After a brief delay, the game got underway in front of a packed house, with people still arriving as the game got underway. Nevertheless, the ground is buzzing as England started the game on the front foot.

The Germans were happy to sit in and protect their back line, closing down quickly to ensure that the England forwards didn't have any joy in the final third.

Indeed, the 'home' side were having to stroke the ball back and forth across the back line, trying to get the Germans out of shape and find that killer pass.

Moses almost managed that for England as he slid the ball through for 9, but it took a great interception to cut the chance short for Brian Eastick's men.

But they had to be careful not to get hit on the counterattack and 16 burst through the England midfield on twelve minutes and looked well placed, only to drag his shot well wide of the goal.

England repeated that feat on the quarter hour mark as Lansbury burst forwards only to pull his shot wide of goal.

The Three Lions were thankful to keeper Amos on seventeen minutes as Sakuta-Pasu seized on a mistake to bear down on goal and smash in a shot.

The keeper palmed the first effort up into the air with a great save and worked his feet well to regain his position and claw the loose ball away from danger as it looked like it might drop in.

The powerful front man should have done much better two minutes later as he pounced on a loose ball in the area, but proved to be unable to get enough power on his shot to test Amos this time.

The England keeper was certainly the busier of the two and he pulled off a sharp stop down to his left from a shot from Holtby, tipping it away for a corner.

The English side first came close to goal with 25 minutes on the clock, Lansbury contriving some space to strike in a shot with the outside of his boot that the keeper got down to block at his feet.

A minute later, and the impressive Trippier delivered a wicked cross from the right that Wellbeck powered onto at the far post, only for Funk to defend excellently with a flick away from danger.

And, despite the Germans having much the better of the opening half hour, the English took the lead with 28 minutes gone.

Wellbeck did really well to wriggle out of trouble on the left hand edge of the box and he lay the ball into the path of Lansbury in a central position.

The Arsenal midfielder took a touch and smashed in a low swerving shot that beat Baumann in the bottom left corner as it fizzed in for 1-0.

The Gunners man found himself in a similar position just after the half hour mark only this time the ball caught under his feet a little bit more and he pulled the effort wide of the post.

Tussles down the left wing saw Kirchhoff lose his temper as he scythed down Wellbeck and he became the first player to be booked in the game.

From the resultant set piece, the ball popped up in the air from the first flick on, and as the keeper hesitated Wellbeck rose highest only to head the ball over the bar.

U's loanee Hills had a good chance to extend the home advantage as he stepped onto a blocked England shot, only to fire his effort comfortably over.

With five minutes remaining in the first half Germany nearly drew level unintentionally. A Backer cross appeared to be looping over Amos although the young stopper did well to track back and prevent the ball from crossing the line.

Two minutes later it was England's turn to try their luck at goal after Victor Moses was bundled over 20 yards out and a smart freekick saw Hills lay off Hoyte who blasted just over.

Both teams made a change at half time with Nathan Delfouneso coming on in place of Wellbeck for the second forty-five minutes.

But the substitute had not touched the ball by the time that England went close again, Lansbury curling a brilliant free kick towards the top corner that Baumann plucked out of the air with a great save.

Wolze became the second player in the book ten minutes after half time for a foul twenty yards from goal, but the England side were unable to create anything dangerous from the resultant set piece.

But it was the visitors next go close on the hour mark, as Yalcin turned and fired in a shot from distance that Amos acrobatically turned around the post.

From the resultant set piece, Germany worked the ball around the England area, before Holtby upped the tempo finishing up with a drive narrowly over the crossbar.

The English made their second change with 67 minutes on the clock as Middlesbrough's Jonathan Franks came on for Moses for the final quarter of the game.

The sub was hauled down from behind by Funk to become the latest player booked and a further fresh face came on as the clock ran down into the last fifteen minutes, with Lansbury replaced by Michael Woods.

England almost got caught out soon after Woods' introduction, as they got dispossessed on the edge of their own area. The ball was worked to Sakuta-Pasu, whose fierce shot was tipped - just - over the bar by Amos.

There then followed a moment of confusion as Wolze was shown a second yellow card from the referee Mr Friend.

The official appeared to forget that he had already booked him, and the German captain moved off into midfield away from the fouled player.

The linesman took the referee's attention and at that point Wolze moved towards the touchline, where eventually the officials caught up with him and sent him down the tunnel.

England completed their substitutes late on in the game, introducing Rhys Murphy and Jordan Spence for Mellis and Trippier for the final five minutes of the match.

The Germans came close to an equaliser deep into injury time, only for the ball to be deflected wide of the post as the additional four minutes got underway.

A minute later, substitute Gundogan should have done better for the Germans, drilling a shot wide of the post as Amos went to cover his near upright.

But England held out to record a hard fought and well earned victory.

Att: 9,692