Podolski blasts Germany past England

Lukas Podolski marked his 130th and final international appearance with a stunning goal as Germany edged a 1-0 victory over England in Gareth Southgate’s first match as permanent manager.
The visitors were on top for the vast majority of the game in Dortmund and hit the post through Adam Lallana in the first half, but the script was written for Podolski to call time on his 12-year international career in style with a memorable winning goal.
Jamie Vardy was unsuccessful with a penalty appeal in the seventh minute when he theatrically went over a sprawling Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but England’s first clear chance arrived from a corner moments later when Keane fired over having found space inside the area.
The visitors continued to enjoy the better of things as the half progressed, though, and Eric Dier threatened to break the deadlock with a carbon copy of his dramatic winner from England’s victory in Berlin last March when he met Lallana’s corner at the near post but couldn’t generate the power to test Ter Stegen.
Podolski was clearly keen to mark his final Germany appearance with a goal, but his shoot-on-sight policy failed to bring success in the first half and he rushed an effort from 25 yards that flew well off target with eight minutes to go until half time.
Dier then fired a free kick narrowly over as England quickly regained control, but it was his Tottenham Hotspur teammate Alli who should have broken the deadlock shortly before the interval. Vardy poked the ball through for Alli who found himself with only the keeper to beat, but Ter Stegen stayed big to make a crucial save.
The script was written for Podolski, though, and the former Arsenal man ensured a fairytale finale to his storied international career with a stunning strike 20 minutes from time, unleashing an inch-perfect thunderbolt into the top corner from 25 yards.
It was the 31-year-old’s 49th international goal, leaving him behind only Miroslav Klose and Gerd Muller in Germany’s all-time list, and the captain for the evening saved one of the best for last to leave Hart no chance.
Southgate used the closing stages to hand international debuts to Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse, but the opening goal sparked an improvement from Germany and Leroy Sane almost capitalised on a rare error from Keane when he raced down the left channel, only to see his low drive kept out by Hart.