GERMANY cruised into the quarter-final of Euro 2016 with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Slovakia in Lille.
The world champions will face the winner of Italy or Spain on Saturday night after Jerome Boateng, Mario Gomez and Julian Draxler scored for Joachim Low’s team.
Germany dominated from the first whistle and it took Joachim Low’s team just eight minutes to get on the scoreboard.
A goal had been coming but arrived in stunning fashion from Boateng.
After a corner was only half cleared the Bayern Munich centre-back rushed at the ball and hit a low volley into the corner – although the ball took a crucial deflection off of Milan Skriniar.
They should have had a second soon after when Gomez was fouled by Martin Skrtel to win a penalty.
Mesut Ozil stepped up, but like Arsenal team-mate Granit Xhaka, was unable to convert.
Ozil almost made amends soon after but his powerful volley flew just wide.
Germany were in total control but needed a world class save from Manuel Neuer to stay in the lead.
Good play down the right saw Peter Pekarik’s cross met by Juraj Kucka but Neuer somehow tipped his header over the bar.
Two minutes later and Germany had their second.
Draxler completely bamboozled Kucker down the left wing, cutting back for Gomez to tap home from close range.
Draxler then scored a deserved goal of his own to kill off the game just after the hour mark.
Mats Hummels got his head to a corner and it dropped to the Wolfsburg man, who was somehow left completely unmarked.
He showed lovely poise and technique to caress the ball into the top corner on the volley.
Slovakia manager Jan Kozak made a couple of changes but his side never looked like getting back into the match.
Germany continued to dominate possession but didn't really need to carve out any real chances.
Joachim Low made a couple of changes himself, withdrawing the excellent Boateng and Draxler.
They might have made it four when Thomas Muller cut back to Toni Kroos but the Real Madrid man hit it straight at Kozacik.
The tournament favourites will face the winner of the Italy and Spain clash in Bordeaux on Saturday night.
GERMANY: Neuer 7, Kimmich 7, Boateng 7 (Howedes 72, 6), Hummels 8, Hector 8, Khedira 6 (Schweinsteiger 76, 6), Kroos 9, Muller 7, Ozil 8, Draxler 7 (Podolski 72, 6), Gomez 7
BOOKED:
Kimmich
Hummels
SLOVAKIA: Kozacik 6, Pekarik 6, Skrtel 6, Durica 6, Gyomber 6 (Salata 84, 6), Skriniar 6, Hrosovsky 6, Kucka 6, Weiss 6 (Gregus 45, 6), Hamsik 7, Duris 6 (Sestak 64, 5)
BOOKED
Kucka
Skrtel
STAR MAN
Toni Kroos
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