Lukas Podolski scored the only goal of a tight first half in the 21st minute, but when he netted three minutes after the break the floodgates opened.

As Liechtenstein's heads dropped, Simon Rolfes and Bastian Schweinsteiger struck in the space of two minutes, before Thomas Hitzlsperger added a fifth 15 minutes from time. Heikko Westermann completed the rout with his first international goal in the 86th minute.

Germany coach Joachim Low opted for Poland-born midfielder Piotr Trochowski in the playmaker's role and he was at the heart of most of the away side's best forward forays, laying off the ball for Podolski to score the only goal of the first half.

Again, it was Trochowski who did all the dirty work to create the Podolski's second goal, a well placed shot high into the corner of Peter Jehle's goal.

Mario Gomez replaced Miroslav Klose to add more firepower to the attack and, within moments of the change, Rolfes netted Germany's third with a fine volley from 10 yards in the 65th minute.

A minute later Schweinsteiger took advantage of a misplaced header to bear down on Jehle and chip the ball into the back of the net to put the result beyond any doubt.

There was still time for Hitzlsperger to show the strength in his left foot with the fifth goal in the 76th minute while Kevin Kuranyi had a goal disallowed for offside before Westerman netted his first international goal four minutes from the end.

In the only other game in Group Four, teenage substitute Sam Vokes scored his first international goal to give Wales a 1-0 victory over Azerbaijan.

Before the 18-year-old's close-range winner, Wales had toiled to break down an ultra-defensive Azerbaijan side who had Brazil-born forward Fabio Luis Ramim sent off in the 67th minute.

Only a minute earlier the visitors has survived the concession of a penalty when Chris Gunter was brought down in the box by Rashad Sadikhov.

Jason Koumas saw his resultant penalty, and his follow-up volley, saved by Kamran Agayevso.

But his blushes were spared when Vokes scored from close range, following a goal mouth scrap, eight minutes from full-time.