FIFA World Cup 2014: Thomas Muller hat-trick helps Germany crush Portugal 4-0

Germany's forward Mario Goetze (L) Germany's forward Thomas Mueller (C) and Germany's midfielder Sami Khedira celebrates scoring during the Group G football match between Germany and Portugal.

The Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador was perspiring with anticipation ahead of this meaty encounter between Germany and Portugal. On a bright and sunny afternoon, an organized German team sank the Portuguese into a pall of gloom with a dismissive 4-0 win to get their World Cup campaign off to a blistering start. Thomas Muller celebrated his 50th cap with a stellar performance, scoring a brilliant hat-trick to take Germany to an easy victory. It was a memorable game for the Germans, who completed a century of World Cup matches with their game against Portugal.

Attack has been the mantra of this World Cup in Brazil and the two teams wasted barely any time to get stuck into the act. Both teams had already threatened to score in the first few minutes, before a Thomas Muller penalty lifted the Germans into the lead.

Even as the Portuguese struggled to convert their chances, Mats Hummels doubled Germany’s lead when he struck with his head moments after 30 minutes worth of sand had slid through the timer. Portugal lost Pepe to an act of stupidity and Muller made them pay with a left footer that deepened Portuguese wounds.

Joachim Low’s men wanted a cherry on the cake and it was Muller again who would bake the dessert. The 24 year old scored his first international hat-trick, when Andre Schurrle carried the ingredients on a platter for Muller to complete the rites.

Nani and Ronaldo made repeated efforts to strike back for Portugal, but lacked the conviction to breach the collective defence of the Germans. The exit of Pepe, the injury to Fabio Coentrao and an incoherent effort both in attack and defence left the Portuguese looking out of league against the more organized Germans.

The Germans have a wealth of experience – four men from the 2006 World Cup and five players from the last edition still don the jersey for a team that is expected to do well in Brazil. It was obvious this was going to be an engaging contest as soon as the first kick was taken.

The Germans pressed with urgency, creating chances in the first few minutes. But a second minute corner meant nothing and the Portuguese took over to run the ball through to the edge of the area almost immediately.

It was a busy start to the game – Philipp Lahm, the German captain, made a rare error to surrender the ball to Miguel Veloso. The Portuguese grabbed at it to find Cristiano Ronaldo lurking to the left.The stylish forward had a great chance to push for the lead. Per Mertesacker, with not much else separating Ronaldo from a goal stretched himself in the path to rob the angles and force a meek shot to a waiting Neuer.

A stubborn Joao Pereira, who used his arm to obstruct Mario Gotze cost his team dearly. The referee saw enough to present him a yellow card, but Portugal suffered the ignominy of a penalty. It was only the 12th minute when Thomas Muller, the golden boot winner from South Africa, stepped up to the spot. He underlined the inequitable contest that defines a penalty shot with a thundering strike into the bottom corner to his left.

Portugal nearly equalized in the 25th minute, when Nani took advantage of a rare gift of space on the right to launch a missile at Neuer. The projectile flew just an inch over the bar to leave the Germans ahead by the solitary goal. A couple of minutes later, Portugal were dealt a blow when Hugo Almeida was forced to limp off the field with what appeared to be a strained hamstring. Eder came on for him and took his position at the front.

A corner in the 31st minute allowed the Germans to gain a firm grasp on the game. Toni Kroos delivered a near perfect swinging ball for Mats Hummels, who leapt over Pepe to head the second goal for his team. Not long after that, Portugal earned a corner too, but Eder could not get his header to dip under the post. A missed goal wasn’t the worst for Portugal though; who lost Pepe to an act of foolhardiness, with nearly ten minutes left in the first half.

Challenged for possession, deep inside his own camp, Pepe elbowed Muller to keep him at bay. But that wasn’t enough for the villain in Pepe, who was irked by the theatrical reaction of Muller.

Pepe reached over to the fallen German to tap his head against him, inviting a red card for himself. Muller’s reaction may well have been excessive, but that was no license for Pepe to lose his head in such an important game.

Life must have been disheartening for everyone in Portugal colours, but soon the situation turned despondent. Bruno Alves tapped one straight to the itching feet of Muller. The German did well control the gift and dispatch one past a sliding Patricio to make it 3-0 at halftime.

Portugal’s day worsened when Fabio Coentrao, stretched his left foot to control a ball on the left flank, only to grab at himself and scream in pain. The stretcher had to be hauled over to carry the injured defender off the field. Perhaps the world cup is over for him.

But Muller was far from finished. Andre Schurrle, in for Mesut Ozil, shot across from the right only for Rui Patricio to knock it onto the hungry feet of Muller. He was only a couple of yards out, with hardly anything to do. The German slid the ball home to decorate the game with his 8th world cup goal.

Much was expected of Ronaldo, as soon as we learnt that the Portuguese captain would indeed start the game. But if lingering injury seems to have blunted his senses, the Germans has sowed the seeds of doubt in Ronaldo and his team. It is a cocktail that threatens to consume the star and his team unless they find victory against USA in their next match.

Score: Germany 4 Portugal 0

Thomas Muller 12 (pen), 45 +0:17, 78; Mats Hummels 32

Germany XI: Neuer; Boateng, Hummels, Mertesacker, Höwedes; Lahm, Khedira; Özil, Kroos, Götze; Müller

Subs: Podolski, Schurrle, Mustafi

Portugal XI: Patricio; Coentrao, Pereira, Pepe, Alves; Moutinho, Meireles, Veloso; Nani, Ronaldo, Hugo Almeida

Subs: Eder, Andre Almeida, Costa