Lukas Podolski scored one of the fastest goals in international football when a largely second string Germany beat Ecuador 4-2 in a friendly last night.

The Arsenal striker netted after only six seconds as the Germans once again showed their impressive strength in depth.

The crowd had barely taken their seats before Podolski robbed defender Gabriel Achilier and confidently drove home.

Germany were 2-0 up after just three minutes when Sidney Sam picked out Lars Bender's run and the midfielder, with no defender near him, strolled through a hole in the back four and fired home.

In the 17th minute, Max Kruse broke down the left and pulled the ball inside for Podolski to blast in number three and it was 4-0 after only 24 minutes when Roman Neustaedter fed Bender whose low shot sneaked past Ecuador keeper Maximo Banguera.

Joachim Loew's team, without any players from Champions League finalists Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund, dominated the match, taking full advantage of some awful defending.

Just before halftime Ecuador pulled a goal back through Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia and they made the score more respectable with another after 84 minutes from a curling free kick by captain Walter Ayovi.

In between, Germany keeper Rene Adler pulled off a superb double save in the 58th minute to keep out another blast from Valencia and the follow-up from Jefferson Montero.

Germany play the second game of their tour against Juergen Klinsmann's United States in Washington on Sunday.

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