Germany and Spain played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in Dusseldorf as the two European giants build up to the World Cup.
With the tournament in Russia less than three months away, a match between the two previous world champions at the Esprit Arena always looked a blue-chip affair and the game mostly lived up to the billing.
Andres Iniesta gave a first-half masterclass before departing at the interval, th
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e Barcelona captain setting up Rodrigo Moreno for an early opening goal with a superb throughball.
But Germany levelled before the break with a fine goal of their own, Thomas Muller picking out David de Gea s top-right corner from 25 yards.
De Gea made a pair of superb stops to keep Spain level, a flying save from Julian Draxler drawing applause from the Paris Saint-Germain man before the goalkeeper plunged low to his right to keep out Ilkay Gundogan s placed effort.
Mats Hummels headed on to the top of the crossbar as Germany edged a second half disrupted by many substitutions from coaches Joachim Low and Julen Lopetegui, but a draw was a fair result.
7 The last 7 goals for have been scored by 7 different players (Wagner, Rüdiger, Goretzka, Can, Werner, Stindl and Müller). Variety.
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz)
Spain dominated the early stages and opened the scoring in the sixth minute.
Iniesta was given time and space to pick a pass and slid Rodrigo through on goal, the striker giving Hummels the slip and finishing well past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Jonas Hector almost earned Germany an immediate reply but sent a rocket of a volley flying narrowly over the angle after a poor clearing header from Gerard Pique.
Iniesta, running the game in midfield, lashed off-target at the end of a rapid Spain break that flowed beautifully through Koke, Isco and David Silva.
But as Germany gradually gained control the hosts levelled in stunning fashion in the 35th minute.
You won t like him when he s angry 1-1
— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN)
Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira shuffled the ball from the left to Muller, who marked his 90th cap in style with a lazy swing of his right boot that arrowed the ball out of De Gea s reach.
Draxler tried to replicate Muller s goal shortly after the restart but this time De Gea made a wonderful save, diving high to his left to tip the 25-yard drive away.
Isco should have finished off another brilliant Spain move but prodded Jordi Alba s cross straight at Ter Stegen, De Gea then making another top-class save to deny substitute Gundogan when Germany countered at speed.
The Manchester United goalkeeper was helpless as Hummels rose to meet a 65th-minute Kroos free-kick, though, but the defender misjudged his leap and nodded against the woodwork.
Timo Werner and Silva both sent efforts into the side-netting and Jerome Boateng had to make a terrific block to deny another substitute, Diego Costa, to ensure both sides remain unbeaten since Euro 2016.
