Hamburg - Spain sent another warning to their World Cup rivals that they will be the team to beat in South Africa next year with a 5-1 demolition of Austria Wednesday in a friendly international. Meanwhile, Germany remembered goalkeeper Robert Enke in an emotional match against Ivory Coast while South Korea's long unbeaten run came to an end against Serbia.
European champions Spain were in awe-inspiring form in Vienna, the city where they cruised to the Euro 2008 title 17 months ago.
Spanish league top scorer David Villa led the rout with two handsome goals, Cesc Fabregas, Dani Guiza and Pablo Hernandez scored the other goals for "La Seleccion".
"We played very well tonight," said Villa, "and we could really have scored more goals."
Defender Sergio Ramos expressed the hope that "we can take this form all the way into the World Cup."
Spain have an astonishing record since the beginning of 2007, winning 40 games, drawing three and losing just one. This is why they are again top of the FIFA rankings.
Germany goalkeeper Enke was remembered by players from both sides ahead of the 2-2 in Gelsenkirchen against Ivory Coast.
Lukas Podolski, who gave Germany a first half lead from the penalty sport, scored an injury time equalizer for the Germans. Emmanuel Eboue and late substitute Seydou Doumbia scored for the visitors.
The players from both sides, who wore black armbands, paid a tribute before the game to Enke, who committed suicide last week by walking in front of an oncoming train.
A minute's silence was observed before the game and the Ivory Coast players wore T-shirts with 'In Memoriam Robert Enke' written on them.
Podolski said that all the players were thinking of their dead team-mate before the game. "But we then wanted to win the game and I am pleased that we managed to draw."
Defender Per Mertesacker, who was a close friend and played with Enke at Hanover 96 said that it had been difficult to watch the video before the game.
"Although it was short, it was very moving. But once the game started we managed to put that aside. His death was a heavy burden, but we will manage to recover over the next few weeks."
New Poland coach Franciszek Smuda got his first victory against Canada while South Korea's 27-match unbeaten run came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to Serbia in London.
Nikola Zigic netted the only goal of the game after six minutes to hand the Asians their first defeat since going down by the same scoreline to Chile on January 30, 2008.
Maciej Rybus fired home after 18 minutes to hand Poland a 1-0 win over Canada in coach Smuda's second match in charge since taking over from interim coach Stefan Majewski last month.
Montenegro also needed just one goal to defeat Belarus, AS Roma striker Mirko Vucinic scoring the winner late on.
In other action, Iran and Macedonia played out a 1-1 draw, Netherlands and Paraguay ended scoreless while Italy clinched a 1-0 at home to Sweden with an experimental line-up loaded with young World Cup hopefuls.
