Australia, on the other hand, will be having a hard time picking themselves up after this result. A crushing defeat in their opening game, and a straight red card shown to their talismanic midfielder Tim Cahill, means the Socceroos must be favourites to finish bottom of the group, especially with Serbia and Ghana still on the horizon..

What does it mean, though, this result for Germany? While they looked very convincing going forward, with an excellent fluidity to their play through the midfield and into the front four, they were almost completely untested at the back. Australia's formation was essentially an awfully defensive 4-6-0, and they made absolutely no impact at all going forward. Manuel Neuer, who would be third choice if Rene Adler was fit and if Robert Enke would be alive, made only one real save today. Going into the next two group games, very little may change. Serbia and Ghana will be pressed back by Germany's front four, and Schweinsteiger and Khedira in the midfield will control possession with their battling mentality and passing ability, so when will Germany be tested?.

Many consider this Germany side to have only a small chance of making a Ballack-esque 'big impact' on this tournament. After injuries to number one goalkeeper Rene Adler, Heiko Westermann, Simon Rolfes, Christian Traesch, and obviously ex-captain Michael Ballack, many football fans around the world had written Germany off. But, after today, we have seen fantastically talented younger players like Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller, Sami Khedira, Holger Badstuber, and Lukas Podolski, and while they may not yet be household names, they will certainly become that as the tournament wears on..

But I digress. Germany should take maximum points from their remaining two group games, and then will most likely play USA in the round of sixteen. The US gave England a run for their money just days ago but I doubt they will give Germany so much trouble. Germany's fluidity of passing and movement throughout midfield and through the front four should be too much for USA to handle..

Now, with Germany looking at an almost assured quarter-final spot, confidence in the German camp will be very high after what should be four exciting wins for the Nationalelf. But where are Germany's weaknesses? When will they be exposed? Are they as good as they looked against Australia?.

If you can bet on anything, you can bet on the fact that the Germans will be prepared for anything. Despite them being a very young squad on average, they have all the same characteristics of great German players like Lothar Matthaus and Michael Ballack. They are determined, they are clinical, and they know what is at stake. I don't see this German side being slowed down by any team who performs less than extraordinarily..