Goal.com analyses the individual contributions of the participants in Germany’s 6-0 trouncing of Liechtenstein. Simon Rolfes, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Heiko Westermann added to a Lukas Podolski brace to ease the Germans through…

LIECHTENSTEIN

Peter Jehle: 7.0 – Would have had a 7.5 if not for his poor punch-clearance, which led to the Rolfes goal.  Was generally well-positioned, and did well to save a number of low drives.  If not for Jehle’s performance, the score could have been 10-0.

Fabio D’elia: 2.0 – Probably the worst of a very disappointing Liechtenstein defense.  Had no confidence and allowed Trochowski to dribble to the penalty area before the Hamburg midfielder laid off for Podolski’s second goal.  Otherwise, he tended to be caught woefully out of position.

Martin Stocklasa: 2.5 – Like D’elia, was often out of position, as he played Podolski onside for the Germans’ second goal.   He was not aggressive enough to play a central defensive role.  Was saved by Jehle on 14’ when Klose had an open header on goal.  As the match wore on, he appeared more comfortable, which greatly helped his performance.

Marco Ritzberger: 3.0 – Like Stocklasa and D’elia, was consistently out of position.  Benefited from seeing far less action than D’elia, but was unable to save his team from a rout.

Franz Burgmeier: 3.0 – A banker by trade, the midfielder played aggressively, which had mixed results for his team.  His tackles tended to break up German advances, but were often reckless.  Lucky he wasn’t sent off.

Michele Polverino: 3.0 – Allegedly one of Liechtenstein’s best, this was not his day.  Has suffered from back pain as of late, which most likely contributed to his anonymity on the pitch.

Andreas Gerster: 3.0 – Another mostly anonymous midfielder due to his team’s having been pinned in its own half for most of the match.

Martin Buechel: 5.0 – Aside from a decent cross on 36 minutes, was mostly anonymous at the offensive end, and rarely had possession.

Mario Frick: 6.0 – His team’s best outfielder.  Had a good run on 24 minutes, and nearly scored a consolation goal after beating Tasci on 71 minutes.  Unfortunately, for Frick, Westermann recovered and took away any shooting opportunity.

Benjamin Fischer: 4.5 – Had a good opportunity on 72 minutes, but missed high.  Did well to link up with Frick on a few occasions, but was generally sloppy with the ball.

Mathias Christen: 4.5 - Took a decent but prayer-like shoot on 10 minutes and had a good close-range effort after 71.

Substitutes:

Thomas Beck: 4.0 – A good close-range effort on 78 minutes was his biggest contribution, but his shot was off target.

Raphael Rohrer: 5.0 – Was effective on corners, finding Fischer on 72 minutes and Beck on 78 minutes.  Unfortunately for Rohrer, his teammates were unable to convert.

Ronny Buchel: n/a

GERMANY

Robert Enke: 7.0 – Although he was never truly tested, he was always in position to make saves had they been required.

Philipp Lahm: 8.0 – The more offensive fullback.  Wreaked havoc on the left side with his accomplices, Trochowski and Podolski.  Was too generous on 41 minutes when he had a 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper and he crossed to a nonexistent receiver.

Serdar Tasci: 5.0 – Hard to rate because he was rarely called into action.  Disappointed when he failed to contain Frick on 71’.

Heiko Westermann: 6.0 – Also hard to rate because he was so sparingly used.  In spite of a defensive error on 11 minutes, he performed generally well in his own half, and provided the kind of offensive performance Germans expect from Christoph Metzelder, except with finishing on the attacking end.  Provided a headed goal following a corner kick, a surprisingly rare feat for a German international.

Clemens Fritz: 5.0 – The more defensive full back.  Cannot be faulted for his lack of offense, as Westermann and Lahm often ventured forward and somebody had to keep Tasci company.  Did well to break up attacks from the Liechtenstein offense when necessary.

Piotr Trochowski: 6.5 – Had his ups and downs.  Great selfless play: for the opener, he passed up a shot, instead laying off for Hitzlsperger, who assisted Podolski’s opener.  Also passed up a chance and provided the ball for Podolski’s second goal.  Still, his passing was not always spot-on, and he occasionally lost possession cheaply.

Thomas Hitzlsperger: 6.0 – Also had his ups and downs.  Aside from his assist to Podolski, his passes tended to be poor.  Would have had a rating of 5.0 if not for his well-struck free kick goal.

Simon Rolfes: 4.0 – Many would ask how a goal scorer could have a rating of 4.0, but I can’t give him much credit for an opportunistic goal, even if it was well struck.  Aside from a great ball to Lahm, he contributed little offensively or defensively.

Bastian Schweinsteiger: 6.5 – His work rate, versatility, and creativity are to be highly respected.  Early on, he was all over the pitch, setting up plays and confusing the opposing defense.  Had two good shots and would have scored if not for Jehle’s good goalkeeping.  For all his vision and good runs, he was not as technically sharp as he can be, as his ball control and passes were often sub-par.

Miroslav Klose: 2.0 – Why Loew gave him the captain’s armband is a mystery to me.  Confidence is a requirement for all captains, and Klose has none of it.  A perfect example was when he was open in the penalty area and shot at least a yard wide of the far post.

Lukas Podolski: 8.0 – Not only did he score twice, but he also nearly provided several assists.  His work rate was incredible, exemplified by his efforts to remain on his feet as D’Elia did his best to pull him down rugby-style. If today’s performance does not win him a starting role at Bayern, Klinsmann is a madman.

Substitutes:

Mario Gomez: 5.0 – Keeps getting unlucky.  When the ball was crossed in front of his feet, he froze instead of tapping the ball in.  A disappointing performance from the man who is arguably Germany’s most talented centre forward.

Marko Marin: 5.5 – Today’s performance was below the quality of his league performances and his last international outing against Belgium.  Did nothing wrong, but those hoping for a few Messi-style runs would have been disappointed.

Kevin Kuranyi: 5.5 – Would have had a higher mark had he scored, which he nearly did twice.  A free header late in the match should have been on target, and he was unlucky to have been flagged for offside as he turned and netted from 18 yards.

Ref From Clark Whitney - goal.com

Spain began their World Cup qualifying campaign with a close 1-0 victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Murcia in a game that saw David Villa score and miss a penalty. Goal.com watched the game, analysed it and then gave the players marks out of ten for their performances…

Spain

Iker Casillas 6 - Did not have much to do behind a defence that kept their hosts at bay with relative ease, but what he had to do he did well.

Sergio Ramos 7 - Enjoyed playing his usual role of changing up and down the flanks, but did not have as much affect as normal with no target man to aim for.

Joan Capdevila 6 - Nowhere near as effective as he has been in previous games either down the wing or at set pieces, but he did just about enough to stay on.

Carles Puyol 8 - The rock at the back for Spain. The Barça defender made some crucial tackles in both halves and was cheered by the crowd for his efforts when coming away from tackles with the ball.

Raúl Albiol 6 - With Bosnia only playing only one up front it was always likely that one of the two Spanish central defenders would have a quiet evening and it was him.

Marcos Senna 7 - Had a fizzing shot that hit the crossbar and sat in the midfield and won so many balls. A higher mark had he had more to play against.

Cesc Fàbregas 7 - If he had not set up the goal the mark would have been lower, but the lack of space in midfield meant that he found it hard to perform.

Xavi Hernández 8 - Had to wait until the second half to really come to life because of the space issue in midfield, but always looked comfortable and in control.

Andrés Iniesta 9 - The Barça midfielder grew as the game wore on and he showed just how important he is to the Spanish team with some great touches and powerful running.

Diego Capel 8 - Spain’s liveliest player as he constantly asked Bosnia questions and will definitely retain his place, but he did show the odd touch of inexperience at the highest level with some headless runs.

David Villa 7 - He may have scored the goal, but on his own up front the Euro 2008 star was not effective and his penalty miss was also a lack of concentration.

Subs

Xabi Alonso 7 - Came on and showed calm and security when it was needed with a couple of strong tackles and some neat passes.

Santi Cazorla n/a

Dani Güiza n/a

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Kenan Hasagic 7 - Ensured that Spain’s advantage remained at one with some good saves and showed that his positioing was very good as he made some stops look easy.

Dzemal Berberovic 5 - Did not do much wrong and his exit was tactical as Bosnia looked to shuffle their pack just after going behind.

Safet Nadarevic 6 - None of the Bosnian back four should think that they did a bad job because Spain were restricted for long periods.

Ivan Radeljic 6 - Another representative of a team that could certainly go further in Group Five than many have predicted-.

Elver Rahimic 6 - If Spain had made some more of their chances count then it could have been a different marking system, but player slike him meant the hosts were kept out.

Dario Damjanovic 6 - Showed some good touches and was evidently hampered by the team orders to sit back before playing on the break.

Sejad Salihovic 5 - Could have done more on the break, but was blunted when it mattered most and he will have to improve next time.

Zvjezdan Misimovic 6 - The visitors’ best player in the first half but he appeared to become frustrated after the break with his team’s inability to find a way through.

Samir Muratovic 5 - The tactics may have also stopped him from playing his normal game, but there was little he could to stop the defeat.

Edin Dzeko 6 - Caused Spain some problems with his height and strength, but looked slow in his reactions and movement and was tackled too often at the crucial moment.

Admir Vladavic 5 - Did not register a chance of any real note all evening and that could be down to him, although that may be seen as a bit harsh.

Subs

Vedad Ibišević 6 - Came on and looked lively, but did not change the visitors’ outlook enough to have any real influence.

Senijad Ubricic n/a

Miralem Pjanic n/a

Ref From Lucas Brown, Goal.com

Italy just about managed to scrape through their first Group 8 qualifying match thanks to a double strike by Antonio Di Natale. The Udinese man gave the Azzurri the lead before Aloneftis levelled. However, it was Toto’, who popped up right at the death, with the winner. Goal.com rates the players on show.

Cyprus

Giorgallidis- 7.5: The shot stopper made some great saves to deny Alberto Gilardino in the first half. He couldn’t do much about Di Natale’s strikes however. Always alert and looked comfortable otherwise.

Nikolau- 6.5: Was always on hand to marshall the backline and ensure that nothing came through. However, his play was dirty at times and he was rightly booked.

Charalambous- 7.5: An excellent showing from the number three. He was constantly up and down the pitch and he should have won the game for his side late on. An accomplished performance and he had Luca Toni shackled.

Christou- 7.0: The small but built stopper worked non stop and he was always ready to interrupt and make life difficult for the Italians. Could have done better later in the match.

Garposiz- 5.0: His challenges were poor and late for most of the game. At times he risked being sent off with some nasty two foot challenges. It’s a miracle Daniele De Rossi wasn’t seriously injured.

Makridis- 5.5: Never really got into his stride but his passing did cause a few problems at the back for Italy. He could have done better in front of goal and missed a great chance in the first half.

Charalambides- 6.0: Controlled the middle of the park and he was always ready to help in defence. His passing was top notch but he could have been more alert when moving forwards.

Michail- 6.5: Was excellent in the first half but then he let his head down a little in the second. Showed great vision and trickery on the ball and he almost stunned Buffon with a long range strike from distance.

Aloneftis- 8.0: Arguably the most dangerous player on the pitch in Lanarca. Was a constant threat to the Azzurri and he got the stadium and adrenaline pumping when he equalised for his side on thirty minutes. Had countless chances and should have scored more.

Okkas- 6.0: Always looking for the slick move and his shooting was good. He tried too hard at times and maybe the easier pass rather than the selfish run would have been better. Was replaced by Pavlou on 73 minutes.

Kostantinou- 6.5: The hit-man was fairly quiet on the night but he did show glimpses of magic every now and then. He could have scored a couple had it not been for an outstanding Buffon.

Subs: Yiasouni 5.5, Christofi 5.0, Pavlou 4.5.

Italy:

Buffon- 8.5: Was superb for Italy all night and it’s little wonder as to why he is the World’s greatest shot-stopper. His saves stopped Cyprus but more importantly prevented the score line from turning nasty. Simply awesome.

Zambrotta- 6.5: Unfortunately he is not the Zambro of 2006. He struggled to get going and at times he looked lost. However, he made up for it by keeping things organised as the game progressed.

Gamberini- N/A: The defender was injured in the first minute and was replaced by Barzagli. The Wolfsburg defender receives a poor 4.5. He was awful all game and he just didn’t perform to the standard expected.

Cannavaro- 6.5: Made his return from injury and he did what he could. Had to work extra hard because he was let down by some of his team mates. Showed glimpses of the Muro Di Berlino he was during the 2006 tournament.

Grosso- N/A: Grosso receives no vote because like Gamberini, he was also injured early on. Cassetti scores 4.0. He replaced the Lyon man but Lippi must be wondering why on earth he choose him. Was very poor all game and his serious error of judgement allowed Cyprus right back into the game.

Camoranesi- 7.0: The Juventus midfielder was a constant threat down the right wing and his dancing runs and crosses were always dangerous. Pinpoint passing and some silky skills ensured his side were always able to attack.

Pirlo- 7.0: Ran the midfield and his passing was second to none. He could have showed more determination to lead but overall it was a typical Pirlo performance.

De Rossi- 6.5: The Roma man worked hard all night and he made some decent challenges to win possession several times. He linked up well with Di Natale on the right and he was also making his presence felt up front. Tried a cheeky lob which would have been goal of the season had it gone in.

Di Natale- 9.0: Udinese’s hero last weekend, the country’s saviour on the night. A sublime performance by the Napolitan hit-man. Never stopped running all game and his two goals were out of the top draw. He popped up right at the death to steal the points. What a difference he makes to the side.

Toni- 4.5: The Bayern Munich hit-man just cannot cut the mustard anymore for Italy. He was woeful all night and he kept on getting mixed up with Gilardino in the middle. A poor showing overall.

Gilardino- 5.5: Fared better than Toni but not by much however. Was never really dangerous on the night and his finishing just wasn’t up to scratch. He will be hoping to have another go when Italy play Georgia next week.

Subs:

Gattuso- 6.5: Came on for Toni and did a great job in midfield. Hungry, Eager and always ready to close down, win possession and get on with it.

Ref From Goal.com