Philipp Lahm revelled in Germany's "perfect start" to UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying after they defeated Turkey 3-0 last night. Two goals from Miroslav Klose and one from Mesut Ozil earned Germany an impressive result at Berlin's Olympiastadion to give them a three-point lead at the top of qualifying Group A and leave captain Lahm delighted.

"It is impressive how the national team is playing at the moment," he said. "Nine points from three games, and to have now beaten our strongest opponent - that is a perfect start and you cannot get any better than that. Now we have got to build on this on Tuesday."

Klose took his total to five goals from the first three EURO 2012 qualifying matches and took his overall record for Germany to 57 goals in 104 appearances.

Nine points from three games, and to have now beaten our strongest opponent - that is a perfect start.
Philipp Lahm, Germany defender

He is now 11 goals short of Gerd Muller's all-time goalscoring record, but Klose, who overtook Franz Beckenbauer to become the nation's second most capped player last night, does not feel he is yet in the same league as such legends.

"I may have overtaken Franz Beckenbauer in terms of caps, but when you look at the names Klose and Beckenbauer, then there is certainly a difference still," he told ZDF television. "We are all delighted to have won the game and we have got to pay the fans a huge compliment."

The only sour note on a glorious night in the capital for Germany was an injury to Ozil. He needed treatment to an ankle injury after he was substituted in the last minute and further tests today should determine whether he travels with the squad to their next qualifier in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Dortmund winger Kevin Grosskreutz has already been forced to pull out of that game after a virus ruled him out yesterday so coach Joachim Low is set to take just 18 players with him on Monday's flight.