Germany warm up with 24-0 winGermany enjoyed an easy workout against a local amateur team in their training camp in Sudtirol, thrashing their hapless opponents 24-0 with Bayern Munich strikers Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez netting five each.
Fellow strikers Cacau and Stefan Kiessling scored two each, while Lukas Podolski was also on target as Joachim Low's side showed no mercy on youthful opponents from Eppan. The rest of the goals were scored by Piotr Trochowski (three), Andreas Beck (two), Toni Kroos (two), Arne Friedrich (one) and Sami Khedira (one).
Stuttgart striker Cacau, who is preparing for his first major tournament, said the excitement is increasing by the day.
''I am enjoying the atmosphere,'' he said. ''The tension is rising every day as the World Cup beckons and we are all really looking forward to it getting started.''
Meanwhile, Germany coach Joachim Low is expected to announce Philipp Lahm as his new captain - in the absence of the injured Michael Ballack, although former Germany No.1 Oliver Kahn, who played alongside Lahm both for club and country, is not convinced that the 26-year-old would be the right choice.
''You have a huge responsibility as captain of the national team and the player who wears the armband must always lead the way,'' he told Munich's Tz newspaper. ''Lahm still has to prove whether he has the leadership qualities for the whole tournament.
''A World Cup is very long and there are tough phases. As the captain, you must always be positive and courageous. Philipp is a great footballer, but I don't know whether he is mature enough for this.''
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