Sports Commentary - Times Online - WBLG

Full-time: Germany 1 England 2

A deserved win for an inexperienced England team who showed poise and intelligence on the big stage. Germany were made to look ordinary by the pace of Wright-Phillips, Agbonlahor, Downing and Young and the probing passing of Carrick and Barry.

Bent and Carson may have blotted their copy book with Fabio Capello after a mistake apiece that changed the complexion of the game momentarily in the second half, but the England's desire to complete the victory was reassuring. They are building a winning mentality.

90+1min: Germany 1 England 2

Downing turns inside the full back and tries to curl a right-footed shot into the top corner but Wiese punches it away comfortably.

88min: Germany 1 England 2

Germany have gone off the boil after the goal and England are playing keep ball. It has been a confident and composed performance that will delight Capello.

84min: Germany 1 England 2

GOAL! Terry restores England's lead with a diving  header from Downing's free-kick from the right. It was a brilliant finish inside the far post. Young earned the set-piece after he was felled by Rolfes who couldn't handle the winger's burst of speed.

79min: Germany 1 England 1

Wright-Phillips picks up a knock-down from Bent in the centre circle and skips forward before unleashing a wicked shot that rebounds off Weise's left-hand post. It was a fantastic effort from the little livewire. His quality of control has been mixed but his energy and enthusiasm have been admirable.

77min: Germany 1 England 1

Agbonlahor makes way for his club team-mate, Ashley Young.

74min: Germany 1 England 1

It is turning into an open match, but both teams are coming up short in the final third. Marin does better when he collects a square pass from Trochowski and draws a decent diving save from Carson with a 25-yard shot.

Germany are coming on strong with 26 minutes left.

71min: Germany 1 England 1

Bent runs on to a through ball and gets a touch before Weise sends him tumbling. Is it a penalty? No, it's a throw in. The replay shows that Weise clears the ball with his right foot. It's a very good decision.

Friedrich is replaced by Tasci.

66min: Germany 1 England 1

England go back on the attack with some fine approach play. Agbonlahor sprints on to a Carrick pass on the right and his angled shot is saved by Weise. Unfortunately, the referee awards a goal kick.

63min: Germany 1 England 1

GOAL! Would you believe it. Instead of doubling their lead, England allow Germany to equalise after a terrible mix up between Terry and Carson that gifts Helmes a goal. Terry allowed a Germany clearance to roll to his 'keeper, but Carson was to slow to it and Helmes nicked the ball away and walked the ball into the net. A disastrous 30 seconds.

62min: Germany 0 England 1

Bent's touch has poor since his introduction and he is guilty of a glaring miss after he rounds Weise afetr collecting Johnson's excellent through ball. It should have been 2-0.

59min: Germany 0 England 1

Germany are seeing much more of the ball since they changed things around at the start of the half. They are closing the gaps for England's passing game.

56min: Germany 0 England 1

Downing is an old-fashioned player in that he is an orthodox winger and he likes a pot shot.  He beats his marker but sends a skidding effort wide.

Germany are taking this match more seriously. Lukas Podolski comes on for Mario Gomez.

54min: Germany 0 England 1

Rather inappropriately, the England travelling band are playing the theme from The Great Escape. By all means stick them in the cooler with a baseball mitt and ball for company.

51min: Germany 0 England 1

Fabio Capello and Stuart Pearce look agitated on the sidelines as they shout instructions. Their gestures are reminiscent of Reeves and Mortimer performing a musical number in their 90s pomp.

48min: Germany 0 England 1

Marin has replaced Jones in the German midfield. The home side look as if they heard some stern words in the dressing room and look lively in the opening exchanges.

46min: Germany 0 England 1

Capello makes two changes. Darren Bent is on for Defoe who picked up a injury in the first half. Scott Carson is replacing David James. The West Brom 'keeper gets a chance to banish the demons of his howler in the 3-2 defeat to Croatia at Wembley last year.

Germany have made two changes. Tim Weise takes over from Adler in goal and Helmes comes in for Klose.

Half-time: Germany 0 England 1

A very good effort from an inexperienced England team, who have outworked and outplayed their hosts. Capello is unlikely to make a raft of changes with the scoreline so close but he will be aware that the ball is not sticking to his strikers as much as he would like. Will he bring Crouch on? It might be a little unfair on Agbonlahor or Defoe.

Germany look tame, but remain dangerous from set-pieces where their few best efforts have materialised. Joachim Low's team are offering England a great opportunity to claim another victory over their old rivals.

44min: Germany 0 England 1

Downing cracks a sweet shot from 20-yards out that Adler pushes away to Wright-Phillips whose shot from a similar distance goes wide. The Middlesbrough winger seem to surprise everyone with his accurate striker.

40min: Germany 0 England 1

Agbonlahor fluffs the chance for a damaging counter-attack when he skips away down the left wing after receiving Upson's clearance from a corner. The VIlla man is supported on the right by Wright-Phillips but his weak angled pass is easily cut out by Mertesacker in the centre of Germany's defence.

38min: Germany 0 England 1

Germany are very ordinary in midfield. Rolfes loses control of the ball and gifts possession to Wright-Phillips. He plays Johnson in down the right wing and the defender wins a corner.

Adler shows more quality this time to tip the ball away under pressure from Terry and Upson.

33min: Germany 0 England 1

Germany spurn a chance when the unmarked Westermann heads over the England bar from a deep Schweinsteiger free-kick. A momentary lack of concentration from the defence.

30min: Germany 0 England 1

Wright-Phillips is booked for running into Compper in the centre of midfield. He's not trying to adopt the role of enforcer, he's just occasionally clumsy.

28min: Germany 0 England 1

Capello's team are working their socks off and pressing the Germans when they have the ball. Johnson in particular is covering a lot of ground. England's problem is making the right decision in the final third. Too often the ball is running away and not finding another red shirt.

26min: Germany 0 England 1

The England fans are in great voice but they are soon silenced as Wright-Phillips concedes a foul in a dangerous position to the right of England's penalty area. James punches away Trochowski's high, curling shot.

23min: Germany 0 England 1

GOAL! England make the breakthrough. Adler completely misses Downing's corner kick and Upson pounces on the ball in the six-yard box to score.

20min: Germany 0 England 0

Jermaine Jones is a very un-German name, but the son of an American serviceman is a stylish presence in the home team's midfield.

15min: Germany 0 England 0

Klose and Schweinsteiger are probably the best-known names in the Germany side. Joachim Low is also fielding a weakened team and England seem to have the stronger strength in depth. However, this post coincides with Germany best spell of possession. Maybe they are just working England out before pouncing.

13min: Germany 0 England 0

Agbonlahor is harshly penalised after an innocuous challenge on Adler, the Germany goalkeeper, who rather unwisely chased the ball  outside of the area against the jet-heeled Brummie. It's a bum call.

11min: Germany 0 England 0

Wright-Phillips and Defoe are looking very lively in attack and Carrick should thrive on their movement. Germany look leaden-footed in comparison.

8min: Germany 0 England 0

The visitors have a scare after Trochowski takes advantage of a slip from Johnson to test James with an inswinging cross from the left wing. The England goalkeeper punches the ball away and Carrick clears.

4min: Germany 0 England 0

It's a positive and confident start for England. Downing gets the better of Friedrich down the left wing and his cross eventually gets to Johnson on the right flank. He turns the full back inside out but his cross is blocked. Capello's younsters are showing no fear.

2min: Germany 0 England 0

Agbonlahor and Defoe combine well as the Aston Villa player lays a pass beyond the Germany back four for the Portsmouth striker to run on to, but he is offside. Promising.

Pre-match banter: Germany v England

It's a 72,000 sell out at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. This fixture stills captures the imagination.

England are in red shirts, white shorts and red socks. Their hosts in their traditional white and black.

There seems to be little respect for God Save the Queen and the German anthem is victim to retaliatory jeering. There is definitely an edge to this friendly for the fans.

The players are introduced to guests Bert Trautmann and Sir Geoff Hurst.

The teams: Germany v England

Capello's team is pretty much as was predicted in The Times but for the inclusion of Gabriel Agbonlahor, the Aston Villa striker, whose pace proved so deadly on the counter-attack against Arsenal at the weekend. The 22-year-old gets the nod ahead of Peter Crouch and Darren Bent for his senior debut.

Germany: Adler, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Westermann, Compper, Schweinsteiger, Rolfes, Jones, Trochowski, Gomez, Klose. Subs: Wiese, Hinkel, Tasci, Helmes, Podolski, Marin, Hitzlsperger, Schafer, Weis.

England: James, Johnson, Terry, Upson, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Carrick, Barry, Downing, Defoe, Agbonlahor. Subs: Carson, Robinson, Lescott, Richards, Mancienne, Davies, Parker, Bullard, Young, Crouch, Bent.

Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

Germany v England live from 8pm

Join us tonight as the England 'B' team is resurrected to fulfill a fixture against Germany in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Fabio Capello has been hit with a flurry of high-profile withdrawals from his squad for tonight's match and his team plans were further wrecked after Theo Walcott dislocated his shoulder in a training session yesterday. David James, captain John Terry and Gareth Barry will be the only first-team regulars on show, but luckily they constitute the spine of the team.

England's probable line-up should include the Portsmouth trio of Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Glen Johnson and the return of Michael Carrick after an international absence of 15 months. The Manchester United midfielder's last match was against Germany.

However, this is still the fixture to get juices flowing and you can follow the progress of Capello's motley band with our live text commentary starting from 7.45pm.

Full-time: Belarus 1 England 3

What a difference a half-time rollocking can make. England were a different animal in the second half and fully deserved the victory.

Rooney was the star performer, but he will thank his midfield, who improved immensely in the second half, to allow him to push on and get at the Belarus defence.

Walcott had an ineffectual match and Fabio Capello now has to make the decision whether to send him off to Sweden with the under-21s next summer. On this evidence it would certainly help his development.

Overall the manager, players and supporters should be happy. 12 points from four matches is a superb achievement. The problem for England now is holding on to their form for the next six months.

88min: Belarus 1 England 3

David Beckham is given a few minutes to annoy those who hate to see him rubbing shoulders with the greats of the national game. He replaces the excellent Rooney.

86min: Belarus 1 England 3

Gerrard has a Chris Iwelumo moment after waltzing round the goalkeeper only to hit the post with the goal at his mercy. It's a plain sponge for England tonight.

81min: Belarus 1 England 3

Capello is having a fit on the touchline for some reason. He is desperate to get four wins out of four qualifying matches. His opposite number, Stange, is looking resigned.

78min: Belarus 1 England 3

It's is one-way traffic for England now. Belarus are looking sorry for themselves. Lampard tries to cheer them up with a loose back pass but James makes up the ground to gather the ball.

74min: Belarus 1 England 3

GOAL! Rooney steps up to the plate again with a goal of the highest class. The striker dummies a square pass from Bridge and collects Gerrard's subsequent through ball before clipping his finish effortlessly past the Belarus 'keeper. Brilliant.

70min: Belarus 1 England 2

Emile Heskey makes way for Peter Crouch. The Wigan striker looks to have tweaked a hamstring.

68min: Belarus 1 England 2

The match is opening up and it is hard to know who it will suit. Shaun Wright-Phillips is coming on for Walcott. The Arsenal winger has failed to make an impact for the second match running so Wright-phillips has a great chance to stake a regular place in the side.

62min: Belarus 1 England 2

Rooney has been England's best player by a street tonight by way of his goal and prodigious work rate. Who needs nuclear power? Stick him on a treadmill and reap the watts.

59min: Belarus 1 England 2

Kulchy makes a well-timed run into the England penalty area but is beaten to the ball by Wes Brown. The home crowd demand a penalty kick but referee Terje Hauge waves play on.

56min: Belarus 1 England 2

Belarus are not looking so comfy on the ball. England's adjustments have stopped their rhythm and they're giving the ball away much more cheaply.

53min: Belarus 1 England 2

The image of Heskey wiggling his hips may never leave those who saw it. It was a real collectors item. Rooney did well to keep his composure and not fall over laughing instead.

50min: Belarus 1 England 2

GOAL! Heskey dances past the Belarus right back and plays a low cross into Rooney who pops the ball home from six yards. It was so easy the mind boggles.

48min: Belarus 1 England 1

Heskey works back to win the ball and he finds Rooney in space in front of the Belarus back four. The Manchester United striker beats two players on the edge of the penalty area but his weak low shot is easily saved. Keep it going lads.