Germany hosted Paraguay in Kaiserslautern and played out a somewhat surprisingly thrilling encounter, with the sides settling on a 3-3 draw.
The hosts were two goals down before they knew it as Luis Nunez fired the ball into the roof of the net and Wilson Pittoni scored from outside the box following a mix-up at the back.
Before the break Germany pulled level thanks to Ilkay Gundogan and then Thomas Muller, but on the stroke of the break Miguel Samudio raced from left-back to tap in a third.
The second half was one-way traffic and Germany managed a second equaliser through Lars Bender, but were unable to find another way through for the winner.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Hello football fans and thank you for joining me for tonight's international friendly in Kaiserslautern between Germany and Paraguay.
Without further ado, I'll get the teams across to you. Spoiler: it's a strong German XI.
GERMANY XI: Neuer; Lahm, Mertesacker, Hummels, Schmelzer; Khedira, Gundogan; Muller, Ozil, Reus; Klose
I'll bring the Paraguay team as soon as I get it, but for now let's take a look at that German lineup.
Miroslav Klose's international career continues into another season then as he's selected to start up top. The 35-year-old has always done the business for Germany and 67 goals in 127 is no mean feat. Will he be in Joachim Low's plans for the World Cup in Brazil?
It's a very attacking midfield in behind Klose, too. Sami Khedira will hold his position, but even his deeper partner Ilkay Gundogan loves to maraud. Ahead of them are Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil and Marco Reus. This is a Germany without Mario Gotze and Mario Gomez in the lineup.
PARAGUAY XI: Villar; Samudio, Candia, Aguilar, Da Silva; Fabbro, Pittoni, Ortiz, Ayala ; Nunez, Santa Cruz
So there is the lineup for the South Americans. Plenty there to cause potential problems to tonight's hosts. Malaga striker Roque Santa Cruz will be well known to European fans, but the lively Richard Ortiz from midfield perhaps not. Ortiz has three goals in nine caps and will have to be watched closely.
Low admitted in the build-up to this one that his side are looking forward to their first game together this season.
"We're really looking forward to the game," he said. "It's our first match of a season which will finish with the World Cup and we want to play with renewed enthusiasm."
While Paraguay return to the ground that they beat Trinidad in the World Cup, Lucas Barrios does not play in what would be his return to the country. Victor Genes has instead picked a largely youthful side, except of course Santa Cruz, who will captain the team.
Interestingly, in a Germany team these full of players who play their club football in their home country both strikers spend their time in Italy these days. Of course Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil play for Real Madrid and Per Mertesacker for Arsenal, but the majority reside in the ever-improving Bundesliga.
So with a little over 10 minutes to play, I suppose I should make a prediction. It's tough to look beyond Germany, isn't it? At home they are so often breathtaking and I expect them to have to much for Paraguay. I think they'll take it 3-0.
Low will surely be in charge of one of the favourites heading into Brazil. His future has been speculated about quite often, but I fancy that he really wants to take this side to the top gong in international football first.
We're almost set for kickoff here. The anthems are being played and the crowd are expectant for some excellent football. Germany usually deliver.
There is a minute's silence for Bert Trautmann, who of course passed away last month.
Perfectly observed, and we're ready for kickoff in Kaiserslautern.
KICKOFF: We're underway then, so let's hope for a good game.
It's a confident, passing start from Germany. They try to create something with Reus making a run into the box, but he moved too early and was called offside.
Of all the midfielders, it's Khedira who burts forward at pace. He passes left to Klose, who is bundled over in a very dangerous position. Reus fires it in low and hard, with Villar getting two arms on it to push away. Strong start from the hosts.
After the frantic start Paraguay have settled well and are looking disciplined. Germany keep the ball and are not afraid to go all the way back to start the move again.
Gundogan is the next player to have a decent sight of hoal. Germany swarm around Paraguay's defence and win the ball. It falls to Gundogan whose shot is deflected for a corner. From it, Paraguay break but Germany are back in numbers to sweep up.
CHANCE! Germany break back and Klose has a sight of goal after cutting in from the left. However, his shot is down the throat of Villar down low.
GOAL! Germany 0-1 Paraguay (Nunez)
Well, that came out of the blue. Nunez beats the offside trap to get himself one-on-one and makes no mistake firing the ball over Manuel Neuer to give the South Americans the lead.
This really is a fine game. At the other end Klose is found by Khedira and through on goal. He goes for the flick but it just does not come down under the bar - great effort. They come again down the right through Ozil, but the Real man is tackled.
GOAL! Germany 0-2 Paraguay (Pittoni)
Pittoni makes it two! There are a couple of ghastly errors in the Germany half. First Neuer punches badly before Khedira fails to gather, allowing Pittoni to fire low from outside the box. Incredible start here!
Ozil gets a half-chance as Muller cuts the ball across from the right. The Real player takes a touch before poking it goalwards on his left under pressure. However, it was a hard chance to get on target and he can only put it wide.
GOAL! Germany 1-2 Paraguay (Ilkay Gundogan)
I question Villar's positioning there, but Gundogan has placed that well. After a nice passing move he clips it into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, with Villar getting a hand on it on the way in. Goals, goals, goals.
It's as if Germany were happy to give up a two-goal advantage just so that they can play their best stuff to turn it around. It has been, quite simply, one way traffic and Paraguay will have to put up a huge effort to hold this lead.
CHANCE: That probably should be the leveller! Reus beats the defensive line again and is found by Khedira. He twissts and turns and eventually the ball is put behind from a corner, from which Mertesacker picks out Villar with his header.
CLOSE! Gundogan has to be alert to head off his own goalline as a corner almost goes straight in. Aguilar then has an effort from the next corner but fires well over the bar.
Still Germany attack and this time Villar does very well. Muller cuts the ball across the face of the box to the onrushing Reus, who takes a touch and fires low with his left foot. The keeper is out quickly, however, to save with his feet. Gundogan is coming off with a slight knock, Lars Bender on to replace him.
Paraguay have just managed to slow the German side down in the last few minutes. There have, incredibly, been no chances of note in the last couple of minutes. Low is busy writing down his team talk. I don't expect the word wunderbar to be on there.
GOAL! Germany 2-2 Paraguay (Thomas Muller)
Germany have tested that offside trap all day long and this time Muller gets one bang on. He's in behind, takes a touch and slots low past Villar. We're all square.
What do Paraguay have in them after being pegged back from a 2-0 lead so quickly? In truth, they have created very little even with the goals.
CHANCE: Big chance for Klose. Reus does really well on the left to wait for the run and thread the ball across to his striker. Klose was stretching and only managed to poke his effort wide.
Still Germany press. can they get another before half time? The movement is superb as Klose crosses from the left, but too close to Villar.
Paraguay have a free kick wide on the right, but Victor Ayala is booked for his reaction to being fouled. The kick comes in and goes straight to Neuer.
GOAL! Germany 2-3 Paraguay (Miguel Samudio)
Well there's one last twist in the half! Samudio races all the way from left back to meet a low cross from the right to fire past Neuer from close range.
HALF-TIME: Germany 2-3 Paraguay
What a fantastic half of football! I've just about got my breath back and believe it or not Paraguay are winning. It has been end to end and both sides have been clinical when presented with chances.
In truth, Paraguay have been the most clinical as they have really only had the three chances. Germany have not defended well enough, particularly for the second and third goals against. When Germany got level you would think there was only one winner - but not just yet!
Low did not look a happy bunny at the break, and that was understandable. It will be at the back he will be most angry, as in fairness they have looked good going forward. Reus in particular has been a real handful.
I imagine there will be a couple of changes at the break, but I will let you know when I know for sure. Expect a different back four from Low. In fact, it's Jerome Boateng on for Mertesacker.
KICKOFF: Here we go then for the second half. Roberto Fernandez is on in goal for Villar, by the way.
CHANCE: Early chance for Germany in the second half as Muller feeds in Klose. He is tackled but the ball falls to Ozil, whose shot is just a yard wide of the near post.
Germany are certainly wasting no time taking control of the half. They are passing the ball around in the Paraguay half, patiently waiting for an opening. It almost comes as Bender, closed down on the edge of the box, clips into Ozil, but it's not a good pass and goes through to Fernandez.
There's a break in play as the third goalscorer Samudio goes down requiring treatment. He probably won't be risked any further and indeed Melgarejo comes on for him. Germany also make a change with Gomez on for Klose.
SAVE! Fernandez properly tested for the first time in the game as he kept out a Gomez header. It was planted firmly and he did well diving to his right to keep it out.
It's starting to get a little desperate for Germany. The passing is a little less intricate and the plan seems to be to run as directly as possible at the defence. Thus far, Paraguay are managing to hold on.
Substitution for Paraguay as Romero is on for Pittoni, with Reus making way for Lukas Podolski at the other end.
Podolski goes up for a header to try to get his first touch, but Fernandez is up big to claim from his head.
Santa Cruz is still hustling as Paraguay's sole outlet when they try to break. He does well to hold up the ball and find Rojas, who is fouled by Hummels.
Brilliant defending from Rojas, who tracks all the way back and beats Podolski to the ball before heading back to his keeper. At the other end Paraguay come again but they have caused no threat this half.
The Germans are attacking in numbers now but still Paraguay's fort is holding firm. They have another 20 or so minutes to hang on and, at the moment at least, it looks like they might well do just that.
Boateng sums up Germany's half in one shot. He tries from well outside the box and succeeds only in finding the stands. They come again through Lahm and Bender but the latter's pass is blocked forcing Germany back again.
GOAL! Germany 3-3 Paraguay (Bender)
More good passing from Germany and there's another goal! Fernandez initially goes well to palm away a shot from distance but the ball falls on the edge of the box to Bender, who takes a touch before drilling the ball into the bottom corner. Fine finish.
Romero goes into the book for bringing down Hummels. Germany sense the winner now and come again, but this time an attempted cross from Muller is blocked and they once more go back to the defence.
The crowd think Germany have a fourth, but Podolski is offside in the build up. His pull back to Gomez for a simple tap-in will not count. Can either side take the win? There only looks like one team who might, but then I said that at 2-2!
Podolski is becoming more and more of a threat on the left hand side. He pulls across another ball that Paraguay manage to scoop clear from almost under their own bar. From the corner Paraguay look to break and Ayala is caught by Bender, who is booked.
Another couple of changes for Germany as Andre Schurrle is on for Muller and Schmelzer sits down as well.
Lahm and Schurrle combine down the right, but Ayala is in to win it back. Not for long, however, as Schurrle tries to work something again. Just six minutes remain - can the hosts pinch this?
The players naturally look tired. This has been a very pulsating friendly so early in the season. Germany, however, are not relaxing as they want to turn this around and take the win.
There will be a whole five minutes of added time here. There has been one injury and several subs, but it still seems excessive.
SAVE! Marcel Jansen thunders a header goalwards and Fernandez at full stretch pushes it wide - very good save.
FULL-TIME: Germany 3-3 Paraguay
What a game! Germany probably had enough chances to win even after conceding three, but they were undone on the break all too often and in the end 3-3 is only fair.
Thanks for joining me for this one. Please to stick around on site for results and reaction form tonight's football and we'll be back with more commentaries before you know it. Good night.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
