Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match between England and Germany at Wembley. These fixtures are always great occasions so we are hopefully in for another action-packed night!

This may officially be an international friendly, but I'm sure that will be the case in name only. There is no love lost between these two sides and, particularly from the English point of view, there are few bigger fixtures for the Three Lions than when they come up against Germany, be it in a friendly or the World Cup final.

There is nothing like a win over the Germans to get morale up in England, and Roy Hodgson's side could certainly do with that after they were brought back down to earth with a bump by Chile last Friday. Exciting performances against Montenegro and Poland had raised levels of optimism around the team, as well as clinching the small matter of World Cup qualification, but Chile's footballing lesson on Friday night reminded everyone that the Three Lions are still some way from competing with the world's elite.

Tonight they come up against a team considered in that bracket as the final act of the Football Association's 150th anniversary. It is a fitting finale to a major landmark in the history of the first FA ever created, pitting their national team up against the side who they have arguably had their most dramatic moments against. England vs. Scotland may be the longest rivalry in football, but few are more storied than England vs. Germany.

Hodgson named an experimental lineup for the match against Chile, and he took another unusual step in revealing his starting XI for tonight's match yesterday. I will bring you the full lineup a little bit later, as well as the German team when that is confirmed, but the headline news regarded the returns of Joe Hart and Daniel Sturridge, while Wayne Rooney and Adam Lallana were the only two to keep their places from the Chile match.

Hodgson's untested lineup against Chile should be given as a contributing factor to the Chile defeat rather than an excuse. England still had a number of vastly experienced players on the field yet they were outplayed and outclassed by their South American opposition. One glaring lesson to be learned by England was that they need to become more street-wise as Chile seemed to have tricks up their sleeves that England simply hadn't thought of.

It shouldn't all be doom and gloom for England, however. The Chile defeat is England's only one in the last 11 matches, a run that stretches back more than a year. That is the same total of games that Germany have lost in the same space of time which, when you consider how highly the Germans are rated in world football, is a record to be proud of.

That record makes a mockery of the smattering of England fans who booed the side following that Chile match. It was certainly an abject performance, but it came in a friendly which was solely designed for Hodgson to learn things about players he may not have seen in that situation before. Still, Hodgson will be only too aware of those boos, and he will also know that defeat to Germany - especially an embarrassing one - can be just as damaging as a win would be pleasing.

History inevitably plays a huge part in this fixture, and in a few ways it is on England's side today. They have not lost back-to-back international matches at Wembley since 1977, when Don Revie's England lost to both Wales and Scotland in the space of a week. That record will come under serious threat tonight, but it is one that Hodgson will be desperate to protect.

Looking at things a little more recent than that, the Chile defeat was Hodgson first at Wembley as England manager, and England's first at home since a 3-2 loss to Holland in February of last year.

It was also, however, the first time that England had been beaten by two or more goals at Wembley since 1999 when France, who were World Cup holders and would soon add the European Championships to their roll of honours of course, beat them 2-0. Looking at England as a whole, not just Wembley, it was the first time they had lost by that margin on home turf since a 3-1 defeat by Australia in 20013.

While that points at Wembley being something of a fortress for England at times, it should be noted that Germany have no problem performing here. They, of course, won in the final match at the old Wembley Stadium when Hamann's free kick gave them the victory but, going even further back than that, you may be surprised to hear that England haven't beaten Germany here since March 1975.

In that time Germany have visited Wembley five times, winning on four occasions and drawing just the once - not a bad record at 'the home of football'. It should be noted that England did beat East Germany in 1984, but they were never the football powerhouses that their cousins from the West of the country were.

If England are looking for good omens, though, one can be supplied from five years ago on this very day, when the Three Lions travelled to Germany and won 2-1. None of the goalscorers from that day are involved in either national teams now, with Matthew Upson and John Terry finding the net for England and Patrick Helmes scoring for Germany.

For all England's well-documented struggles in major tournaments, they generally tend to do fairly well in the qualifying campaigns (with the notable exception of the 2008 European Championships). While they waiting until the last match of the campaign this time around, their numbers at the end of it were quite impressive. With 31 goals they were the third-highest scorers in Europe, while they only conceded four times in their 10 matches. On top of that, of course, they also remained unbeaten throughout.

Unsurprisingly, Germany also finished their campaign unbeaten, and for all England's success, Joachim Low still topped them in most categories. They dropped just two points in the entire campaign and scored 36 goals along the way - the highest of any team in the European section.

They did concede 10 goals and it is true that their defence is perhaps the only chink in their armour, but it should be noted that the vast majority of those conceded came in two out-of-the-ordinary results against Sweden.

While there are slight questions marks over the defence, particularly with the absences of Manuel Neuer and Philip Lahm tonight, there can be no such doubt about their scoring ability at the other end. Germany have scored at least three goals in nine of their last 10 games, a remarkable record that only the 1-1 draw with Italy in their last outing prevented from becoming a perfect 10. If you extend that, they have found the net three or more times in 12 of their last 16 games.

Like England, they have only been beaten once in 2013, but their record of one defeat in 16 matches is slightly better than their opponents tonight. That loss came in June and it was quite a shock as USA triumphed 4-3 in a thoroughly entertaining match.

Germany now have their sights firmly set on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they will travel as one of the favourites to pick up the title. You'd have to think that the South American sides - Brazil and Argentina in particular - would be favourites going into the tournament, but the likes of Spain and Germany would be right behind them. Certainly, if a European team was to win it, it would be a brave man who bet against the Germans.

They are currently ranked as the second best team in world football, behind only reigning World and European champions Spain, and one of their main strengths is the depth they have available to them. Low has already confirmed that Neuer, Lahm and Ozil will play no part tonight, but the players he is able to replace them with are all Champions League regulars themselves. Very few teams would be able to lose three world-class players and still be able to field a formidable team like Germany can.

Low's choice of a slightly weakened side compared to Hodgson's strong lineup hints at a difference in the seriousness both managers are approaching the game with. It is fair to say that Germany are much less concerned with this rivalry than England are, with their fiercest on-field conflicts coming against Holland.

Still, that is not to say that they will not be ready for this match. They know all too well how to win at Wembley, as I alluded to earlier. Their last visit to the stadium came in 2007 when Kuranyi and Pander scored in a 2-1 victory, Frank Lampard getting on the scoresheet for England.

The most recent meeting between the sides should also have had Frank Lampard on the scoresheet, and the memories of that 'goal' in the 2010 World Cup will still be fresh for many of the England players tonight. Whether they would have gone on to compete with Germany is a different question, but such a error in such a big game - at such an important time - left a burning sense of injustice.

Germany, of course, will argue that it was karma 44 years in the making after another goalline debate went England's way and helped them to their one and only World Cup success in 1966. While that issue remains inconclusive, with every Englishman certain Geoff Hurst's shot bounced over the line and every German adamant of the opposite (and, crucially, one Azerbaijani linesman siding with England), there is no doubt that Lampard's shot should have been given as a goal.

That was all an awful long time ago, though, so before we reminisce further about more memorable meetings between these two sides, let's have a look at the teams for tonight's match.

TEAM NEWS: We already know that England have made nine changes to their lineup, bringing in senior players such as Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and Joe Hart, so let's take a look at the Germany side. The biggest news for them is that Weidenfeller takes the place of Neuer in goal, making his Germany debut at the age of 33. The Bender brothers also come into the side, while Kroos, Reus and Gotze make a formidable midfield trio just behind Kruse. Full team news for both sides on the way.

ENGLAND STARTING XI: Hart; Walker, Smalling, Jagielka, Cole; Gerrard, Cleverley; Townsend, Rooney, Lallana; Sturridge

GERMANY STARTING XI: Weidenfeller; Westermann, Mertesacker, Boateng, Schmelzer; Bender, Bender; Kroos, Reus, Götze; Kruse

So, what can we make of those two starting lineups? Well, it is a much more recognisable one for England as they welcome back a number of regulars. Ashley Cole makes his return at left-back at the expense of Baines, while Walker replaces Johnson on the other flank. Smalling is given a major vote of confidence in being named in the centre of defence from the start, pairing up with Jagielka.

One of the big talking points in English football at the moment is Joe Hart's situation. Roy Hodgson has given him his full backing and insists that he is still the country's number one, but with his club place being taken by Costel Pantilimon, that situation may change before the World Cup. Tonight is a huge match for him as he tries to fight his way back into the City side as well as proving that he is still the best option for England.

Tom Cleverley is still establishing himself as a natural player at this level and, while he will be relieved that the German midfield is not quite as strong as it could have been this evening, it will still be a massive test for him this evening. Even with no Schweinsteiger, Khedira or Ozil, German have some top notch players in the middle of the park. Lallana will also be given a baptism of fire having impressed on a tough debut against Chile on Friday.

Andros Townsend has emerged as one of England's most exciting players recently, and it was his direct running that they sorely missed against Chile. He came on as a sub in that match and showed glimpses of the form that had wowed the nation against Montenegro and Poland, but Chile did a good job of shutting him down.

Germany will also have to cope with Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge, two strikers in fine form so far this season. Sturridge's best performances have come in the red of Liverpool and he is yet to really transfer that to the international stage. Tonight would be a perfect opportunity to do so. Rooney, meanwhile, is probably England's most dangerous player and he will need to have more of an impact tonight than he did against Chile if England are to get anything out of the game.

A special mention also has to go to captain Steven Gerrard, who wins his 108th cap this evening. England anoraks will know that that haul brings him level with the legendary (Sir) Bobby Moore, World Cup winning captain from 1966. A number of players have graduated to the centurion club for England recently, but such a feat should not be underestimated, and to equal Moore's tally is a remarkable achievement. It puts him joint-third on the list of highest capped English players ever, with only Peter Shilton (125) and David Beckham (115) above him now.

As for Germany, they may have a weakened side out but it is still one teeming with quality. The fact that Weidenfeller is only just making his debut would make the vast majority of teams in the world green with envy. He participated in the Champions League final last season but is unlucky that the main above him in the pecking order - Manuel Neuer - is arguably the best keeper in the world.

In front of him, the absence of Lahm is a bonus for England but they still have players who know what it is like to play at the highest level. English fans will be fully aware of Arsenal's Per Mertesacker, who has been in fine form at the back for the Gunners so far this season, helping them to the top of the Premier League.

In midfield is where Germany are strongest, however. Losing Khedira to a cruciate knee ligament injury is a big blow and he could face a race to be fir for next year's World Cup, but in reverse they have Lars and Sven Bender, who are not exactly bad options to have. Reus, Gotze and Kroos are all among the best midfielders in Europe at the moment, and it is scary to think that Germany are also missing Schweinsteiger and Ozil from that category, not forgetting Thomas Muller, who is on the bench tonight.

So, strong teams named from both sides - even if Germany's is supposed to be a weakened one. Consecutive defeats at Wembley for England is almost unthinkable for Roy Hodgson, but it is a very real possibility tonight. The Germans can be unstoppable at times, and they are likely to pose an even bigger threat than the one provided by the victorious Chileans on Friday.

One positive thing for England to think about, however, is that since 1996 neither Germany nor England have beaten the other in back-to-back matches. Since Germany won the last meeting in the 2010 World Cup, it stands to reason that England can't lose tonight - right?

PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes from kickoff at Wembley now, which means that it is time for my match prediction! Friendlies are always tough ones to call and, with one team seemingly taking it a little more seriously than the other, that makes it even harder. England's record against Germany at Wembley doesn't say much for them having home advantage either. As much as I don't like doing it, I'm going to have to go for a Germany victory tonight, 2-1 to the visitors.

As we near kickoff, no doubt mins will be cast back to the many memorable matches between these sides. English fans won't need reminding, but it was Germany who were the opposition when Geoff Hurst hit a hat-trick in the World Cup final of 1966 to give England their only success in the competition.

Then, 35 years later, the Three Lions pulled off another historic win in the process of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. On that occasion it was Michael Owen who scored a hat-trick on the way to a 5-1 away win for Sven-Goran Eriksson's side. The other goals came from Emile Heskey and Steven Gerrard, making it a memorable day for Liverpool players in particular.

For Germany, they of course have the fresh memories of knocking England out of the World Cup in 2010, and another victory tonight would give the Three Lions a second consecutive setback in their preparations for the next edition of the world's premier football competition.

If, somehow, you can bear to tear yourself away from this fixture, we have other live commentaries to offer you tonight. You can see them here, while I will also keep you up to date with major events from around the continent, keeping a particularly close eye on events in the World Cup qualifiers.

KICKOFF: England get us underway in those distinctly German-looking kits. No points on the line tonight, but plenty of pride is always attached to this fixture and it is one that no-one likes to lose.

Bright start from England and unsurprisingly it is the direct running of Townsend that is at the centre of it. A couple of crosses are comfortably cleared by Germany, but the pace of Townsend and Walker down the right looks like it could cause Germany some problems.

Germany get the ball moving for the first time tonight and immediately you can see the level of quality they have in possession. A couple of quick passes almost allow Schmelzer to get into a good position down the left, but Walker shows good pace to make the tackle.

Hart's first touch of the night gets a big cheer, and he couldn't have hoped for an easy passage into the game. Schmelzer managed to dig a cross out from the left, but Hart was the only man in the box and gathered very comfortably.

Germany have eased their way into this match after being forced on the back foot in the first couple of minutes. They are now enjoying quite a bit of the ball and England need to be careful that they don't let themselves get too comfortable here.

You can see that England are keen to play on the front foot when they get the chance, though. A free kick is taken quickly and immediately Townsend runs straight at the defence. He gives the ball to Sturridge, who tries a disguised shot but his effort is blocked.

Walker wins a header in an advanced position and gives it to Rooney, who plays it back to Townsend. It opens up for the Spurs winger but he seems reluctant to let fly with his left foot, instead trying to find Lallana only to give the ball away. That was a waste of a good position.

CLOSE! Reus swings a nice free kick into the box and Westermann gets the back of his head to it, sending an unorthodox effort narrowly past the post. Hart didn't seem too worried, but that one was only a yard or two away.

Half a claim for a penalty from the Wembley crowd is turned down by the referee. It was for a tackle on Cleverley, but it looked like a clean challenge to me and the ref made a good decision. There wasn't much of an appeal from the England players.

Cleverley is looking to make an impact this evening and he has certainly done that on Reus there. He comes in with a crunching tackle that, in a competitive match, would have surely earned him a yellow. As it is, though, the ref decides that just a warning is warranted.

Rooney gets into a decent position on the right but decides against taking Schmelzer on down the flank. Instead, he goes for an early cross towards Sturridge but gets it all wrong and plays it behind for a goal kick.

England win the ball high up the field with some good pressing. Cleverley hangs a ball up in the middle of the area and Rooney rises highest to meet it. He is always struggling to get over the ball, however, and loops his effort harmlessly onto the roof of the net.

Lallana makes his way to the byline and his cross is only cleared as far as Gerrard around 30 yards out. The captain chests it down but is forced into an early volley but a fast-approaching Bender, causing him to balloon the effort over the bar.

UPDATE: There has been a potentially massive goal in France, where the hosts have taken the lead against Ukraine. Remember, France are in a perilous situation in that match and need at least a two-goal winning margin to stand any chance of qualifying for Brazil.

Westermann zips a dangerous cross into the area at pace, but there are no green shirts attacking it and Walker is allowed to get a sliced clearance in. It takes a couple more attempts, but England do eventually fully clear their lines.

Townsend is far from the finished product, but he offers England something that very few players in recent times have been able to. Every time he gets the ball he seems to carry it 30 or 40 yards downfield, which immediately puts the opposition on the back foot and gets the crowd going.

It has been a solid, if unspectacular opening half an hour to this match. Neither keeper has been tested yet, but there is a sense that a goal may not be too far away. England in particular are looking to make things happen when they have possession.

Gerrard whips a fierce delivery towards the far post which bends wickedly at the last second to deceive Weidenfeller. Lucky for the German debutant, the curl also makes it harder for Jagielka to fashion a meaningful effort, planting his header over the bar.

Germany have had a good spell of possession in the last couple of minutes, knocking the ball about confidently and trying to tempt England out of their defensive lines.

A fine reverse ball from Cleverley sets Sturridge free down the right flank, but he chooses not to cross it with his weaker foot. Instead, he lines up Boateng before looking to take him on around the outside, only for the German defender to make a perfectly-timed challenge inside the box.

UPDATE: France have got a second against Ukraine, making things all square in their World Cup qualifier. Karim Benzema has got the vital goal from France after Sakho had given them the lead.

Bender gets away from Phil Jagielka down the right and then nips it past the England defender again. In the end, it takes Gerrard to come back and finally stop Bender at the end of a long run, conceding a corner.

Germany have the breakthrough, and it comes from the man who earns his keep in North London. The visitors have two corners in quick succession, the first of which draws a spectacular save from Joe Hart. The England keeper could do nothing moments later however, as Mertesacker rose highest to steer a fine header right into the corner of the net.

Roy Hodgson will be fuming at England's marking then. Germany beat England in the air three times in a row, ending with Mertesacker's goal. You have to feel sorry for Hart, who had made such an impressive stop just before conceding.

The home fans appeal for a penalty again, but once more the referee correctly waves it away. This time it was for a Boateng challenge on Lallana, but the German once again went in perfectly-timed and got a good foot to the ball without diving in. Textbook defending.

CLOSE! That is as close as England have come, and it is the captain who provides it. Townsend skips down the right before cutting inside and pass square to Gerrard. The Liverpool man takes a touch before giving in to the crowd's plea to shot, sending a powerful effort narrowly over the bar.

So it is Germany who go into the break after a first half that had looked pretty good for England for a long time. They were the better side for the majority of the first 45 minutes but were ultimately undone by Germany's superior aerial presence.

It was Mertesacker who got the goal, and England can't say that he didn't warn them. Moments before steering a header expertly beyond Hart's reach he tested the England keeper's reflexes with another header that was brilliantly kept out.

That came six minutes from the end of a half that England had done well in up to that point. Despite all of their pressure, however, the hosts didn't create anything to unduly worry the German defence and Weidenfeller has had a very quiet debut so far.

Their lack of cutting edge apart, Roy Hodgson will be fairly pleased with his side's performance in that first half. They were the side who looked most positive in possession and at times they broke with pace and intent. Townsend has made a few bright runs but has been crowded out whenever he gets into a position that would be dangerous to the German defence, which is a sign of how well they are dealing with the Spurs winger.

Gerrard has come closest for the hosts with a powerful effort that flew just over the bar shortly before half time, and you feel that England will need to take a few more shots from range to really pose a threat to Weidenfeller. They don't look capable of breaking through the Germany backline at the moment.

Germany haven't exactly produced an all-conquering performance, but they seem to be playing slightly within themselves while England are really pushing to try to make things happen. The visitors do look like they have a few more gears to go through, which is worrying for England.

UPDATE: Greece have sealed their place in the 2014 World Cup with a 1-1 draw in their second leg against Romania, while Croatia and Portugal both now have 2-0 leads on aggregate and are on the verge of reaching the tournament themselves.

GERMANY SUBS: The visitors have made two changes to their defence at the break, bringing on Mats Hummels and Marcell Jansen for Boateng and Schmelzer.

KICKOFF: Germany get us back underway in the second half. Can they hold on to this lead or will England fight back against their old rivals.

Townsend gives Jansen an early test by taking him on down the right, but the sub makes a fine challenge to rob the Spurs winger of the ball inside the box. Some of the tackling from these German defenders has been impeccable today.

Kruse finds some space 25 yards from the England goal and lets fly, but his effort is poor and rises high over the bar. You would expect him to do better there, and he had teammates who are unhappy that he didn't look for the pass.

CHANCE! Really good chance for Germany as Gotze wriggles his way past a number of challenges including a cheeky nutmeg on Cleverly on the edge of the box. Jagielka eventually makes the tackle, but the ball falls straight to Reus in a good position. He steadies himself before shooting, but his effort is denied by a good save from Hart.

England hit straight back with a quick counter that almost opens a chance up for Lallana before the door is slammed shut by some more good defending.

Lovely skill from Lallana as he takes a square pass into his stride with a lovely spin that brings him into the box. He is thwarted by another good tackle, however, as Germany’s defence once again deal with the danger.

ENGLAND SUB: The first change of the night for England sees Ashley Cole make way for Kieran Gibbs. Interesting decision from Hodgson as he replaces experience with youth.

Mertesacker beat Smalling in the air for the goal, and he has just done it again there to get another chance. This time the Arsenal man's header is too high, but Smalling was once again well-beaten, even with a handful of the big German's shirt.

ENGLAND SUB: Gerrard's landmark 108th cap comes to an end after less than an hour as he is replaced by Liverpool teammate Jordan Henderson. One eye on the Merseyside derby there?

GERMANY SUB: Germany make a change of their own as Kruse makes way to be replaced by Sidney Sam.

OFF THE POST! England are inches away from an equaliser! It is Townsend who causes the danger again as he cuts inside onto his left foot before sending a dipping shot from range skimming against Weidenfeller's right post. The German keeper was beaten then, desperately unlucky for Townsend.

UPDATE: Two of the best players in the world are not disappointing over in Stockholm. Cristiano Ronaldo had given Portugal a 1-0 lead over Sweden earlier in the game, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hit back with two of his own in quick succession to make it 2-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate.

England have once again played brightly in this second half but they are still to test Weidenfeller. Gerrard's shot before half time and Townsend's strike against the post remain as close as they have come, both from long range shots.

Hart was dropped by Man City after coming for a ball that he should have left for his defender, and he has done it again here. He comes steaming out of goal and clatters into Smalling, but somehow England get away with it. Poor decision making from Hart there.

ENGLAND SUB: Jack Wilshere will get 25 minutes at the end of this match, replacing Cleverley.

SAVE! Great save from Hart as he makes amends for that error a couple of minutes ago. It was lovely football between Sam and Reus as they exchanges passes before the latter drills a low shot towards the bottom corner. The England keeper changes direction quickly to get down and make a very impressive stop, however.

GERMANY SUB: Hummels must have picked up an injury of sorts here as he is forced off just over 20 minutes after coming on as a sub himself. Howedes replaces the Dortmund defender.

GERMANY SUB: Joachim Low makes another change moment slater, bringing on Draxler for Westermann.

CHANCE! Big chance for Germany to double their lead and perhaps kill the game off as a contest. Sam is again involved, getting on the end of a lofted through ball from Gotze before lifting his shot over Hart. Unfortunately for the visitors, however, his shot is also too high for the bar.

Sturridge is almost released by a Henderson through ball, but he just can't bring it under control on the edge of the box. A better touch from the Liverpool man there and they would have had a very good chance.

ENGLAND SUB: Wayne Rooney's evening is over as he is replaced by Ross Barkley. That is three of England's top players that Hodgson has withdrawn in favour of younger blood now, suggesting that he isn't too worried about not winning this match.

UPDATE: Incredible scenes in Stockholm. Ronaldo seems to have taken that Ibrahimovic brace personally and responded with two more goals of his own in quick succession, completing his hat-trick. It is now 3-2 to Portugal on the night and 4-2 on aggregate. France, meanwhile, have taken a 3-0 lead against Ukraine and will be going to the World Cup if everything stays the same.

ENGLAND SUB: A change straight out of Southampton as Adam Lallana makes way from Rickie Lambert, who gets a big cheer on his way onto the field.

Townsend picks up the ball and, as ever, drives straight at the defence. He tries to slip the ball into Sturridge having drawn the defenders away from the Liverpool striker, but his pass is slightly under-hit, allowing Jansen to make a vital challenge.

A good run from Walker down the right wins a corner for England, but Barkley's delivery is cleared by the first man. England have just over 10 minutes to get themselves back into this match now.

Barkley has another chance to whip a corner in but against fails to beat the first man. From the next one he plays it short before getting it back and delivery a much better cross that Smalling heads against a German man for yet another corner.

GERMANY SUB: Chelsea's Andre Schurrle will get a cameo appearance in the closing stages here, replacing Reus in a straight swap.

Lovely play from Sam as he cuts infield before playing a probing pass through to Schurrle. The Chelsea man has clear ground ahead of him but chooses to cut back before shooting, allowing Walker to get a block in. The ball loops up and Draxler and Hart both contest the aerial battle, with the keeper winning a free kick.

Sturridge has tried a number of quick turns inside the box, the sort that have worked so well for him in the league so far this season, but he has got absolutely no joy from the German defence. Every single one of them has remained strong throughout and produced a string of fine tackles.

Sam has had a good impact since coming on, but he won't remember this effort too fondly. He takes a touch on the edge of the box before slicing an effort wildly wide. He probably could have hit that first time.

There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.

England aren't giving up on this one, but it is hard to see where they would get a late equaliser from. Germany are employing all of the old time-wasting techniques and look likely to just wind down the clock here.

Townsend has looked as likely as anyone to create something for England tonight, and it is he who has what will probably be their last action, racing up the middle before skewing a long-range effort wide. It was worth a go, but it was never troubling Weidenfeller.

Germany see out the victory, their sixth straight at Wembley if you include the penalty shootout win in Euro 1996. Once again, England came up short against a side who were simply better than they were, although there were plenty of positives for Roy Hodgson's side to take from a narrow defeat against the second best side in the world.

There were boos at the final whistle for England, just like there was against Chile on Friday, but many of the fans in the stadium will have been fearing a much worse scoreline than 1-0 when they heard that the Germans were coming to town. It is another sobering reminder for England that they are at least one rung below the world's best sides, but they are very much a work in progress and they weren't too far from matching Germany on the scoreboard tonight.

As for Germany, they will be a frightening proposition for any side at next year's World Cup. They came into tonight's match with a weakened side and still didn't have to be anyway near their best to get the win. Their defence - often cited as their weakest point - remained sturdy throughout and comfortably dealt with the vast majority of England's attacks, of which there were a considerable amount.

Right, I'm afraid that is all we have time for this evening. Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for a historic occasion at Wembley as Germany gatecrash the FA's 150th anniversary celebrations with a 1-0 win. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction and analysis, which will be up on site shortly. Until then, though, it is goodbye from me!