Germany - 1 Paraguay - 0 Oliver Kahn said it, but virtually everyone was thinking it. "From a mental strength point of view, this German team is ready," he muttered, a look of disdain chiselled across his face. "I have this feeling we'll reach the final."
With each workmanlike win it is harder to disagree. Rudi Völler's side will discover today whether the United States or Mexico await in the quarter-finals, by which time Völler hopes to have Christoph Metzelder, who was replaced during the Paraguay game, fit again.
All this from a team supposedly in crisis. Völler, on the brink after Germany's 5-1 defeat by England last year, is behind the revival. "He has inspired this self-belief in the players," said Kahn.
Against the Paraguayans the charge came late. Michael Ballack, the nearest the current crop comes to midfield inspiration, watched as hopeless passes sailed over his head. Only Oliver Neuville's breathless running provided a fillip.
Ballack eventually created chances for Miroslav Klose and Bernd Schneider, before the latter roared down the right and crossed for Neuville to thump in a late, emphatic winner. As frustration boiled over in stoppage time, Roberto Acuna's punch earned a red card, but by then it hardly mattered.
"People wrote us off," said Völler. "But they should really know better."
SUBSTITUTES
Germany: Baumann for Metzelder (60), Asamoah for Neuville (90). Paraguay: Campos for Santa Cruz (29), Gavilan for Bonet (84), Cuevas for Struway (90)
YELLOW CARDS
Germany: Schneider, Baumann, Ballack. Paraguay: Acuna, Cardozo
RED CARDS
Paraguay: Acuna
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