Germany started their preparations for next summer’s World Cup with an exciting 0-0 draw with England at Wembley Stadium on Friday night.
Both goalkeepers stole the show to preserve a clean sheet for their nations in the opening 45, as both teams gave everything to try and find the breakthrough.
Home shotstopper Jordan Pickford twice denied RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner one-on-one in the first half, and Phil Jones was also alert to head off the line from Leroy Sané’s follow-up.
The only time Pickford was beaten, the woodwork came to the rescue as Sané’s drive from range crashed down off the bar.
At the other end, England debutant Tammy Abraham could have opened the scoring as early as the third minute, while strike partner Jamie Vardy was denied by a brilliant save from Marc André ter Stegen shortly after the break.
Die Mannschaft head coach Joachim Löw handed a debut to Leipzig left-back Marcel Halstenberg, as well bringing Ilkay Gundogen back into the starting XI as he started the difficult process of attempting to whittle down his squad choices for Russia next summer.
Werner, who already has six goals in eight appearances for his country in 2017, was given an early sight of goal following a mistake from Harry Maguire, but Pickford was on hand to clear the danger and deny the 21-year-old another international strike.
It was a pattern that told the story of the half, as the Everton number one twice pulled off quality one-handed blocks down low to keep the match at 0-0, and when Werner’s first effort landed at the feet of Sané, Pickford had Manchester United’s Phil Jones to thank for clearing the danger.
Manchester City striker Sané tested the Wembley woodwork before the break too, but agonisingly saw his effort bounce off the underside of the bar and away to safety.
A much quieter second half was bookended by two chances for the three Lions, with Vardy's header drawing the best from ter Stegen seconds after the restart, while Jesse Lingard lashed over from inside the six yard box from a knock down in injury time.
Germany will now fly home to prepare for their friendly with France in Cologne next Tuesday, while England get ready to host Brazil on the same night at Wembley.
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Germany started their preparations for next summer’s World Cup with an exciting 0-0 draw with England at Wembley Stadium on Friday night.
Both goalkeepers stole the show to preserve a clean sheet for their nations in the opening 45, as both teams gave everything to try and find the breakthrough.
Home shotstopper Jordan Pickford twice denied RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner one-on-one in the first half, and Phil Jones was also alert to head off the line from Leroy Sané’s follow-up.
The only time Pickford was beaten, the woodwork came to the rescue as Sané’s drive from range crashed down off the bar.
At the other end, England debutant Tammy Abraham could have opened the scoring as early as the third minute, while strike partner Jamie Vardy was denied by a brilliant save from Marc André ter Stegen shortly after the break.
Die Mannschaft head coach Joachim Löw handed a debut to Leipzig left-back Marcel Halstenberg, as well bringing Ilkay Gundogen back into the starting XI as he started the difficult process of attempting to whittle down his squad choices for Russia next summer.
Werner, who already has six goals in eight appearances for his country in 2017, was given an early sight of goal following a mistake from Harry Maguire, but Pickford was on hand to clear the danger and deny the 21-year-old another international strike.
It was a pattern that told the story of the half, as the Everton number one twice pulled off quality one-handed blocks down low to keep the match at 0-0, and when Werner’s first effort landed at the feet of Sané, Pickford had Manchester United’s Phil Jones to thank for clearing the danger.
Manchester City striker Sané tested the Wembley woodwork before the break too, but agonisingly saw his effort bounce off the underside of the bar and away to safety.
A much quieter second half was bookended by two chances for the three Lions, with Vardy's header drawing the best from ter Stegen seconds after the restart, while Jesse Lingard lashed over from inside the six yard box from a knock down in injury time.
Germany will now fly home to prepare for their friendly with France in Cologne next Tuesday, while England get ready to host Brazil on the same night at Wembley.
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