Match Report: England 0-1 Germany (Friendly)

England slipped to successive defeats at Wembley Stadium for the first time since 1977 after Per Mertesacker scored the only goal in a close encounter which saw Germany end the international season a high.

Ahead of the game, England boss Roy Hodgson made a number of changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Chile on Friday night. The most significant change came in the form of Joe Hart returning to the side after recent criticism over his goalkeeping performances for Manchester City.

Daniel Sturridge also came back into the starting-XI after missing Friday’s friendly with a foot injury, and was looking to impress after his recent good form in the Premier League.

Another notable name in the side was Southampton forward Adam Lallana, who started his second successive game after making his international debut at Wembley on Friday.

The opening exchanges of the game were dominated by an attack-minded England who looked positive from the outset. It was Germany who had the first chance of the match though, when Heiko Westermann’s curling cross was headed wide of the post by Marco Reus in the 13^th minute.

England’s first clear cut chance of the game didn’t come until the 19^th minute, when Tom Cleverley picked up the ball on the left before whipping in a delightful ball for Wayne Rooney to attack. The striker, however, saw his looping header dip just over the crossbar, much to the despair of the home crowd.

Another chance soon followed when Steven Gerrard, making his 108^th cap for England, picked up the ball just outside the 18-yard box. The Liverpool midfielder watched his right-footed volley fire high over the crossbar though, despite a good touch and control before the shot.

The only goal of the game came against the run of play in the 39^th minute. A German corner was bravely met by Per Mertesacker, who saw his header wonderfully saved by an outstretched Joe Hart. The ball was then cleared straight to Toni Kroos who played a first time ball into the box. The cross once again fell to Mertesacker and this time the Arsenal defender didn’t miss as his towering header looped into the net to make it 1-0.

Steven Gerrard then had another chance to score just before half-time but his dipping, 25-yard drive fired just over the crossbar leaving the home side undeservedly trailing at the break.    

Half-time: England 0-1 Germany

The second-half started very much as the first had left off, and a frantic phrase of play led to chances for both the home and away side. It was first the German’s chance to strike as Mario Gotze somehow weaved his way through the defence, before setting up Marco Reus, whose shot was well saved by Joe Hart. A swift counter attack from Andros Townsend then led to a chance for England, however, neither Daniel Sturridge nor Adam Lallana could provide a sufficient finish.

Andros Townsend then had a chance of his own in the 57^th minute of the game, when the ball fell to him 30 yards from goal. The Tottenham winger may have had the German ‘keeper Weidenfeller beaten, but his swirling shot fired back off the post leaving the score at 1-0.

The away side had another chance to extend their lead later on in the second-half when Mario Gotze once again broke through the England defence, only to see his shot well saved by Joe Hart low down to his right.

With the game finely poised, yet more chances fell the Germans’ way, with shots from Sidney Sam, Andre Schürrle and Gotze all firing just past the post.

However, England would have one last chance to equalise late in the game.

The ball fell to the feet of Andros Townsend just outside the box, who cleverly turned and shot towards debutant Weidenfeller’s goal. It wasn’t to be though, and the drive fired wide of the right-hand post.

The result sees England slip to their second friendly defeat at Wembley in five days.

Full-time: England 0-1 Germany

England: Hart, Walker, Smalling, Jagielka, Cole (Gibbs 53), Townsend, Gerrard (Henderson 56), Cleverley (Wilshere 64), Lallana (Lambert 76), Sturridge, Rooney (Barkley 71)

Unused: Ruddy, Johnson, Baines, Cahill, Milner, Lampard, Defoe, Rodriguez, Forster

Germany: Weidenfeller, Schmelzer (Jansen 45), Westermann (Draxler 67), Mertesacker, Boateng (Hummels 45), Sven Bender, Kruse (Sam 56), Lars Bender, Kroos, Reus (Schürrle 82), Gotze

Unused: Adler, Howedes, Muller

Attendance: 85,934