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VIDEO: Podolski scores the fastest goal in German national team history

Lukas Podolski

Arsenal star Lukas Podolski scored the fastest goal in the history of the German national team. Podolski hit the target just 9 seconds into the game on Wednesday.

The German national team took on Ecuador in their first international friendly during their two-match US Tour which kicked-off in Boca Raton. Joachim Löw’s team had to cope with the absence of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund players, but they once again showed their impressive strength in depth.

Podolski robbed defender Gabriel Achilier the ball and confidently drove home to hand the German team an early lead after 8.6 seconds (officially 9 seconds). Lars Bender increased the lead in the 4th minute, while Podolski netted home his second goal of the day in the 17th minute. Bender made it 4-0 in the 24th minute and there was a feeling that Ecuador, ranked 10th in the FIFA World Ranking, could suffer a heavy humiliation.

But Ecuador managed to pull one back just before half-time, when Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia found the back of the net. Skipper Walter Ayovi scored a second goal for the “La Tri” with a curling free kick in the 84th minute.

Lukas Podolski’s goal is the fastest goal in German national team history, but it’s just the second fastest goal in an international football match ever. San Marino’s Davide Gualtieri managed to score a goal just 8.3 seconds after kick-off against England in a 1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifier.

The fastest goal in the history of the Indian national team was scored by legendary IM Vijayan on September 28, 1999. Vijayan, popularly nicknamed “The Black Pearl of Indian Football”, scored against Bhutan in the 8th South Asian Games 1999 just 12 second after the kick-off whistle. India won the match 3-0 courtesy to a hat-trick by Vijayan.

Watch the VIDEO clip of Lukas Podolski’s goal v Ecuador…