Germany 1 (Hofmann 51) England 1 (Kane 88 pen)

The Nations League campaign appeared to be turning into a headache for Gareth Southgate and England. The idea had been to show a response to Saturday’s flat 1-0 loss in Hungary but England trailed to Jonas Hofmann’s goal early in the second-half and they had fired only in fits and starts.

And yet they found a way back, the final 20 minutes coming to feel like a golden period for them, the chances coming in increasing volume and clarity. The frustration would have been intense, the questions plentiful, had another tie slipped away from them.

But Harry Kane – who else? - was not in the mood for the soul-searching inquest. He had been denied by Manuel Neuer as England turned the screw late on and, with time almost up, he melted away from Nico Schlotterbeck inside the area to draw a clumsy challenge from the Germany centre-half.

It went to VAR and, after a lengthy delay, the decision was that the contact from Schlotterbeck had been the reason why Kane lost his footing. Kane drilled home the penalty – bringing up his 50th England goal – three short of Wayne Rooney’s record and he could even have snatched a late winner only to fluff a sidefoot. England were more than happy with the point.

Southgate had not hidden his frustration at the Hungary result. “The reality is that it’s a defeat we should not have had,” he said, and he went with a strong lineup here, arguably his strongest available, for a game which felt more loaded and valuable in terms of World Cup preparation than any other this season.

Germany entered on an unbeaten run of 10 matches under Hansi Flick and Southgate knew what to expect – shades of Bayern Munich, who Flick had managed last season; plenty of technique and aggression.

Southgate started with Kieran Trippier on the left of a back four, Bukayo Saka on the right wing and Mason Mount in the No 10 role. There would also be an early tweak when Kalvin Phillips was forced off after a coming together with Lukas Klostermann. On came Jude Bellingham.

There were a few nervy moments from England at the outset, none more so than when Antonio Rüdiger helped on a Joshua Kimmich corner that had been cheaply conceded by Trippier. Kyle Walker would toe the ball away from Thomas Müller at the far post – a crucial intervention.

Germany looked dangerous on set-pieces and they shaded the first-half. Jamal Musiala, the former England under-21 midfielder, almost got onto a Kai Havertz cross while he had earlier felt that Declan Rice, who stood tall in midfield, had handled a shot from him in the area.

Musiala brought the menace off the Germany left, his twinkle toes easy on the eye, and he would go close on two further occasions before the interval, seeing an effort blocked by Harry Maguire and slashing straight at Jordan Pickford after a free-kick had been worked to him.

There was also the let-off for England in the 23rd minute when Hofmann ran on to a long ball from Schlotterbeck to finish, as Maguire – England’s last man – wrestled Havertz down on halfway. Hofmann was called back for a marginal offside. It was a worry to see how Maguire was exposed positionally.

England’s travelling fans were officially numbered at 3,466 inside the stadium but there were many more of them and they made themselves heard. Their team had chances in the first half but none of them were taken.

Raheem Sterling had opened up a seam of space inside the area in the early running only to be crowded out and Kane lifted high after Maguire had gone up for a Trippier corner. In the eight minutes of first-half stoppage-time, Saka worked Neuer at his near post following a quick break while he sent a curler just past the other upright.

It was a huge opportunity for Bellingham in the country where he plays his club football with Borussia Dortmund and he had good moments in the final third and when stretching to win his tackles.

It was strange that the first half finished goalless given the number of chances and the way that both defences did not look secure. But the deadlock did not last after England’s backline cracked.

The Germany buildup had been lengthy and patient but Kimmich suddenly quickened it with the killer pass, fizzing it into Hofmann, who had tiptoed into space inside the area. John Stones could not get across in time and Hofmann’s shot was powerfully struck. The way that it flashed past Pickford was nevertheless a concern. He did not have his hands in position, throwing up one of them and seeing it offer no resistance.

Mount flickered as England tried to respond, extending Neuer with a rasping drive after Bellingham had won the ball and seeing another effort blocked. Müller was denied by Pickford following a David Raum cross but it was England, with Jack Grealish on for Mount, who pushed for the equaliser. Maguire almost scored with a looping header, Kane was thwarted by Neuer’s legs and the substitute. Jarrod Bowen, went close. Kane would not be denied. - Guardian

Germany: Neuer, Klostermann, Rudiger, Schlotterbeck, Hofmann (Gnabry 65), Kimmich, Gundogan (Sane 83), Raum, Muller (Goretzka 76), Musiala (Werner 65), Havertz.

England: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier, Rice, Phillips (Bellingham 14), Saka (Bowen 80), Mount (Grealish 72), Sterling, Kane.

Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain).