Germany got their Euro 2008 preparations back on track with an emphatic 4-0 friendly win over tournament co-hosts Switzerland.

Two goals from Mario Gomez in between strikes from Bayern Munich duo Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski secured a comfortable win for Joachim Loew's side who have now gone 51 years and 18 matches without losing to their southern neighbours.

Klose put Germany ahead in the 23rd minute when a Gomez pass squirmed beneath Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio, allowing the Polish-born striker to tap in his 38th international goal.

Werder Bremen forward Gomez made sure of victory with two clinical second-half strikes in the space of six minutes, before substitute Podolski compounded Switerland's misery after beating the offside trap in the 89th minute.

"By and large I'm satisfied," said Loew, whose side came in for criticism last month after a 3-0 win over Austria which was far less convincing than the scoreline suggested.

"We played well from the start and were well-organised. It was clear that we wanted to play more aggressively and more intensively than we did against Austria.

"Every time Lukas [Podolski] has come on he's done well and Gomez showed how dangerous he is in the second half. I'm glad we've got so many options for Euro 2008."

Switzerland coach Koebi Kuhn had less cause for optimism but promised his team would bounce back in time for the June tournament which they are co-hosting with neighbouring Austria.

"We played against a German team that was dominant in all areas," Kuhn acknowledged. "But we also helped them out.

"It's obviously painful but I can only congratulate Germany and we will just have to rehabilitate ourselves at the tournament itself."

Reuters