Portugal Mullered by Germany and Pepe sent off

Thomas Muller was the man of the moment as Germany destroyed Portugal at Fonte Nova, the same venue Holland tore Spain apart at. 

The German forward scored a hat-trick and was involved in the incident which saw Pepe sent off. 

Portugal's volatile centre-back has a reputation for violence for acts perpetrated for his club, Real Madrid. He caught Muller in the face with an outstretched arm and the German went down exaggeratedly. 

Pepe furiously pushed his head into Muller's while he was on the ground and the referee sent him off.

Portugal were already two goals down by that point, Muller scoring the first from the spot after Joao Pereira fouled Mario Gotze after eight minutes. Muller tucked it into the bottom left corner without any fuss.

Gotze went close himself after half an hour, when Mesut Ozil cut the ball back to him and he struck from the edge of the box. Pereira did well to defend the shot, but the resultant corner was powerfully headed home by Mats Hummels. 

Nani responded with a fierce drive that hit the stanchion behind the goal, but then came Pepe's all-too-familiar moment of madness.

To rub salt in the wound, Muller struck again before half time, driving home from close range. 

Muller could have had his hat-trick just after the break, when he headed over the bar following an Ozil shot which had been saved. The Arsenal midfielder should have slid the ball in to Muller in the first place, but selfishly went himself and was denied.

Germany were on top, predictably, in the second half as well.

Andre Schurrle, on for Ozil, played in Gotze but the youngster wasted the opportunity. 

Things became worse for Portugal when Fabio Coentrao went down in a heap after appearing to injure his groin.

All in all, it was a disaster for Paulo Bento's team which was rounded off when Muller completed his hat-trick from close range. Ronaldo and Portugal must improve if they are to progress from the group.

Germany, meanwhile, are already in fourth gear.

 

Match facts:

Germany: Neuer 6; Boateng 6, Mertesacker 6, Hummels 7 (Mustafi 73), Howedes 6; Lahm 7, Khedira 6, Kroos 7, Ozil 5 (Schurrle 63, 7), Gotze 7; Muller 9 (Podolski 82).

Goals: Muller (12, 45, 78), Hummels 32. 

Portugal: Patricio 4; Pereira 5, Alves 6, Pepe 3, Coentrao 5 (Almeida 65); Veloso 5 (Costa 45), Moutinho 4, Meireles 4, Nani 4, Ronaldo 4; H Almeida 5 (Eder 28, 5).

Booked: Joao Pereira.

Sent off: Pepe.

Referee: Milorad Mazic.