Verdict: Poland were more adventurous than I expected, and will be disappointed not to have at least got a goal. On the other hand, their defence had more holes in it than a Doctor Who plot and Germany had the calibre to take full advantage; Joachim Low's side thoroughly deserved their victory.
Entertainment value: Immensely enjoyable, with both sides flooding players forward and a midfield you could drive a bus through. Plenty of chances for both teams in a match played a high tempo from start to finish.
Heroes: Lukas Podolski, obviously, after a two goal haul; the second was an absolutely stonking volley. Low's decision to play him on the left wing was a masterstroke. The best player on the pitch was Torsten Frings, however, who quite frankly owned the midfield. Poland will be grateful to Artur Boruc for some good stops (particularly a spectacular one from Ballack) while Lobodzinski had caused trouble on the right before he was hooked. Expect to see energetic substitute Roger Guerreiro on from the start in the next game.
Villains: Michael Ballack didn't have much impact on the game, while Mario Gomez offered very little threat for Germany. For Poland, just look at their back four, who were crucified time and again.
The job ahead: Germany will clinch qualification if they beat Croatia, and they will know that they still have another gear or two to shift into if they need it. Poland, in contrast, face co-hosts Austria knowing that they need four points from the last two games to stand a chance.
L.
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