World Cup - Germany 2 Cameroon 0

A poor display by referee Antonio Lopes saw Germany progress to the second stage of the World Cup finals at the expense of the African champions but lose three players for the next game.

A 78th minute red card for Patrick Suffour for hacking down Michael Ballack heralded the end of Cameroon’s World Cup campaign As three minutes later Dietmar Hamann clipped a pass through to Miroslav Klose to head in his fifth goal of the finals.

Bookings for Christian Ziege and Dietmar Hamann rule them out of the next match along with defender Carsten Ramelow who was red carded for his second booking in the 41st minute for a foul on Samuel Eto’o.

Aside from the red card for Ramelow there were 16 other bookings as Lopes struggled to keep control but the Spanish official missed the most serious violent incident.

Pierre Wome badly stamped on the head of German striker Miroslav Klose in the first half as the Cameroon player took revenge for an earlier stamp by the striker.

Neither player was sent off for the incident as Lopes went on to set a new World Cup record with his two reds and 15 bookings.

Oliver Kahn saved well for Salomon Olembe in the 12th minute as the pattern of the game was set with the African side dominating possession.

Wome forced a save from Kahn on 26 minutes that saw the ball rebound off defender Christian Metzelder and almost go into the net.

Christian Ziege came close with a free kick from distance but Germany had to wait until the 50th minute to score.

Substitute Marco Bode was played through by Hamann to go one on one with goalkeeper Alioum to finish well.

Lauren sent a 75th minute header off the goal post as Cameroon failed to get back on terms and conceded a killer goal on the break which came against he run of play and amid a flood of bookings.