Germany edged closer to securing a place at next summer's World Cup finals with a comfortable victory over Azerbaijan in Hanover.

Michael Ballack opened the scoring with a penalty in the 14th minute, but

Germany coach Joachim Low would not have been happy with the remainder of the

first half as his side risked conceding an equaliser.

Their guests had Samir Abbasov sent off early in the second half and there was

no stopping Germany with a one-man advantage.

Two goals from Miroslav Klose and a Lukas Podolski strike sealed the

comprehensive win which keeps Germany top of qualifying Group Four by a single

point from Russia, who they meet in Moscow on October 10.

After making his full debut in the 2-0 win over South Africa at the weekend,

Mesut Ozil's name has become one of the first on Low's teamsheet and he showed

precisely why he is one of Germany's hottest properties at the moment.

He left three Azerbaijan defenders stranded as he moved into a position to

shoot in the seventh minute, but Kamran Agayev made his first save of a very

busy opening 15 minutes.

The visiting goalkeeper was called into action five minutes later by Ballack,

who tried his luck from long range before he was given the chance to open the

scoring from the penalty spot.

Podolski was fouled inside the area by Samir Abbasov and the Chelsea midfielder

stepped up to send Agayev the wrong way from the spot and give Germany a

14th-minute lead.

The floodgates were expected to open and Mario Gomez should have added a second

two minutes later when he had a free header from Ballack's cross, but Agayev

made another save.

However, Germany lost their early momentum too quickly and even risked

conceding a goal before the interval when Olexandr Chertogan tested Rene Adler

from long range.

Adler tipped his shot over the crossbar before making a more difficult save to

deny Mahir Shukurov moments later.

Low brought Klose on at the interval and he made an instant impact, luring

Abbasov into a foul which earned the Azerbaijan captain his second yellow card

of the evening in the 50th minute before the Bayern Munich striker doubled

Germany's lead five minutes later.

He picked up the ball from Philipp Lahm before picking his spot past Agayev for

a goal which will come as a major fillip to a player who no longer has a

guaranteed place for club or country.

The goal certainly did do Klose good, as he showed in the 66th minute when he

provided an excellent finish to a deflected cross from Andreas Beck from just

inside the six-yard box.

Podolski got in on the action five minutes later when he added the fourth after

Ballack nodded Ozil's cross down to him inside the penalty area and Germany's

first-half struggles had been forgotten as they looked capable of scoring on

every attack.

Klose was denied his hat-trick when another effort was correctly ruled out for

offside in the 73rd minute, but his two earlier goals had done enough damage to

earn Germany a vital three points.