Germany into semis in fine style
Germany's Marco Reus (no.21) celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal with his team-mates
Two wonder goals from Philipp Lahm and Sami Khedira handed the Germans the lead on two separate occasions, and a goal each from Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus put the result beyond doubt.
The writing seemed on the wall for the Greeks from the first whistle as they were lucky to escape the concession of a goal as early as the fifth minute.
The Greek keeper, Michalis Sifakis, spilled a powerfully struck 20-yard shot from Khedira straight into the path of Klose who preceeded to toe-poke the ball home from a couple yards out.
The goal, however, was disallowed as Klose was ruled off-side, rightly so, but by the tightest of margins.
Seven minutes later and Reus was unlucky not to give his side the lead when some quick interchanges saw him in space just inside the 18-yard area, but he fired narrowly wide.
In the 23rd minute Mesut Ozil should have scored the opener when another swift passing movement freed him up inside the box, but with only the keeper to beat the German fired a timid shot straight at the keeper from 12-yards out.
A minute later and Sifakis was in the action once more, diving low to his left to make a fantastic save, palming a low 16-yard pile-driver from Reus around the post.
In the 36th minute Sifakis was at his best again, this time diving full stretch to his right to deny Khedira from the edge of the box.
Three minutes later, though, and there was nothing the Greek keeper could do stop his team from going behind.
Lahm, on the left flank, cut inside and unleashed a beautiful 22-yard shot that found the top right hand corner to give Germany the lead, 1-0, going into the break.
The second half saw Germany in full control again as they dominated the possession stakes, much like the first 45, but they seemed a little cheeky as they tried to pass the ball into the back of the net and squandered numerous scoring opportunities time and again.
And in the 55th minute the Germans were punished for their wastefulness as the Greeks pulled level.
A swift counter-attack saw the lightening pace of Dimitris Salpigidis break free down the right flank. He supplied a teasing low cross into the box which Giorgos Samaras got to ahead of his marker and forced the ball home from six-yards out to level matters, 1-1.
That goal seemed to wake the Germans and they quickly set about their task and regained their lead six minutes later through one of the goals of the tournament.
Jerome Boateng whipped in a cross from the right that was magnificently volleyed home by Khedira from 16-yards out, bursting the back of the net as he restored his country’s lead, 2-1.
Klose put the result beyond doubt in the 68th minute when he grabbed German’s third goal, heading home a right-sided free-kick in comfortable style from eight-yards out with the keeper in no man’s land, 3-1.
Reus supplied the icing on the cake for the German’s six minutes later when he also scored a fantastic goal latching onto a rebound and firing a dipping volley home from 16-yards out, 4-1.
Greece did manage to grab a consolation goal a minute from time when Dimitris Salpigidis scored Greece’s second goal from the penalty spot, 4-2, but it was way too little way too late.
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