener
Nine minutes into the second half, Kuranyi had another opportunity to break the deadlock, but his shot from the edge of the area again went wide. He was more accurate 16 minutes later though, tucking the ball past Carlos Kameni to give Germany the lead after Michael Ballack had flicked the ball into his path. It was the striker's fifth goal in three games under Klinsmann.

Klose double
Klose, a 62nd-minute substitute for Gerald Asamoah, then sealed a comfortable win for Germany with two goals in the final stages. The SV Werder Bremen striker took advantage of an over-ambitious overhead clearance by Rigobert Song on 78 minutes, before ghosting behind the defence to tap in fellow substitute Thomas Hitzlsperger's cross ten minutes later.