Germans defy the odds against Greece

Deisler: German midfielder sent-off after an hour

Greece 2-4 Germany

Germany beat Greece to stay five points clear of England in Group Nine, despite playing for half-an-hour with only ten men.

The visitors went ahead twice in the first-half, through Marko Rehmer and Michael Ballack, but were pegged back each time by the Greeks.

Then on the hour mark Sebastian Deisler was sent off and the Germans looked to be in trouble.

But Kaiserslautern striker Miroslav Klose headed his side into the lead late on, before his fellow substitute Marco Bode sealed the win in the last minute.

In an open and entertaining game, Greek coach Vassilis Daniil watched his team's hopes of reaching the World Cup finals founder on weak finishing.

Goal-spree

The hosts dominated the second half and should have taken the lead before Klose struck on the counter.

With Greece opting for all-out attack from the start, the opening half was played at a furious pace.

The goal-spree began in the sixth minute as German striker Carsten Jancker was able to shield the ball and feed the overlapping Marko Rehmer for a simple tap in.

Despite the early setback, Greece remained positive and poured forward looking for an equaliser.

A stream of corners from the right side followed before good work from Giorgos Georgiadis in the 20th minute forced an opening for Angelos Haristeas to slot home past Oliver Kahn.

The joy was short-lived, however, as Grigoris Georgatos hauled down Michael Ballack in the area only four minutes later.

The young Bayer Leverkusen forward then picked himself up to convert from the spot.

PAOK midfielder Georgiadis had two strong penalty appeals waved away before he managed to latch onto a Georgatos cross and equalise with a header in the 44th minute.

Haristeas should have put the hosts in the lead in the 64th minute with a free header but his effort lacked power and Germany were able to regroup for a final onslaught.

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Greece: Eleftheropoulos; Patsatzoglou, Kostoulas, Goumas, Basinas, Karagounis, Georgiadis, Zagorakis, Haristeas, Liberopoulos, Georgatos.

Germany: Kahn; Worns, Ziege, Heinrich, Nowotny, Jeremies, Rehmer, Ballack, Jancker, Deisler, Neuville.

Referee: Vitor Mel Pereira (Portugal).