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Piotr Trochowski's second-half thunderbolt broke stubborn Wales resistance in Moenchengladbach as Germany laboured to a 1-0 win to move four points clear at the top of World Cup qualifying Group 4.

John Toshack's team had repelled the home side tirelessly and looked on course for an unlikely point, before the midfielder fired an unstoppable shot past Wayne Hennessey on 72 minutes.

Germany dominated the first half with Michael Ballack and Thomas Hitzlsperger controlling the midfield and white shirts all over the pitch showing neat touches and good movement.

But while Joachim Lowe's men had a virtual monopoly on possession, they failed to create a single clear opening and were reduced to long-range efforts as Wales' disciplined defending left them frustrated.

Miroslav Klose had the first effort of note on 16 minutes, driving a shot into the side netting from just inside the box after good work from Bastian Schweinsteiger on the right.

Wales packed numbers behind the ball, but could have taken an unlikely lead on 28 minutes after Gareth Bale played in Craig Bellamy on the left. The striker shot early across the goalkeeper, but his effort fizzed just wide.

Moments later Schweinsteiger let fly with a fine left-foot shot from 25 yards, but it flew just over the bar with Hennessey flailing.

Hennessey saved Ballack's low drive five minutes before half-time, but it was Wales who entered the break with confidence blooming after an impressively organised showing.

The second half saw the German onslaught intensify, but not before Bellamy had once again threatened to stun the home side with a breakaway goal - the West Ham forward latching onto David Edwards's flick and drawing a sharp save from Rene Adler.

But the majority of the action unfolded at the opposite end, with James Collins inspired at the heart of the Wales defence and Hennessey putting in a impressive performance between the sticks.

Collins denied substitute Patrick Helmes on the hour mark with a brave block at the foot of the post and recovered to foil Ballack as he raced in for the kill.

Hennessey was next to shine, tipping over Schweinsteiger's blistering shot brilliantly on 71 minutes.

The Wales keeper could do nothing to stop Trochowski's ripsnorter, however, which bent wickedly in the top-right corner after the midfielder had cut in from the right flank and pulled the trigger from just outside the box.

Germany finally had the lead they deserved, and with the floodgates broken it appeared they might run away with the match when Ballack hit the post from a free-kick moments later.

But Wales refused to capitulate and with 10 minutes remaining wasted a glorious chance to draw level, when Bellamy raced away down the left and found Chris Gunter with his cut-back.

The 19-year-old couldn't quite cultivate a shooting opportunity, however, and as the attack clumsily faltered, so did Wales' hopes of leaving Germany with a point.

Russia 3-0 Finland

Russia beat Finland 3-0 in the other match in Group 4 after the visitors put the first two goals into their own net.

The Euro 2008 semi-finalists opened the scoring midway through the first half when Petri Pasanen mishit into his own goal.

The Russians, beaten by Germany 2-1 in Dortmund, went two up in the 65th minute when Veli Lampi scored a second own goal when trying to clear the ball off the line.

Russia playmaker Andrei Arshavin added a third two minutes from time with a great solo effort, beating two defenders before rounding the keeper and slotting calmly into an empty net.

Will Tidey / Reuters