Germany 2-3 England - A Welcome Distraction

Something that Bolton Wanderers fans have grown accustomed to over the past couple seasons is that the Trotters are terrible away from home. Especially this season, seeing as Bolton haven't won away since last April.

I've been to three Wanderers away games this season (shit fan, I know), and as well as not seeing Bolton win, I haven't even seen Bolton score away this season.

Naturally, I jumped at the chance to see England play Germany in Berlin. And the game couldn't have come at a better time, considering Bolton's last game against Bristol City.

I went to Germany with no expectations, having seen England lose in Spain back in November. One thing that did encourage me though was the absence of Wayne Rooney through injury, which meant that the younger generation of players would be given a chance.

After spending Saturday afternoon consuming vast amounts of curried sausage and drinking quite a few steins, I headed to the game.

Getting into the ground took longer than I thought it would. The England fans were completely segregated from the home end, with nearly 1,500 police officers surrounding the Olympiastadion. Considering last week's events and the fact that Germany's game in November against the Netherlands was called off due to a bomb threat, this was understandable. Unfortunately, this meant I missed former Wanderer Gary Cahill leading out the 3 Lions and the National Anthems.

Nevertheless, I didn't miss the best parts of the game.

From what I can remember of the first half ,there was nothing in the game up until just before half time. In a move that reminded me of Bolton, Toni Kroos struck from 25 yards, beating Jack Butland at his near post. 1-0 Germany. Just like our beloved Wanderers, missed opportunities had led to conceding a goal that the Goalkeeper might/should have done better with. Sadly, Butland was injured diving for the ball and left the game on a stretcher.

Nearly fifteen minutes into the second half, Germany doubled their lead. Sami Khedira was afforded too much time and clipped a lovely ball over to Mario Gomez, who expertly steered a header past substitute 'keeper Fraser Forster.

2-0 Germany.

At that point I thought it was all over. But what happened in the last half hour of the game I didn't see coming.

Just four minutes after Gomez's header, Harry Kane pulled off a brilliant Cruyff turn and hammered the ball home into the corner of Manuel Neuer's goal. 2-1. Game on.

Roy Hodgson then made two fantastic substitutions. Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck were replaced by Ross Barkley and Jamie Vardy. And it would be the substitutes who made the difference just two minutes later. Ross Barkley played the ball out wide to Nathaniel Clyne, whose low cross was turned home brilliantly by Vardy.

2-2. The England fans go wild. Plastic stein glasses and gallons of German lager were thrown into the air while the England faithful sang 'Jamie Vardy's having a party'.

At that point a draw would have been incredible. Germany are the World Champions of course.

In the 84th minute, England had a great chance to win the game. Jamie Vardy cut the ball back towards Dele Alli, who somehow put his shot high and wide.

But it would be another Tottenham Hotspur player who would steal the headlines. In the 91st minute, Eric Dier headed home from a Jordan Henderson corner. 3-2. The 4000+ England were delirious.

The unbelievable had happened. England had come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against the World Champions Germany in their own backyard.

The match was special. It's the first away win I've seen since Neil Lennon's first game at Birmingham City way back in October 2014. It's certainly not the 4-2 win in the 1966 World Cup Final or the 5-1 victory back in 2001 when even our very own Emile Heskey scored, but it's certainly a result that's going to be remembered for years to come. And it's definitely high up on my list of best away days.

In regards to England, the result is certainly going to raise fans expectations heading into the Euros this Summer. The football that England played on Saturday was just sensational.

The four Spurs players were particularly impressive. Danny Rose defended and attacked well from left back, Eric Dier and Dele Ali bossed the midfield, and are surely going to be the centre midfield pairing for years to come. Harry Kane is also showing the same form for England as he done for the past eighteen months for Tottenham.

Then there's Jamie Vardy, the underdog in the England team.

Personally, I don't think England will win the Euros this year, but this could become a really special team.