Low hails Germany domination after crushing win

Germany coach Joachim Low praised his side's domination of Group C in World Cup qualifying after an 8-0 demolition of San Marino extended their perfect record.

The reigning world champions have won their opening four group games without conceding a goal and sit five points ahead of Northern Ireland.

A debut hat-trick from Serge Gnabry, a Jonas Hector double, goals for Sami Khedira and Kevin Volland and an own goal saw Germany canter to victory over the country ranked 201st in the world.

Although there will be sterner tests to come in Group C, Low said Germany are meeting the challenge he set them. 

"After the World Cup win it was not so easy, and we have not always met our standards," Low told the DFB website.

"That is why we have said before the World Cup qualifying that we want to dominate the group from the start and we have managed so far."

He hailed the impact of Gnabry, the first German debutant to score a hat-trick since Dieter Muller in 1976, but warned his side not to get too carried away by the victory. 

"The game was, of course, not a benchmark. The team tried to score goals and they succeeded," Low said.

"Serge has shown in training that he is very fast and in the final third is strong. We said before the game that we want to let the opponent run a lot.

"We want to play some youngsters, and it is of course good for the players to join us.

"Today one can not overestimate all this, but it is also good for someone like Serge for the coming months."

Germany travel to Italy for a friendly on Tuesday and their next World Cup qualifier is away at Azerbaijan in March.

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