Klose, who also scored two in the opening day 4-2 win over Costa Rica, swooped for his first in the fourth minute of a match played in stifling humidity at the Olympiastadion.

The Polish-born forward made it 2-0 just before the interval as Ecuador, who go through in second spot, showed little desire to scrap it out.

Fellow striker Lukas Podolski slid in the third in the 57th minute after a good cross from midfielder Bernd Schneider. The win ensures Germany will avoid the first-placed team in Group B, which will be England if they avoid defeat against Sweden in a later game on Tuesday.

In the other Group A match which was played simultaneously, two goals by centre-back Bartosz Bosacki gave Poland a 2-1 victory over Costa Rica and sent a huge Polish support home with some consolation for an early exit.

A Ronald Gomez free kick put Costa Rica in front against the run of play in the 24th minute before Bosacki got on the end of corners from Maciej Zurawski and Jacek Krzynowek either side of half time.

They were Bosacki's first goals in international football.

Klose, who has now scored nine World Cup goals after a five-goal burst on Germany's route to the final four years ago, said the Germans had underlined their intent.

"We absolutely want to be world champions and I think you saw our intentions today," he said.

"That was a top performance. We were convincing right from the word go. I am proud of the team. I have great ambition and so has the team."

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann said his players would not get carried away on the wave of national celebrations which got into full swing at the final whistle.

"The team knows if it plays to its full potential it need fear no one. But we must keep our feet on the ground," he said.

Klinsmann added that he was unconcerned whether Germany faced England or Sweden in the next round.

"We won't be allowed a single mistake in the games that are coming up," said the man who won the World Cup as a player in 1990.

It had been clear before the start that the match meant more to Germany than to Ecuador, who made five changes to the side that beat Costa Rica 3-0.

Meanwhile, Poland coach Pawel Janas was understandably chuffed with the victory following calls from home for him to resign after their early exit here.

"We scored through the set-pieces. We had been criticised because we couldn't score through set-pieces. Today we did. I'm very happy. It was very hot today and I'm glad the team responded to my tactics," he told German television.

Costa Rican defender Luis Marin said his team would return home too with their heads held high.

"The team played fairly well but they took advantage of their corner kicks and their physical strength," he said.

"The team fought right to the end and so we are going home with a clear conscience."

Both teams fell to defeats by Ecuador and Germany in their first two games in the finals.

Roared on by a 43,000 sell-out crowd overwhelmingly dominated by their colourful and loud fans, the Poles had started confidently on a hot and humid afternoon, stroking the ball around well in midfield.

But they lacked the urgency that marked their brave performance against Germany last week and apart from some incisive runs by Ireneusz Jelen, they struggled to press the Costa Rican defence early on.