Germany. Oct 9: Midflelder Andy Moeller and libero Matthias Sammer both

scored twice as Germany took a confident stride towards next year's European Championship finals with a 6-1 mauling of Moldova on Sunday, reports Reuter.

After Moldova had given away a soft own goal in the 16th minute of the Group , Seven qualifier, the 1990 World Cup winners built up a comfortable 3-0 halftime lead with strikes from Thomas Helmer and Sammer in the 18th and 24th minutes.

The Germans were given the space to play some entertaining football on a beautiful, autumnal evening and Moeller took his chances well with a long-range shot two minutes into the second half and a fierce volley in the 61st minute.

Berti Vogts's team finished off the rout in the 72nd minute with a second goal for Sammer before Radu Rebeja scored a consolation goal for Moldova in the 81st minute.

The victory was Germany's best result at home in a com

petitive match since they smashed Finland by the same score in a World Cup qualifier in October 1989.

It kept Germany in second place in the group, three points behind leaders Bulgaria who kept up their unbeaten record with a 3-0 defeat of Albania in Sofia on Saturday.

But. with 19 points, the Germans now have a seven-point advantage over third-placed Georgia and look almost certain to qualify.

Victory over Wales in Cardiff next Wednesday would effectively ensure their ticket to the finals in England. Moldova stayed bottom of the group with Just six points from their nine games.

The Moldova defence looked hesitant from the start. Although the Germans took the lead through an own goal,.At, rfisufted /rqm clever move down the right flank.

Defender Markus Babbel played a long ball from deep in his own half to striker Heiko Herrilich who headed it perfectly Into the path of Moeller.

After Moldova keeper Yevgeny Ivanov failed to hold the midfielder's fierce shot

from the right side of the box, captain Sergei Stroenko hooked the ball Into his won net as he tried to clear the ball under pressure from Juergen Klinsmann.

Just two minutes later. Bayern Munich defender Helmer fired in a brilliant shot from the edge of the penalty area to stretch the Germans' lead.

The game was effectively over as a contest when Sammer, the newly-crowned German footballer-of-the-year. hammered in the third after Moldova had given away a foolish free-kick for a back pass six metres from goal.

The second half was less than two minutes old when Moeller struck a crisp leftfoot shot from the edge of the area Into the goal off the right-hand post.

Ironically Klinsmann, Germany's mo^t prolific marksman Tn recent years. " failed to get on the score sheet after an unlucky match. He even missed a penalty later in the second half.

It was Irrelevant, however. Vogts’s team should face a ' much tougher test in Cardiff against a better-organised team.