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England national football team
U21 Friendlies
Mar 30, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 

3-2

Lingard (34'), Redmond (79'), Ward-Prowse (82')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Hofmann (15', 50')

Live Commentary: England Under-21s 3-2 Germany Under-21s - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live coverage of the international friendly between England Under-21s and Germany Under-21s at The Riverside.
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England Under-21s came from behind twice to secure a 3-2 win over Germany Under-21s in their international friendly at the Riverside this evening.

Philipp Hofmann put the visitors in front early on before Jesse Lingard got the Young Lions back on level terms.

Hofmann was on target again early in the second half, but late goals from Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse handed Gareth Southgate's side the win.

Read how all the action unfolded below.


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Good evening! Gareth Southgate's Young Lions squad will be hoping to impress the manager ahead of this summer's European Championships in Czech Republic. The face a tricky task, hosting Germany Under-21, so let's start with a look at the team news.

ENGLAND STARTING XI: Bond, Jenkinson, Garbutt, Forster-Caskey, Stones, Gibson, Lingard, Ward-Prowse, Ings, Hughes, Redmond

GERMANY STARTING XI: Ter Stegen, Gunter, Ginter, Bittencourt, Leitner, Can, Korb, Knoche, Hofmann, Younes, Meyer

Gareth Southgate has a bit of a shortage up front, with Harry Kane moving on to the senior squad and Saido Berahino out with injury. Tom Carroll scored the only goal against Czech Republic on Friday, but he misses out tonight, so Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond lead the attack.

For the visitors, Emre Can earns a recall to the side after missing their recent 2-2 draw with Italy, while Kaiserslautern striker Philipp Hofmann continues up front. Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry is among the substitutes.

Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson is among those in the starting lineup for the hosts. He's playing at his club's home stadium, with a crowd of over 30,000 expects. He told the FA's website: "It will be one of the proudest moments of my career, without a doubt. To represent your country anywhere is a fantastic honour and to do it with this bunch of lads at the Riverside against Germany, it doesn't get much bigger for me personally. It's a dream come true really."

This will be the last time that Gareth Southgate gets to look at his players before naming his squad for this summer's tournament. He told reporters: "I'm looking forward to the game, it's a great test for us as a team. It's the next step in terms of preparation and we've got a super crowd coming in. That certainly adds something for the players and we're really focused on performing in the way and style that we have, so it will be interesting to see how we cope against another top team. We're freshening the side up from the other night and I think it's important that everyone starts a game and we still look a strong team so I'm looking forward to seeing us play."

Meanwhile, Germany Under-21 coach Horst Hrubesch said at his press conference: "Ahead of the international break we said that we were going to play as many players as possible and have a look at a few things. There will be five or six changes to the side. We want to impose ourselves upon England. It will give us a taste of what to expect at the tournament in turns of physicality. It's not going to be a walk in the park."

These two sides won't face each other in the group stage of the 2015 tournament, but they could meet in the knockout stage. Germany face Czech Republic, Denmark and Serbia in Group A, while England come up against Italy, Portugal and Sweden in Group B.

The players made their way out ready for kickoff at a pretty damp Riverside. It's been raining for the last few hours in the build-up to kickoff, but the players don't look too concerned by the weather.

PREDICTION! While the anthems take place there's just time for a quick prediction. On paper, Germany must start as favourites, with a much more experienced side than England. But the home side will be desperate to impress the manager, and have a big crowd to cheer them on, so I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

KICKOFF! Germany get the match underway.

The visitors are on the attack straight away as Bittencourt charges down the right, but he fouls Forster-Caskey, giving the ball back to the home side. Will Hughes wins it in midfield and looks for Danny Ings, picking the Burnley man out with a superbly timed through-ball, but the striker was just offside.

England are passing the ball around well in the early stages, playing it through the middle before looking to supply Ings again, but the striker is lacking support up front, and he's too closely marked to get on the end of Stones's long ball forward.

Hughes and Ings are linking up nicely for the hosts, but the Derby County man accidentally handles the ball as the latter tries to flick it on for him, preventing him from getting the ball into the box. Both sides are looking sharp in the opening spell, but neither goalkeeper has been troubled yet.

Germany win a free kick just outside the box which Max Meyer steps up to take. He curls it around the wall, but it ends up going well wide of the target.

Germany have been looking the more likely in the last couple of minutes, with Bittencourt getting the better of Garbutt to fire in a dangerous looking cross, but there was no-one in the middle to meet it. Redmond tries to charge down the other end on the counter, but he's quickly dispossessed.

GOAL! England Under-21s 0-1 Germany Under-21s (Philipp Hofmann)

The visitors have broken the deadlock, and it's a fantastic finish from birthday boy Philipp Hofmann as he won the ball on the edge of the box, before taking a touch and unleashing a rocket on the turn to pick out the top corner. He'd been kept pretty quiet until then, but that was a moment of class to create the opener.

CHANCE! Ings is close to getting England back on level terms as Hughes plays the ball forward to the striker, but the Burnley man has to slide to reach it, and he brings down one of the defenders, giving away the free kick.

BOOKING! Germany captain Moritz Leitner is the first player to be shown the yellow card this evening as he pulls Nathan Redmond's shirt as the striker tries to break from midfield.

CHANCE! Garbutt comes forward to play the ball in for Ings, who in turn looks for Lingard, but his flick on is turned behind for a corner. Lingard gets a chance from the resulting corner, as Redmond chips it in, but his header at the far post is turned behind by Ter Stegen.

CHANCE! England quickly force a free kick just inside Germany's half, and Ward-Prowse curls it in for Lingard, but Ter Stegen rushes off his line to make sure he gets it before Lingard can tap it in.

England have looked so much more threatening on the attack since falling a goal behind. The home side are on the hunt again, with Ings and Ward-Prowse both sending balls into the box, but Ter Stegen is ready to clear both times.

Germany have just started to slow down England's high-paced attack of the last 15 minutes. Southgate is on the edge of his technical area, urging the defenders to move out from the back, but they're under pressure now as Can and Leitner link up in the middle.

CHANCE! England's best chance of the match so far falls to Danny Ings as he controls a high ball forward before shaking off Leitner to unleash a powerful low effort, but Ter Stegen turns it around the post.

CHANCE! From the resulting corner, it falls to Ben Gibson, but instead of going for goal himself, the Boro man nods it on for Lingard, but his attempt to tap in from close range is held on the line by Ter Stegen. The Germany keeper is being made to work hard at the minute, but he's been in action in the Champions League with Barcelona this season, and looks up to the challenge.

GOAL! England Under-21s 1-1 Germany Under-21s (Jesse Lingard)

Jesse Lingard has his first goal for the Young Lions as Jenkinson sprints down the wing before spotting Lingard in space near the penalty spot. The defender pulls it back for Lingard, who hits it first time to slide it into the bottom corner, and there's nothing the stretching Ter Stegen can do to keep it out.

CHANCE! Germany come with a fraction of an inch of retaking the lead as Emre Can lines up a free kick from 20 yards out. He strikes it superbly, but Jonathan Bond parries it away. Younes follows the ball in for the rebound, and tries to slice it into the far corner from a tight angle, but he puts just a little too much on the ball, and it goes wide.

England are looking really confident now, and are clearly keen to go into half time leading as Hughes takes the ball down the left before teeing up Lingard, but the visitors eventually manage to get it clear.

England force a corner, which is slightly overhit by Ward-Prowse, but it falls to Hughes out t he other side, and he tries to play it back in, but Leitner puts it out for the visitors.

HALF TIME: England Under-21s 1-1 Germany Under-21s

The referee brings the first half to an end with no stoppage time. Philipp Hofmann's early strike is cancelled out by a goal from Jesse Lingard, keeping the sides level at the interval.

In the first half, Germany saw slightly more of the ball, with 54% of the possession. However, it was England who had more attempts at goal, with five shots to the visitors' three. All of England's efforts were on target, while Bond was tested by just two of Germany's shots.

There are a few Under-21 sides in action elsewhere in Europe this evening. France are currently beating Netherlands 1-0. while Italy and Serbia are drawing 0-0.

Both sides have options on the bench should they want to make changes in the second half. Cauley Woodrow could provide an additional threat up front for the hosts, while Arsenal striker Serge Gnabry is a possibility for the visitors.

Here's Jesse Lingard moments after scoring his first goal for the England Under-21s. The winger hasn't seen as much time for Man Utd as he might have like this season, but he's been in good form on loan at Derby, so will surely be one of the first names on the teamsheet for Gareth Southgate in the summer.

Jesse Lingard of England celebrates after scoring their first goal during the international friendly between England Under 21 and Germany Under 21 at Riverside Stadium on March 30, 2015© Getty Images


The players are making their way out ready for the second half, and it looks like there are a couple of changes for the visitors.

SUBS! It's Leitner and Bittencourt who make way for Serge Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich, who will join Bayern Munich in the summer.

RESTART! England get the match back underway.

England are keeping possession in the opening couple of minutes, patiently passing the ball around at the back. Ward-Prowse tries to create something going forward with a quick pass forward, but Ginter makes the block for the visitors.

GOAL! England Under-21s 1-2 Germany Under-21s (Philipp Hofmann)

Hofmann pops up out of nowhere again to put Germany back in front. The Kaiserslautern striker follows a high ball in, meeting a deflected cross from Kork to tap in at the near post.

CHANCE! England look to respond quickly as Ings is picked out by Jenkinson, and he manages to round Ginter before blasting the ball towards the Germany goal from outside the box, but it was always rising, and ends up going into the crowd behind the goal.

England are struggling with Germany's increased tempo since the visitors regained the lead. Having already let the lead slip once, it looks like the Germans are keen to establish a two-goal lead, with Meyer and Younes both pressing down the left, but England are going just enough to keep them out for now.

Gnabry and CAn play the ball through the middle as Germany bear down on the England penalty area. Younes eventually flicks it on for Hofmann, who is on a hat-trick, but Stones is ready and takes it away from the striker.

England manage to put the visitors under pressure down the other end as Ward-Prowse looks for Ings, but the Burnley forward is just offside as the captain plays the pass.

England have started to look dangerous again as Lingard picks up the ball on the edge of the box after a quick break from Ings, but the scorer of England's first tries to pass it forward for Redmond rather than taking it on himself, and he ends up leaving the visitors with an easy clearance.

Redmond gets back to help out at the back, and makes a couple of superb challenge to win the ball back from Gunter. The German isn't happy, and the two exchange some heated words at the end of their exchange.

SUB! England make their first change, with Brentford's Alex Pritchard replacing Will Hughes.

CHANCE! Gunter is on the attack again, and he squares it for Meyer on the edge of the box, but Bond watches his low strike carefully to make the save.

Can and Meyer are proving a deadly combo, with the latter winning a corner after the Liverpool midfielder played the ball in for him.

SUB! Winning the corner will be Meyer's last involvement though as Nico Schulz takes his place.

England are working really well as a team on the attack as Redmond gets the ball from Lingard before looking for Ings in the middle, but the ball in is slightly overhit, and Gunter makes the clearance for Germany.

PENALTY APPEAL! Nico Schulz wants a penalty as he gets the better of Ward-Prowse on the way into the box, and he appeared to be caught late by the England captain, but the referee was not interested.

CHANCE! Ward-Prowse curls the ball in from a corner for the hosts, and Ben Gibson rises up highest to get the header away, but it's just wide of the post. The defender had caused a few problems in the box this evening in front of his home crowd at the Riverside.

CHANCES! Forster-Caskey plays a superb ball into the box to set up Ings for a shot from near the penalty spot. His effort is blocked, but it falls for Lingard, who also sees his effort cleared by Gunter, who has been superb at the back tonight.

SUB! England make another change with Michael Keane coming on for Ben Gibson.

SUB! There's a change for the visitors too with Malli coming on in place of Younes.

GOAL! England Under-21s 2-2 Germany Under-21s (Nathan Redmond)

Nathan Redmond is in the right place at the right time as the ball is played in from the right by Carl Jenkinson, and he unleashes a low striker towards the bottom left. It takes a deflection off Knoche on the way past Ter Stegen, but that is definitely Redmond's goal.

GOAL! England Under-21s 3-2 Germany Under-21s (James Ward-Prowse)

What a remarkable turnaround by the hosts! Jenkinson is involved in the build up again, crossing the ball in from the left to find captain James Ward-Prowse on the edge of the box. The Southampton man took a touch before picking out the bottom corner with a powerful strike. That has been a fantastic couple of minutes for Southgate's side.

Germany certainly won't give in in the final few minutes, as they've led for the majority of this match, and Kimmich tries to get them back on the attack, but Garbutt makes the block.

SUB! England waste some time, with Forster-Caskey heading off to give Calum Chambers a brief cameo.

Emre Can tries to force his way through for the visitors, but that leaves space at the back for England to stretch Germany on the counter, but Ginter gets back in time to tap it back for Ter Stegen.

Kimmich makes his way down the right before pulling it back for Can. He puts far too much on it though, and the Liverpool man can't reach it. Gnabry tries to rescue the situation, but his long-range effort ends up going well high.

CHANCE! Germany have a free kick around 25 yards out, which Can is hovering over. The Liverpool player curls it in towards goal, but there's not enough power on it to really cause Bond much concern.

CHANCES! England have a chance to put the win beyond doubt as Alex Pritchard forces a save from Ter Stegen from the edge of the box. The Germany keeper parries it into the path of Ings, but the Burnley striker goes for a low accurate finish rather than power, and Ter Stegen recovers just in time to keep it out.

As the match heads into three minutes of stoppage time, Kimmich sends a high ball on for Hofmann, who can still finish with a hat-trick. He wins it with his head, but can't control it, and it ends up going behind for a goal kick.

FULL TIME: England Under-21s 3-2 Germany Under-21s

So, a couple of late goals from Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse ensure that the England Under-21s come from behind to beat Germany Under-21s in their international friendly at the Riverside.

That's it from this match, but join us again tomorrow when the senior squad are in action in a friendly against Italy in Rome. Until then, thanks for joining me this evening. Goodbye.

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Tom Carroll of England celebrates his goal during the international friendly match between U21 Czech Republic and U21 England at Letna Stadium on March 27, 2015
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