Gomez, Oezil strike as Germany sink South Africa

Germany’s next generation of stars Mario Gomez and Mesut Oezil scored either side of half-time to give their side a 2-0 win over South Africa in Saturday’s friendly.

With Germany facing minnows Azerbaijan in Hanover in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday, coach Joachim Loew got the dominance he had demanded in the game’s build-up with his side rarely troubled by the Bafana Bafana.

Lone striker Gomez scored his 11th international goal midway through the first-half before Oezil showed great composure to score his first goal for Germany.

Loew introduced a different attacking system with Oezil and Marko Marin on the flanks as Gomez acted as the single centre-forward.

Before kick-off, Germany stalwart Bernd Schneider was honoured to mark his contribution to the national team after been forced to retire earlier this year with a back injury having won 81 caps for his country.

But Germany’s next generation showed their talent with 20-year-old Marin impressing as he won his seventh cap up front.

The Werder Bremen play-maker made the first significant inroad into the South African defence just before Bayern Munich striker Gomez beat South Africa’s goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez on 37 minutes.

Fernandez plays for German second-division side Arminia Bielefeld, but he was powerless to stop Gomez’s shot after Oezil and captain Michael Ballack combined to set up the Bayern striker who rifled home his shot.

South Africa responded immediately and forced Rene Adler into an excellent save.

Loew opted to switch his attack after the half-time break as Bayern striker Miroslav Klose came on to win his 90th cap alongside Cologne’s Lukas Podolski.

Oezil, who made his first start for Germany, hit the second when Klose found the Bremen midfielder with a diagonal pass and Oezil was ice-cool with his finishing on 77 minutes to seal the win.

Chelsea star Ballack came off with 10 minutes remaining to conserve energy with Germany face the biggest challenge of the campaign to reach the 2010 World Cup so far when they play Russia in Moscow on October 10.

Since succeeding Jurgen Klinsmann as national coach in August 2006, Loew has now registered 29 wins, six losses and six draws as well as having reached the final of Euro 2008 when his team lost 1-0 to Spain in Vienna last June.