Germany celebrate Bode's opener (Allsport).

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Dietmar Hamann believes Germany's confidence has been boosted by progressing through to the last 16 as winners of tricky Group E.

Needing a point to make sure of qualification, they took all three with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon in Shizuoka.

The win was gained despite the first-half dismissal of Carsten Ramelow, although the numbers were evened up again when Patrick Suffo was sent off late in the game.

"We were down to 10 men for the second half and I think we reacted really well," said the Liverpool midfielder.

"We didn't allow them many chances and we scored two great goals. Everyone is buzzing in the camp now that we are through as winners of the group.

"However, we thought that we should have been through five or six days ago when we played Ireland.

"But we conceded in the very last minute and that was very disappointing.

"That's football though and everybody knew how important this game was."

Germany dug in, changed their defence to a back four and grabbed two vital goals through Miroslav Klose and Marco Bode.

Ireland claimed the runners-up spot after their 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia, leaving Cameroon with only the flight home to look forward to.

Hamann's team-mate Christoph Metzelder also praised the heart in the German camp.

"The first reaction of myself and all my team-mates [after Ramelow's red card] was now we have to show them even more," said the Borussia Dortmund player.

"There is great team spirit. We have now met our minimum target, which was to reach the last 16."

Metzelder now believes they have answered their critics.

"Prior to this game there was a great deal of scepticism from the German public and media," he said.

"But I think we have demonstrated that we can do something here and it was a matter of honour for us to prove ourselves at this World Cup."

Meanwhile Klose strike takes him to the top of the scoring charts by himself with five goals - all headers.

"It was my birthday two days ago, so I thought I would give myself a present - a goal," he said.

The main talking point after the match however surrounded the performance of Spanish referee Antonio Lopez Nieto, who showed a World Cup record 16 yellow cards including the two each to Ramelow and Suffo.

Hamann said: "I think there were only one or two challenges that were a bit harder than usual and he showed 16 yellow cards. I think that says it all."