England earn Germany draw

Stefan Kiessling had headed the home side ahead after 17 minutes in Mainz, but Taylor – in the side as a replacement for Liam Ridgewell - then volleyed home a corner from Villa midfielder Peter Whittingham three minutes before half-time. Both sides hit the bar in a hard-fought second half but the match petered out for a draw which sees Germany remain atop the section.

Whittingham scored twice against Wales on Friday, but was in more creative mood last night and his free-kick was met by Michael Dawson but his header flew over the bar. Kiessling was more accurate on 17 minutes though, heading in a pin-point Sascha Riether cross to hand Germany a deserved lead.

England almost equalised just after the half-hour mark when German goalkeeper Rene Adler misjudged a James Milner corner from the left. Anton Ferdinand nodded the ball towards the goal-line where it was blocked by Robert Huth. But the disappointment was short-lived for the visitors as Taylor levelled the scoreline in acrobatic fashion, volleying Whittingham’s testing corner.

Fresh from his summer giving rides to children on Blackpool beach, Carlton Cole looks to be on the way back to the form he so spectacularly lost at Villa Park last season and was unlucky to see his header from Milner’s centre pushed onto the crossbar. Cole was England’s sole outlet in a defensive line-up that was put further onto the back foot as Germany pressed.

Substitute Rafael wasted the clearest of all German chances in the 78th minute, directing Aaron Hunt’s clever ball wide when unmarked. Substitute Piotr Trochowski then hit woodwork with a powerful effort from 20 yards in the dying minutes, but neither side could muster a winner.