GERMANY 2, ENGLAND 3
Roy Hodgson described it as his finest hour – and a half – as England manager following the memorable win against Germany at Berlin’s historic Olympic Stadium.
While Hodgson did not want to be drawn initially on the issue by declaring he hopes his best moment has yet to come, he was forced to concede this has been a magical night.
It was also a victory built on spirit and belief that he is engendering in this England squad which is being constructed with a youthful exhuberance.
And that was epitomised by the never-say-die approach because not many would have given them any hope of victory when they were 2-0 down with an hour played.
A piece of individual brilliance from Harry Kane gave England a glimmer of hope and, when substitute Jamie Vardy scored within three minutes of his entrance, it was suddenly game on.
The Germans, so composed and authorative when ahead, were suddenly reeling and in stoppage time came a dramatic winner from Tottenham’s Eric Dier.
Hodgson said it is important to remain humble because they are very much a team that is work in progess.
He pointed out that Danny Rose was making his first start and was up against Thomas Muller while the likes of Nathaniel Clyne, Dele Alli, Jamie Vardie and Harry Kane each only has a handful of appearances for England.
“We have a long way to go to claim to be like Germany with what they have achieved,” Hodgson declared.
But he admitted it was a good performance irrespective of the result.
He continued: “I would have been saying the same things had Germany scored a later winner, not ourselves.
“It was good to see the players play their way back into the game with a performance from 2-0 down that showed character and quality of passing and movement.”
Hodgson added he sensed things were coming together in the last two friendlies against Spain and France at the end of last year, and this continued in Berlin.
England’s manager added there is scope for improvement, notably the ratio of chances they converted which needs to be higher.
It was a team lacking experience with Jack Butland replacing the injured Joe Hart in goal, Clyne and Rose were rookie full backs while midfield pair Alli and Dier, along with Kane, are all babes so far as international football is concerned.
England did reasonably well in the opening half without hurting Germany who had the better chances as Mario Gomez had a goal chalked out for offside before the hosts took the lead just before the break.
Toni Kroos picked up the ball in the centre circle and advanced forward before beating Butland at the near post with a swerving shot.
It looked as though the Stoke keeper should have kept out the effort but, in making the attempted save, he damaged ankle ligaments and left the field on a stretcher.
England finally forced German keeper Manuel Neuer into a save seven minutes into the second period when Alli let fly from 25 yards.
But Germany doubled their lead after 57 minutes when Muller’s cross was headed home by an unmarked Gomez who was only six yards out, another case of abject defending.
It looked as thugh it would be damage limitation for England before they were given a foothold back into the game just after the hour.
Kane produced a sublime turn on the edge of the box to create space to fire a shot low to the right of Neuer.
England’s vociferous 4,500 fans, who had been noisy throughout, erupted to silence the home fans in a crowd of 71,413.
Alli was denied by the legs of Neuer who was beaten again after 74 minutes by Leicester City hotshot Vardy.
Clyne provided excellent delivery with a cross from the right and Vardy pounced at the near post as he was quickest to react with a fabulous finish.
Suddenly you sensed there would be only one winner – England.
But when Alli blazed over with six minutes left from Vardy’s cut back – he had to find the net, but ballooned the shot over the crossbar – you thought England may have blown their chances of victory.
It was not to be as in stoppage time Dier came up with the matchwinning goal, a powerful headed past Neuer from Henderson’s corner, the perfect finish.
And it was a moment to savour as the Germans rarely blow a two-goal lead as they are the masters of game management, but not in this international as the home fans left the stadium in stunned silence.