There are important games and there are big games. Germany versus England was both. A hugely significant encounter positively oozing with hype and hyperbole was nominally the near culmination of a World Cup qualification campaign but actually the resumption of hostilities based on decades of deadly rivalry. Germany's win at Wembley last October had decidedly rattled England's psyche and a score to settle - like no other - loomed large for Eriksson's men - beat Germany in Germany.

Before the game Eriksson said "Records are there to be broken" and so it proved, as England comprehensively expunged the ghosts of encounters past and finally broke free of the terrible angst that has surrounded almost every encounter against Germany for 25 years. For once, it is the German nation waking up to a terrible sinking feeling in their collective stomach.

The most important fact to emerge from the game is that England have now dramatically seized the initiative in Group 9 and hold automatic World Cup qualification in their own hands for the first time since that fateful day at Wembley last October. Not making it to Japan/Korea next year will undo all the good work so far and tarnish irreparably, the victory achieved in Munich. Wins in England's remaining two World Cup qualifiers, by no means a certainty, must remain the primary focus and priority.

That sobering thought aside, it is now time to unashamedly revel in the glorious destruction of Europe's most successful international side - Germany.

Germany had only lost one World Cup qualifier - ever. They had never, ever, lost in Munich and the expectation of German TV pundits, manager, team, fans, nation was that a draw would be sufficient to qualify. "We expect to win" was the message from the "Kaiser", Franz Beckenbauer. Carsten Jancker, smarting from criticism about him in the English media was unequivocal - "We are going to win".

Eriksson, on the other hand had already made plain his calm and reasoned thoughts. "England can win - if we play a near perfect game and have some luck". So the scene was set for a high octane confrontation.

The Olympic Stadium in Munich was packed with 63,000 supporters. 'Official' England fans - around 6,000 by all accounts - occupied a swathe of seating behind one of the goals. 'Unofficial' England fans seemed dotted around everywhere.

The teams, Germany in green, England in their white home strip, were led out by the Italian Pierluigi Collina - arguably the best referee in the world and certainly the most recognisable.

Germany, missing several key players, nevertheless paraded an experienced side. With Carsten Jancker and Oliver Neuville in attack. (Oliver Beirhoff - sporting a black eye - sat expressionless on the bench, as it turned out, for the whole game). In midfield, the new young sensation - Sebastien Deisler - was to provide the playmaking vision alongside Thomas Ballack.

The Germans were clearly worried about one thing: Michael Owen and Jens Nowotny - Germany's sweeper, almost prematurely excused his own teams dismal defensive performance when he said in a pre-match interview "You can't keep Michael Owen quiet for 90 minutes - he will get chances" . Quite right, Mr Nowotny.

England, on the other hand, are in danger of starting to field a settled side. Emile Heskey and Michael Owen are clearly the preferred choice in the dual striking roles and only the left side of midfield still has an air of vacant possession about it with Nick Barmby being the guest performer on this occasion. David Beckham, under intense scrutiny for any signs of a lingering groin strain, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes comprise the youthful and exciting midfield. Steven Gerrard's record in a senior England shirt is played five, won five and is not a record he is likely to give up easily.

Ashley Cole, now an established part of the team, Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell and Gary Neville constitute the defensive back four in front of the seasoned veteran David Seaman. Germany made much of Oliver Kahn's stature as probably the world's number one 'keeper and sought to undermine Seaman's position prior to the game by calling him variously "slow", and "over the hill". Only Kahn, in that peculiar unspoken goalkeeper cameraderie kind of way, came to Seaman's defence and hailed him as a great 'keeper still with plenty to offer.

England got off to the worst possible start - within five minutes Germany pressed forward and a neat Ballack chip followed by a cushioned header from Oliver Neuville allowed Carsten Jancker to run into the penalty area and fire Germany into a one-nil lead with the soul of his boot. Seaman stranded, England rocked, Germany ahead.

Whereas some teams are apt to crumble under the strain of conceding early - England, in contrast, seemed the more motivated by the setback. Within a few minutes a low Beckham cross had Oliver Kahn scrambling to clear his six-yard area with his feet and on 12 minutes a dreadfully clumsy push on Michael Owen by Sebastian Deisler near the far corner flag secured a free-kick in a dangerous position.

Beckham's free-kick to the far post was collected by Steven Gerrard who hoofed the ball up in the air only for it to be headed back into the German penalty area by Gary Neville. Kahn rushing out to punch away is beaten to the ball by Nicky Barmby who intelligently heads down the ball to Owen. His instinctive and powerful half volley bulges the back of the German net satisfyingly. One-One.

England have the better of the following ten minutes as Beckham sees a searing free-kick sail past the far German upright and more significantly, Owen has the chance to put England two ahead with an attempted snap shot from a Gary Neville throw-in on the near-side. For Owen, such is his form, the chance constituted a miss - for other mortals - it was a virtually impossible opportunity.

Games turn on moments and this game was generously littered with them. The first such moment occurred in the 22nd minute. Deisler, inexplicably drifting unmarked into the middle of England's penalty area received a deft low cross from Neuville. Deisler's ghastly miss - from 8 yards - did more to damage Germany's chances of victory than Owen's opening goal. Head in hands, he immediately realised the significance of his lapse.

Owen by now was starting to terrify the German defence. For such a diminutive player - his capacity to worry defenders twice his size is remarkable. A long range pass, a regular feature of Beckham's game, finds Owen in space near the penalty area - his powerful first-time volley is only marginally wide of the post and leaves Kahn looking both worried and relieved.

For such an experienced player, the captain of the German national side no less, his misjudgement at picking up a poor Deisler backpass characterised his state of mind - nervous and unsettled. With the German wall on the goal-line Beckham's indirect free-kick was bravely blocked by Marko Rehme. For David Beckham, the proximity of the kick - so close to the goal-line - constituted a more difficult goalscoring chance than one 3 times further way.

The game was by now end-to-end - no side having the upper hand - no side under the cosh. Neuville almost surprised Seaman with an excellent chest and volley but his attempt flew past the upright and minutes later, David Seaman's superb and world class save low to his right from a sharp Jorg Bohme drive saved England from conceding a very damaging second goal.

England still purposeful in attack, pushed forward in the last few minutes of the half. Jens Nowotny with a rash, and quite unnecessary, challenge on Beckham by the nearside corner flag - unwittingly set up the most decisive moment of the game. Beckham's cross, Ferdinand's headed knock-down and Steven Gerrards rasping, wicked, powerful drive left Kahn sprawling and Germany reeling. Two-one and half-time.

The psychological effect of scoring on half-time can never be underestimated. England well remember the devastating effect Veron's goal had on the St. Etienne encounter with Argentina in France '98. A side going in at half-time - having just conceded - have 15 minutes in which to dwell negatively on the disadvantage.

In a game where the first half stretched belief to the maximum - the second half elevated the contest to new and uncharted heights of ecstasy. While Germany were still rationalising the deficit - England were purposefully striving to secure further advantage.

To their credit, sitting back on a 2-1 lead never seemed to enter England's head and three minutes after the break England delivered a near knockout blow that shattered Germany's already fragile confidence. A Beckham cross, a Heskey headed knock-down and a terrific Michael Owen volley from 12 yards secured a 3-1 lead in emphatic style.

Germany were by now mostly confined to long range strikes at goal. Ballack and Deisler both being off target with strikes on 53 and 57 minutes respectively. Moments later Jancker headed down for Ballack, free by the penalty spot, who volleyed wide unchallenged. With greater composure Germany could have been within a single goal of England with half an hour still to play - as it was 6 minutes later England further cemented their lead with a superb interception and pass from Steven Gerrard to Michael Owen who ran into the box. His confident and purposeful strike over Oliver Kahn's sinking body secured an amazing - but richly deserved hat-trick. His first for England and the first by any England player against Germany since Sir Geoff Hurst's World Cup winning treble in 1966.

Oliver Kahn - for so long the last and strongest line of defence for Germany was beginning to see his reputation unravelled in uncompromising fashion by arguably the most in-form international striker in the world.

Incredibly, despite a three goal cushion, England were still taking the game to the Germans. Whereas other sides may have opted to sit back and invite pressure for the remainder of the game, England were showing excellent forward movement and focus. Steven Gerrard in particular epitomising the character of the team - never giving up - never slowing down - never letting Germany back into the game.

Despite a smart clearance from David Seaman at the feet of Rehme, German pressure mostly amounted to very little and with 15 minutes remaining a penetrative Beckham through-ball to Paul Scholes, followed by an accurate and inviting cross to Emile Heskey's feet was dispatched in clinical fashion past a shell-shocked Kahn for a 5-1 lead.

Owen Hargreaves, in a return to his home ground, replaced the dynamic Gerrard and along with bit parts for Steve McManaman (replacing Barmby) and Jamie Carragher (for Scholes) there was not enough time for  any of them to make any real impact.

Pictures of hundreds of German fans streaming out of the Olympic Stadium, with more than 15 minutes of the match remaining, was the final salting of the wounds for the home side and many German players seemed relieved when the final whistle finally put an end to their torment. Incredibly, Germany conceded, in that one game - more than a tenth of all the goals they have ever conceded in World Cup qualifiers.

The initial euphoria over, the question on everyone's minds was where this victory stood in the context of England's international record. Certainly, this performance rated as one of their finest ever. victories in World or European Cup tournaments, played on neutral grounds are satisfying and worthy - but to play - sorry, outplay - Germany, in Munich with the sort of record they had was very, very special. As a single performance, it rates as the best since the final of '66 but ironically the real measure of its worth will only come once England have progressed through the latter stages of the World Cup next year.

Any side can have a lucky win, any side can beat any other on a single day - the true gauge of success is being able to do it over and over and over again - witness Germany's record both at qualifying and finals stages.

Progressing - in footballing terms - is often more about overcoming the mental hurdles than the physical or technical ones and this crop of new and exciting England talent that Sven-Göran Eriksson has at his disposal are already healthily laying to rest some of the ghosts of England's past and well as staking a claim to sustainable success in the future.

The 3-2 defeat in Mexico in 1970, the World Cup Semi-Final in 1990, the Semi-final of Euro '96 and the defeat in the last ever Wembley international. These were painful results that many England fans felt had clouded each successive encounter with Germany. The 5-1 defeat of Germany has set an enormous number of records straight and a new generation of players and fans are moving on - unburdened by the weight of history and believing that England are good enough to play and beat anyone, anywhere.

victory against Albania in the next qualifying game is a must. Eriksson, in his post match interview said that one of the first things he talked about to the England players after the Germany game was the Albania match. If anyone can keep England's feet on the ground after a victory of that significance - it's Erikkson. Given his superb record so far as manager - it must say something about how good his pre-match preparation is.

One of the most haunting images for me throughout all the England games I have ever seen was that of Andy Moller arrogantly strutting in front of the England fans at Wembley having scored the winning goal in the Euro '96 semi-final penalty shoot-out.

Thank you Mr. Eriksson, for helping me to lay that memory to rest.

Source Notes

Michael Owen blasted a stunning hat-trick as England came from behind to thrash Germany in Munich.  Sven Göran Eriksson's team are now on course to qualify for the World Cup next year, following a result that will send shockwaves through the international game. Germany had only ever lost one World Cup qualifier at home in their history - but suddenly they were torn apart by an England team playing slick football with a clinical edge up front. Owen will win the headlines, but there were heroes all over the pitch for England - with captain David Beckham and rejuvenated goalkeeper David Seaman in particularly fine form.

The win means Eriksson's men are three points behind leaders Germany in Group Nine - but they have a game in hand and, crucially, their goal difference is now substantially superior.  A win against Albania next Wednesday would take them to the top of the group.  Such a prospect looked fanciful when Carsten Jancker fired the Germans in front within six minutes.  But England's young Lions roared back in menacing fashion to destroy Germany's proud record.  And the much-heralded German engine room was completely out-paced by Owen's go-faster stripes, as England moved into pole position in the race for World Cup qualification.

It looked bleak for the visitors when Germany took the lead, Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell allowing Carsten Jancker to steer home Oliver Neuville's header.

But if England's defenders looked nervous together, then Thomas Linke and Jens Nowotny seemed nothing short of petrified.  German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn looked more flappable than anyone else on a night riddled with errors across the pitch.  After all the pre-match German criticism of Seaman and the claims heralding Kahn as the world's number one, the home side's keeper was left with egg on his face.  Only 12 minutes were on the clock when Kahn was caught horribly out of position from a teasing Beckham cross.  The German keeper flapped at thin air as Nick Barmby cleverly cushioned a header into the path of Owen, who coolly slotted into an unguarded net.

At the other end, though, Seaman was silencing his critics with a brilliant one-handed save to turn away Joerg Boehme's low shot and keep it at 1-1.

The home side were guilty of a glaring miss when Sebastian Deisler fluffed his shot when completely unmarked - and that proved to be just the second warning that Eriksson's side needed.  England punished the astonishing miss deep into first-half injury time when Ferdinand headed down a Beckham cross for Steven Gerrard to unleash an unstoppable 25-yard drive beyond Kahn's despairing grasp.  The half-time boost lifted England's spirits, but few would have predicted the astonishing second-half blitz which was to follow.  Owen gave England a vital two-goal cushion when he neatly tucked a shot inside Kahn's near post after Heskey had superbly headed down another Beckham cross.  Owen was in deadly form and he did not have to wait long for his hat-trick.  Gerrard sent him scampering clear with a superb through ball and the hungry striker ignored Heskey's call to blaze home a sensational shot into the top left-hand corner.  On a night when some of England's finest triumphs were remembered, the timing of Owen's hat-trick clinching goal - 66 - was pleasantly significant.  Heskey's moment did arrive, though, as the big striker put the seal on England's win 17 minutes from time.  Paul Scholes squared the ball into an empty German penalty area and Heskey held off Rehme's challenge to slot home and complete Liverpool's three-man contribution to the scoring.  The floodgates had long since been opened, but now the exit doors were thrown open too as German fans headed for home in their thousands.  The England supporters stayed right where they were, pinching themselves and wondering whether it was all a dream.

 

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