Emre Can (C) of Germany celebrates with teammates after scoring during the FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifiers Group C match between Germany and Azerbaijan at Fritz Walter Stadium in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Oct. 8, 2017. Germany won 5-1.(Xinhua/Ulrich Hufnagel)
BERLIN, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Reigning World Cup champions Germany reaped their tenth win in as many games after easing 5-1 past Azerbaijan in the last game of Group C in the World Cup qualifiers on Sunday.
Germany have completed a perfect qualification campaign on the road to Russia 2018 as a brace from Leon Goretzka helped the hosts to overcome Azerbaijan 5-1 in Kaiserslautern.
The hosts ensured a perfect start into the encounter as Germany broke the deadlock eight minutes into the game when Leon Goretzka picked up the ball following a corner to slot home with his back heel.
Joachim Loew's men should have added another goal to their lead at the half-hour mark but Sandro Wagner rattled only the woodwork from inside the penalty box.
Azerbaijan bounced back and shocked the hosts with the equalizer out of the blue after Ramil Sheidaev overcame Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno from sharp angle to make it 1-1 on the scoreboards moments later.
The equalizer put the hosts on the back foot, as Joachim Loew's needed half time to reload his team's offense. Germany grabbed the 2-1 lead through Sandro Wagner, who benefited on Julian Brandt's cross in the 54th minute.
Germany gained momentum and extended their lead ten minutes later when Antonio Ruediger's deflected header on target found the back of the net before Goretzka wrapped up his brace after tapping home Leroy Sane's low cross in the 66th minute.
Azerbaijan were unable to put up resistance, whereas Germany kept it bowling to increase their advantage to 5-1 as Emre Can unleashed a hammer to beat custodian Kamran Aghayev with nine minutes to play.
With the result, World Cup-holders Germany complete their perfect run with ten wins from as many games in the qualifiers since Spain in 2010.
Germany finished atop the standings in Group C with 30 points followed by Northern Ireland (19 points), the Czech Republic (15 points), Norway (13 points), Azerbaijan (10 points) and San Marino (0 points).
