Germany vs. Fiji: Score and Reaction from 2016 Olympic Men's Soccer

Nils Petersen netted five goals as Germany qualified for the quarter-finals of the men's soccer tournament at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics after hammering Fiji 10-0 in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday to finish as runners-up in Group C.

Petersen bagged a first-half hat-trick before adding two more goals in the second period, while Max Meyer also grabbed a hat-trick, and Serge Gnabry contributed another brace to his tournament tally.

Eugenio Savio/Associated Press

Meanwhile, South Korea solidified their place as Group C winners with a 1-0 win over Mexico at the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia, permitting Germany to advance in second place.

Sky Sport reporter Jason Pine outlined the gulf in talent separating a title contender from one of the tournament's also-rans:

Germany were always picked to thump Fiji after their Wednesday opponents conceded 13 goals in their first two Group C outings, but few might have thought the matchup would be quite so one-sided.

Gnabry needed just eight minutes to re-open his account after putting two past South Korea on Sunday, with Julian Brandt ghosting down the right before putting the ball on a plate across goal.

One Football highlighted the sterling form he's come upon in South America of late:

"

Gnabry is on fire! Four goals at the Olympics now!

— Onefootball (@Onefootball) August 10, 2016"

Petersen quickly followed up with Germany's second following a spill from Fiji goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau, and Lars Bender fed Meyer for a superb third on the edge of the box with 30 minutes on the clock.

Petersen got on the end of a superb Lukas Klostermann to head in his second soon after, and the Freiburg forward completed his hat-trick after Brandt again turned provider with another sprint down the right wing.

Whereas Gnabry's first strike was all about timing and patience, his free-kick wonder strike on the stroke of half-time was something else altogether as he lashed a 35-yard set piece inside Tamanisau's left post.

Bayern Munich media team member Cristian Nyari opined the Arsenal attacker deserves to be dubbed the player of the Olympic tournament thus far after he made it 6-0 at the interval:

Petersen took on the role of puppeteer after the break and poked an inviting through ball for Meyer to lash home his second of the day, and it wasn't long before he too had finished off his hat-trick.

It was Gnabry who first looked like adding a third to his name, but his close-range effort clattered off the crossbar, and Schalke 04 starlet Meyer was quickest to fire in the rebound, much to the delight of the team:

However, Meyer's elation was swiftly followed by misery after Tamanisau brought Petersen down in the box and he was unable to convert the resulting spot-kick.

It ultimately mattered for little, though, as Petersen stepped back up to the plate and slotted home another two in the space of seven minutes to bring his total up to five and put the Germans in double digits. 

Steven Goff of the Washington Post was also sharp to point out the thrashing unfolded at the same venue that Germany exacted their 7-1 drubbing of Brazil at the 2014 World Cup:

Fortunately for the helpless Fijians, manager Horst Hrubesch's side appeared content with 10 to their name and a quarter-final place assured, although there were still a few teasing chances in the last exchanges. 

Germany will face the winner of Group D after placing second in their pool, and it looks likely Portugal will take that berth, although Honduras or Argentina could still mathematically top their bunch.

One thing for certain is Wednesday's result is sure to act as the ideal confidence-booster heading into the knockout stages, and Germany's first win of Rio 2016 came in some style.