Germany have eased to a 3-0 victory over Norway to begin their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in style.

The first opportunity of the match fell to Benedikt Howedes but after advancing into the penalty area, he could only fire his shot straight at goalkeeper Rune Jarstein.

However, Germany only required 16 minutes to break the deadlock as Thomas Muller found himself in the right place to benefit from a goalmouth scramble before directing the ball into the top corner from 10 yards.

Despite falling behind, Norway had their moments during the first half, and Joshua King would have been disappointed with failing to hit the target from the edge of the area with his shot going marginally over the crossbar.

With seven minutes of the first half remaining, Germany's Joshua Kimmich could only find Jarstein's gloves with a low drive but just before the break, he got on the scoresheet by directing a shot across goal and into the far corner.

Norway needed a fast start to the second half but Germany continued to control the tempo of the contest and they put the result beyond doubt on the hour mark when Muller headed into the corner after a cross from Sami Khedira.

The world champions wasted no time in pushing for a fourth as Toni Kroos drilled a shot just over the crossbar before Julian Brandt came agonisingly close to finding the back of the net as he was denied by a stunning intervention from Jarstein.

The Bayer Leverkusen winger wasted another chance as the game entered the closing stages but Germany were more than content with just the three as the defending champions began their bid to make the tournament in Russia in ideal fashion.