Records tumble as Germany soar

Lukas Podolski scored four away goals as Germany rewrote the UEFA European Championship history books with a stunning 13-0 victory against San Marino in UEFA EURO 2008™ Group D.

Löw high
The FC Bayern München striker set the visitors on course for their overwhelming win with the opener on 12 minutes and by half-time had scored his second and Germany were 6-0 up. That itself was a competition record, but it certainly was not the last as Podolski became only the second German to score four goals in a EURO game - equalling Gerd Müller's achievement against Albania in 1967 - as Joachim Löw's team put the home side to the sword. Miroslav Klose (2), Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger (2), Thomas Hitzlsperger (2), and Manuel Friedrich all found the net before Bernd Schneider rounded off the victory with a 90th-minute penalty.

Spain mark
It meant they surpassed Spain's 12-1 success against Malta in 1983 to set a new mark in UEFA European Championship qualifying, and only just fell short of their 16-0 triumph against Russia in the 1912 Olympics. Gottfried Fuchs scored ten in that match but Podolski will be no less pleased with his four-goal haul in Serravalle. The 21-year-old broke the deadlock early on at the Olimpico stadium and Schweinsteiger, Klose and Ballack all struck before Schweinsteiger (43) grabbed his second. Klose capped a frenetic period before half-time by slotting in Germany's sixth.

No relief
Germany, who had laboured to a 1-0 win against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, did not ease off after the restart. Schweinsteiger quickly made it 7-0, then Hitzlsperger and Podolski contributed two more apiece. San Marino's miserable night was completed by two goals in the last three minutes, with Friedrich registering his first international strike and Schneider converting his record-breaking penalty.