England v Germany LIVE: Nations League result, final score and reaction as Three Lions draw thriller
England 3-3 Germany: Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Harry Kane turned a 2-0 deficit at Wembley into a 3-2 lead before Germany equalised late on
England head to the World Cup buoyed by a rousing comeback against Germany but a late error by Nick Pope meant under-fire Gareth Southgate’s side had to make do with a 3-3 draw at the end of a frenetic second half.
Among the favourites to triumph in Qatar having reached the semi-finals four years ago and finished runners-up at last summer’s Euros, hope and optimism has seeped away in recent months. England were relegated from the Nations League top tier following Friday’s loss to Italy and pressure looked set to increase on Southgate, and Harry Maguire, after Ilkay Gundogan’s penalty and a stunning Kai Havertz strike.
But the hosts displayed the kind of resilience and ruthlessness their manager called for in the build-up in front of a sold-out Wembley crowd that did not turn on the group. Luke Shaw scored England’s first goal from open play in this Nations League campaign to bring hope, with substitute Mason Mount lashing home a leveller eight minutes after they had gone two goals behind.
Wembley was bouncing and the noise went up several notches when Harry Kane slammed home an 83rd-minute penalty following Nico Schlotterbeck’s foul on Jude Bellingham, but there was to be no return to winning ways. Havertz tapped in after back-up goalkeeper Pope spilled a Serge Gnabry shot, meaning England go to Qatar without a win in six but boosted by a much-needed show of skill and spirit.
Relive the action from Wembley as England take on Germany:
Gareth Southgate shows off a new trick to conjure an England comeback
Even when everything else was going well for Gareth Southgate, there was a criticism that could be levelled at him. A meticulous planner could set up a side to start well, but they lost their way. Southgate could not make game-changing substitutions. Croatia and Italy could concede first to England but come back and win. Southgate lacked the instinctive brilliance to alter a match that was getting away from him.
As a reign seemed to be losing its way, as six years of progress seemed to bring drift, dullness and disappointment, Southgate did something new. Not pick Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has cemented the prized role of England’s fourth-choice right-back. But still something very different. He conjured a comeback.
It was Mason Mount, a substitute, who swept in an equaliser from 20 yards. Bukayo Saka, another replacement, had picked him out, just as he had been involved in the build-up to Luke Shaw’s goal. After failing to find the net in open play in 520 minutes in the Nations League, England had two goals in four minutes.
Gareth Southgate shows off a new trick to conjure an England comeback
The England boss turned the game around with his substitutions against Germany to help earn a 3-3 draw
England end goal drought in style to draw Nations League thriller with Germany
If it’s difficult to know how to feel after that, perhaps that’s the point. England felt something again. They scored again. They played with some freedom again. They offered a vision of what they can be, if also a reminder that there are recurring issues.
It was much the same for Germany team, which was maybe why a draw in its own enjoyably convoluted way ended up suiting everyone in this last match before the World Cup.
Many could point to problems, but both managers could ultimately point to comebacks and shows of character.
Germany enjoyed a very late equaliser to salvage the Nations League point. England enjoyed a return from 2-0 down and a concerted period where they looked like a convincing team again.
There was vindication for Gareth Southgate if not victory.
England end goal drought in style to draw Nations League thriller with Germany
England 3-3 Germany: Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Harry Kane turned a 2-0 deficit at Wembley into a 3-2 lead before Germany equalised late on
FT England 3-3 Germany
Harry Kane has scored in all four of his England games against Germany, while it’s the joint most appearances one player has made against a specific opponent for the Three Lions while scoring in every game.
FT England 3-3 Germany
It was almost the perfect comeback from England but a Kai Havertz goal left them just short of victory.
Full-time: England 3-3 Germany
90+6 mins: There’s the final whistle! The game ends in a draw but a brilliant second half comes to an end with the teams on level terms.
England finally showed a bit of fight and determinism but it took two German goals to get them to that point. Harry Kane though he’d won it from the spot but an error from Nick Pope gave Kai Havertz the chance to equalise and he put it away.
England 3-3 Germany
90+3 mins: There’s six minutes of added time to play and half of them are already up.
Germany have possession and but a threaded pass through to Timo Werner is too heavy and the ball rolls out for a goal kick. Is there one more chance for England?
England 3-3 Germany
90 mins: Save! What a game. It’s burst into life in the second half and it’s not over yet.
England scramble to clear there lines but Bellingham is composed enough to find Kane who flicks the ball over to Saka to send him flying up the pitch on the counter.
He carries he ball all the way into the box and looks to guide it low past Ter Stegen but the goalkeeper palms it wide of the post!
Huge save!
GOAL! England 3-3 Germany (Havertz, 87’)⚽️
87 mins: Mistake from Pope!
Serge Gnabry is given the ball and cuts inside from the left wing before drilling a curling shot at goal with his right foot. It bounces just in front of Nick Pope but he spills the ball and Kai Havertz is on hand to prod it home.
Germany are level!
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