With Juergen Klinsmann's team due to kick-off their World Cup challenge against Costa Rica in Munich next Friday, the hosts were looking for a comfortable win after a nervous performance against Japan earlier in the week.

All the pre-match talk centred around Germany's defensive frailties that were brutally exposed in Tuesday's 2-2 draw with the Japanese and even captain Michael Ballack admitted manager Jurgen Klinsmann's tactics were a bit gung-ho.

"It was vital that we got some confidence in the final warm-up match," said Klinsmann. "We were compact throughout and worked in harmony.

"I would not say we have a problem in defence. We just have a problem switching on when we lose the ball.

"We are hungry for the World Cup now. Fortunately there are only a few days to go. I can sense the excitement among the fans and the players."

There was certainly no talk of defensive worries after the game as Germany crushed Colombia without getting out of first gear.

The South Americans, who failed to qualify for the finals, asked few questions with their blunt attack and their defence was not much better.

Ballack, who will play for English champions Chelsea after the finals, broke the deadlock with a trademark header in the 20th minute to net his 31st goal in 65 appearances. Left unmarked inside the box the midfielder thumped a header past the despairing dive of Cordoba.

Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who delivered the cross for Ballack's header, then made it 2-0 after 37 minutes.

Schweinsteiger produced an outstanding free-kick from 30 yards that thundered past goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba into the back of the net.

It was a second goal in four days for Schweinsteiger who scored the equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Japan on Tuesday.

The German league's top-scorer Miroslav Klose and his Polish-born striking teammate Lukas Podolski should both have added to the goals tally in the first half but lacked composure at the decisive moment.

The second half was more of the same but Colombia finally had a noteworthy attack on the hour mark but Elkin Soto headed over the crossbar.

In the 68th minute substitute Tim Borowski, only on the pitch seven minutes, was afforded too much space in the penalty area after a chipped pass from Ballack and finished with aplomb.

Borowski is one fringe player trying to force his way into the team and Klinsmann admits his starting XI against Costa Rica is not yet set in stone.

"There are quite a few players knocking on the door and that is good for me. I like making difficult decisions."

German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, a spectator for almost the entire match, nearly gifted Colombia a goal from the restart when he lost possession but Colombia failed to take advantage.

"We were very poor all over the pitch," admitted Colombia coach Reinaldo Rueda. "Germany caused us problems on set-pieces where they are very strong.

"They are very attacking and we had no answer."

Germany held firm for a clean sheet and aside from the result the return of first choice left-back Philipp Lahm, out for several weeks following an elbow operation, was a real plus for the hosts.

"We were delighted with Lahm and that was a real bonus to come from the game," Klinsmann said. "He is a very important player for us."

World Cup winners Brazil, 3-2 victors in last year's Confederations Cup, are the only team to defeat Germany at home in Klinsmann's two-year reign so the hosts should go into the tournament on a high.

An opening group of Costa Rica, Poland and Ecuador should prove a formality but Klinsmann and his players will only know whether the defensive flaws have been solved in the knockout stages.