By james art The last time these sides met was at the same venue for England’s triumphant 2-1 comeback in the Euro 2022 final. That game remained goalless until the second half, but Friday night’s friendly was a very different story.
The visitors stunned the hosts with an early penalty for captain Julia Gwynn and a third from Clara Bull in the opening 30 minutes before Stanway pulled two back, including a spot-kick of her own.
England conceded another penalty after the break, converted by Sarah Dabritz, with Lucy Bronze pulling the sides within a penalty at the end of a hugely entertaining contest in front of a crowd of 47,967.
All but two of Sarina Wigman’s starting XI – goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and defender Jess Carter – featured in that historic final, despite both being in the squad 817 days ago.
Germany’s new head coach Christian Wouk, who was appointed following their bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics, led the visiting side into an early lead after Millie Bright brought down Linda Dahlmann in the box.
Referee Marta Huerta de Aza’s decision stood after a VAR review and Gwynn made no mistake when he stepped up to beat Hampton.
Alessia Russo thought she had equalized in the 10th minute off Ella Toon’s strike, but the Lionesses’ celebrations were quickly ended by an offside flag.
Germany pulled away and doubled their lead, Gwynn was the scorer again with an effort that deflected off Hampton’s left post before heading in.
The woodwork proved less generous to the hosts, who watched another Russo effort clip the far post before going wide as the end-to-end action continued.
The tempo eventually slowed, England enjoying the advantage in possession but without a shot to show for it.
Germany were three goals ahead in the 29th minute after Bull’s low shot went through the legs of Bronze and past the outstretched arm of the diving Hampton at the near post.
Stanway finally gave the home support something to celebrate five minutes later after Gwynn, who had slid in to block Lauren Hamp’s cross, was booked for handball.
The Bayern Munich midfielder slotted the resulting 33rd-minute penalty into the bottom left-hand corner of former Chelsea keeper Anne-Katrin Berger’s net before pulling the Lionesses back within one with a towering effort three minutes later.
Toone should probably have leveled proceedings after finding himself one-on-one with Berger, but steered his effort inches wide.
The Lionesses were just one goal down at the halfway point, although Dallman went close in stoppage time, forcing Hampton to make a nervous save off the post.
It was Germany’s turn to have an offside flag deny them a goal five minutes after play resumed, and Hampton was called into action again to deny Jules Brandt, while Bull scored a try just before the hour mark.
The visitors continued to keep Hampton busy and substitute Dabritz increased Germany’s advantage after Rousseau was adjudged to have fouled Pia-Sophie Wolter with an outstretched boot as she struggled for the ball.
England again had the ball in the net, Hamp was the next player denied by the flag, but it was Bronze who kept the home side’s chances alive when he pounced on a Berger error to bring the Lionesses back within one in the 81st minute.
Substitute Alex Greenwood cleared a loose ball off the line to keep the hosts in it, but six minutes of added time were not enough for England to find an equaliser.