Dortmund-fired Germany too good for Kazakhstan

Germany won 4-1 against Kazakhstan in Nuremberg to open up an eight-point lead atop FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C.

Joachim Löw's side were 3-0 victors against the same opposition in Astana on Friday and always looked likely to make similarly light work of things on home soil. Goals from Marco Reus, Mario Götze and İlkay Gündoğan set the hosts on their way before Heinrich Schmidtgal's lifeline just after half-time. Reus restored Germany's three-goal cushion in the final minute.

The Borussia Dortmund playmaker had opened the scoring with a low right-foot shot from 20 metres midway through the first period. As was the case on Friday, a second quickly followed thanks to club-mate Götze, who tapped in after a splendid solo run by captain Philipp Lahm.

Dominant in the face of their deep-lying visitors, Germany all but wrapped up the points through Gündogan's effort just after the half-hour. Manuel Neuer's lapse allowed Schmidtgal to give Kazakhstan a glimmer of hope, but normal order was soon resumed, with keeper Andrei Sidelnikov required to keep down the score. He was finally breached again late on, Reus icing the cake for the hosts, who do not resume their campaign until the 6 September visit of Austria. Kazakhstan welcome the Faroe Islands on the same day.