Captain John Terry scored a late goal to ensure England continued their resurgence under Fabio Capello with a 2-1 victory over Germany in Berlin.
The victory completed a magnificent year in charge for Capello, who won eight, drawn one and lost one in his 10 matches since taking over the post from Steve McClaren.
England, who recorded a famous 5-1 success on their last visit to Germany, had only three first-choice players on show as many stars were injured, while Joachim Löw's side were without captain Michael Ballack, Philipp Lahm and Torsten Frings.
Gabriel Agbonlahor found an opening before the match was two minutes old, but his shot was saved by the outstretched leg of keeper René Adler.
The Three Lions went ahead after 23 minutes when defender Matthew Upson poked the ball home after Adler failed to get to it on a Stewart Downing corner.
England should have made it 2-0 when substitute Darren Bent beat an offside trap and skipped round replacement keeper Tim Wiese, but he slipped and shot wide of the empty net.
A minute later Germany were leveled through Patrick Helmes, taking advantage on a horrible mix-up between Terry and substitute goalkeeper Scott Carson to score into the empty net.
It was Carson's first appearance since his disastrous blunder against Croatia a year ago when England were dumped out of the Euro 2008.
Shaun Wright-Phillips saw his 25-yard shot rattled the post 11 minutes from time, with Wiese getting his finger tips on the ball.
England, though, then ensured the Germans suffered their first defeat in Berlin since 1973 as Terry got his head to Downing's curling free-kick six minutes from time.
Lineups:
Germany: Rene Adler (Tim Wiese 46), Arne Friedrich (Serdar Tasci 68), Per Mertesacker, Heiko Westermann, Marvin Compper (Marcel Schaeffer 77), Simon Rolfes, Jermaine Jones (Marko Marin 46), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Piotr Trochowski, Mario Gómez (Lukas Podolski 57), Miroslav Klose (Patrick Helmes 46)
England: David James (Scott Carson 46); Glen Johnson, Matthew Upson, John Terry, Wayne Bridge; Shaun Wright-Philips (Peter Crouch 90), Michael Carrick, Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing; Jermain Defoe (Darren Bent 46), Gabriel Agbonlahor (Ashley Young 77)
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The victory completed a magnificent year in charge for Capello, who won eight, drawn one and lost one in his 10 matches since taking over the post from Steve McClaren.
England, who recorded a famous 5-1 success on their last visit to Germany, had only three first-choice players on show as many stars were injured, while Joachim Löw's side were without captain Michael Ballack, Philipp Lahm and Torsten Frings.
Gabriel Agbonlahor found an opening before the match was two minutes old, but his shot was saved by the outstretched leg of keeper René Adler.
The Three Lions went ahead after 23 minutes when defender Matthew Upson poked the ball home after Adler failed to get to it on a Stewart Downing corner.
England should have made it 2-0 when substitute Darren Bent beat an offside trap and skipped round replacement keeper Tim Wiese, but he slipped and shot wide of the empty net.
A minute later Germany were leveled through Patrick Helmes, taking advantage on a horrible mix-up between Terry and substitute goalkeeper Scott Carson to score into the empty net.
It was Carson's first appearance since his disastrous blunder against Croatia a year ago when England were dumped out of the Euro 2008.
Shaun Wright-Phillips saw his 25-yard shot rattled the post 11 minutes from time, with Wiese getting his finger tips on the ball.
England, though, then ensured the Germans suffered their first defeat in Berlin since 1973 as Terry got his head to Downing's curling free-kick six minutes from time.
Lineups:
Germany: Rene Adler (Tim Wiese 46), Arne Friedrich (Serdar Tasci 68), Per Mertesacker, Heiko Westermann, Marvin Compper (Marcel Schaeffer 77), Simon Rolfes, Jermaine Jones (Marko Marin 46), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Piotr Trochowski, Mario Gómez (Lukas Podolski 57), Miroslav Klose (Patrick Helmes 46)
England: David James (Scott Carson 46); Glen Johnson, Matthew Upson, John Terry, Wayne Bridge; Shaun Wright-Philips (Peter Crouch 90), Michael Carrick, Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing; Jermain Defoe (Darren Bent 46), Gabriel Agbonlahor (Ashley Young 77)
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