Lovin' it: Germany enjoyed going 2-0 up

As for Germany, they will head into their last group game against Denmark full of belief. Defeat in Lviv could still cause them a  problem while a win for the Dutch over Portugal back here could still squeeze them through.

The numbers would have to add up, though. Germany coach Joachim Loew must surely be expecting to see his side to progress. ‘We’ve taken a major step and opened the door to the quarter-finals,’ he said. ‘Now we have our destiny in our own hands.’

Certainly last night Germany looked like a team that will only get better. They might have had a problem had Van Persie taken one of two early chances. But the first — a volley when a pass from Mark van Bommel dropped over his shoulder — and the second — a shot on the run from a Robben pass — never looked like beating Manuel Neuer. From that point, Germany managed to take hold of the game.

Gomez did not always look the most convincing of strikers during last season’s Champions League campaign. Last night, though, he was devastating.

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