Wales 0 Germany 2: Klose encounter seals Wales' 50 years of heartache

Next summer will mark 50 years since Wales last reached the finals of a major tournament. In case there was any doubt before this game, this defeat confirmed that sorry anniversary will extend at least a further two years. Even though it is not a mathematical certainty, Wales will not be at Euro 2008.

There was little doubt about the gulf in class between the sides, especially considering Germany will be a serious contender to win the European Championship next year. The unfortunate thing here was that John Toshack's side got off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal inside six minutes, and never recovered.

Related articles

• Slovakia 2 Republic of Ireland 2: Cech mate as Irish fail to capitalise on Doyle's wonder goal
• Scotland 3 Lithuania 1: McManus puts Scotland in the mood for French test
• Latvia 1 Northern Ireland 0: Baird clanger leaves Irish with uphill task
• Search the news archive for more stories

Toshack was unable to include Craig Bellamy whose girlfriend gave birth to a daughter last Monday but complications set in on Thursday and, understandably, the 28-year-old was not ready to play football. Toshack did stick with goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who was winning his fourth cap but despite his inexperience, has a rapidly growing reputation, thanks to a run of 225 minutes without conceding a goal, prior to this game.

Unfortunately for Wales, Hennessey hardly extended that number. Jason Koumas dithered on the ball in the centre circle and was dispossessed by Thomas Hitzlsperger. The former Aston Villa midfielder fed Kevin Kuranyi and he found Miroslav Klose, whose touch was perfect as he found the net with the outside of his right boot.

Kuranyi scored when Germany beat England at Wembley last month, but this time it was Klose, Germany's top scorer at the last two World Cups, who did the damage. By contrast, in attack for Wales was the lone figure of Freddy Eastwood, winning only his second cap.

Also playing for the visitors was Jens Lehmann, who Arsène Wenger claimed has not been fit since 22 August. Costly mistakes in two games for Arsenal led to his omission by Wenger for their next three matches. It will be interesting to see if he or Manuel Almunia is in goal for the London side next weekend.

Germany started this game on top of their qualification group and set fair for Austria and Switzerland and the finals next summer. Their coach, Joachim Loew, was simply hoping to get this relatively easy fixture out of the way.

They were helped as Wales, fifth in the group, granted their guests the freedom of the midfield, allowing Bastian Schweinsteiger to pick and choose his passes, either out wide or through the middle to the ever-dangerous Klose.

There had been glimpses of a threat from Wales in the first half, while Germany eased off after Klose's strike. Koumas worked some space for himself but wastefully shot high into the stands and it was no surprise when Toshack adopted a more orthodox two-man strikeforce by bringing on Robert Earnshaw to partner Eastwood. Earnshaw it was who once scored the goal, on his debut, that beat Germany in a friendly five years ago and Wales were looking for that sort of inspiration once more from the Derby County forward.

However, Loew had clearly instructed his players to push on for a second goal and Schweinsteiger, the man of the match, nearly provided it. After 56 minutes, the Bayern Munich midfielder twisted and turned on the corner of the penalty area and curled a sublime shot that was only a fraction too high, glancing off the top of the crossbar. Not that Germany had to wait much longer for their decisive second goal, with Klose enjoying his return to the fray after a recent injury.

Four minutes after Schweinsteiger's effort, Roberto Hilbert beat Gareth Bale on the left, reached the byline and chipped his cross for Klose to head, with ease, past the exposed Hennessey. In fact, it was all a bit too easy for the Germans.