Germany 2-2 Argentina: international friendly

Peep peeep peeep! That's full time in Dortmund. What a very strange game.

For about 60 minutes, Germany were in complete control. Indeed, the hosts could feel a little hard done by that they were only two goals ahead, courtesy of Serge Gnabry and Kai Havertz's first-half strikes.

However, they then appeared to simply fall apart.

At the same time, Argentina were greatly improved by the substitutes they introduced - particularly Lucas Alario and Lucas Ocampos, who each scored in the final half hour to rescue what had earlier seemed an unthinkable draw.

All in all, that was a very entertaining evening of football, particularly given it was a friendly. Thanks for reading!

De Paul comes off, to be replaced by Guido Rodríguez... who gets precisely six seconds on the field.

Two minutes of time added on.

What has happened to Germany. Ocampos is again involved, beating his man before pinging a low ball across the face of goal. All it needs is a touch, and Argentina are ahead - but the hosts get it clear!

Ocampos is booked for chopping down Klostermann, but Kimmich's delivery from the resulting free-kick comes to nought.

Germany bring Kai Havertz off for Sebastian Rudy.

Crikey, another chance for Alario. Ocampos' left-wing cross falls to the feet of Alario on the penalty spot, but he can't get his shot away, and finally Germany scramble it clear. 

Joachim Löw is preparing another change, and well he might. Having bossed the game for an hour, they've let Argentina right back into it since then.

And again Argentina get into shooting space in the box! Kimmich loses it to Lautaro, who feeds the ball into Alario's run into the box. Ter Stegen is quickly out to narrow the angle, and blocks the shot. 

Alario goes so close to poking in a leveller! Saravia can't quite get a hold of Foyth's cross, but his fellow sub does - but it flashes just wide from 18 yards out! True, Germany have taken their foot off the gas, but this has been so much better from Argentina.

Argentina bring Pereyra off for Renzo Sarabia.

Amiri wins a free-kick off De Paul on the corner of the Argentina box, and Germany have a dangerous dead-ball opportunity here.

Kimmich strikes... and Marchesín beats it out! 

Germany bring Suat Serdar on for Gnabry, who departs to warm applause. Julian Brandt was replaced by Nadiem Amiri a couple of minutes ago, I neglected to tell you.

Blimey, twice Argentina are not far away from grabbing an equaliser.

First De Paul tries to square it across the top of the box to Ocampos, who would have been in a great shooting position if a white shirt had not been there to nip it off his toes.

Moments later, Paredes thunders a drive towards goal from 25 yards, and Ter Stegen has to look alive to beat out the effort!  

Ocampos, who has been impressive for Sevilla so far this season, gets the ball out of his feet and whips in an inswinging cross from the left. Lautaro wafts a boot at it but succeeds only in directing it behind for a corner.

I really can't remember the last time I watched Argentina and thought they were good. I grew up watching Argentinian teams stuffed with household names; these days they seem to be populated by a lot of nobodies.

Argentina make their third change, Dybala coming off after doing next to naff all, and Lucas Alario coming on in his stead.

Halstenburg is penalised for jumping into De Paul, and Argentina have a free-kick on the right. Dybala pumps it to the back stick, where it's turned out for a corner. Dybala delivers again... but Germany clear, and are suddenly galloping up towards the Argentina penalty area.

Havertz carries the ball up the right-hand channel, before feeding the ball to the top of the box to meet Can's run through the middle - but the Juventus midfielder's first touch is a little heavy, and he can only toe-poke his shot straight at Marchesín. So close to being three.

Paredes picks up the ball on the edge of the Germany box, drops his shoulder and cuts inside into shooting space. Just when he looks nicely placed to pull the trigger, though, he opts to take another touch... and the chance is lost.

Germany win a corner, which Kimmich delivers. It finally falls to Waldschmidt at the back post, but he lashes his volley into the side netting.

Forth, Tagliafico and Otamendi are that three-man defence, with Acuña and Pereyra at left and right wing-back, respectively.

Peeeeeeep! Back underway at Signal Iduna Park. More of the same please.

Argentina make two half-time changes, with Lucas Ocampos on for Ángel Correa and Marcos Acuña on for Marcos Rojo. What with Acuña not being a defender and all, it looks like the Albiceleste are switching to three at the back.

First-half scorer Gnabry is Germany's leading marksman so far this calendar year. He's given the Argentina defence a torrid time tonight.

Peep peep peeep! That's half time in Dortmund.

Argentina might have got themselves on the scoresheet too, to be fair to them, but in general they have quite simply been overrun by Germany. Goals by Serge Gnabry and Kai Havertz mean the hosts go in for the break two to the good, but they could well have got themselves a couple more, to be honest.

It's been an enjoyable game to watch; both teams have gone at each other with an intensity that belies the fixture's friendly status. Here's hoping the spectacle isn't ruined by endless second-half changes.

Gnabry is not far away from scoring a third. A raking pass finds the Bayern forward in far too much space on the right-hand corner of the box, and he has all the time in the world to advance into the area and fire towards Marchesín's opposite corner. He gets across the ball slightly too much, though, and it flashes across the goalmouth and out. Christ Argentina are ropey at the back.

This has been thoroughly watchable, particularly for a friendly. They're really going at it hammer and tongs.

Speaking of which, Süle gives away an Argentina free-kick right over on the right wing. Instead of swinging it into the middle, Paredes plays it back to the top of the box... but De Paul absolutely skies his effort! Should have done better. He was leaning back, as they say.

Paredes absolutely halfs Kimmich in the centre circle, but Clément Turpin opts to keep his cards in his pocket on this occasion. Emre Can is not in full agreement with the referee, it's fair to say. There have certainly been some robust challenges in Dortmund tonight.

This is a bit better from Argentina. Pereyra again does well to carve out a yard of crossing space on the right and duly delivers the ball onto Correa's boot - but he slices it over. 

Ufff. Well, well. Argentina are being given a going over, but they're inches away from pulling one back! De Paul picks the ball up 30 yards out, looks up... and absolutely wellies one off the corner of post and bar. Ter Stegen was not getting to that one.

Halstenburg pings the dead ball onto the bar! So close to three.

"Argentina should be thankful it's only two," says former Atlético Madrid striker Kiko on Spanish television. He's not wrong. They're getting pummelled.

Rodrigo de Paul follows Otamendi into the book, dragging back Gnabry as the forward scuttled towards the Argentine box. And from the resulting free-kick...

Gnabry spins away from his man and plays the ball out wide to Klostermann, who is in acres and acres of crossing space. This time, though, his delivery isn't quite up to scratch, and it sails safely into Marchesín's arms.

Otamendi is the first Argentine into the book after scything down Brandt and conceding a free-kick in a dangerous position.

Kimmich clilps the set piece towards the back of the box, where Süle heads across goal... but Brandt can't quite get there to tap home! Think Gazza versus Germany. 

Ah, hold on. Süle was slightly offside, so it wouldn't have counted. Either way, Argentina are rocking right now.

Germany have their tails up now. Brandt forces a corner, which finally falls to Can in shooting space outside of the box. His effort is deflected out for another corner, which Halstenburg gets his head to... but can't trouble Marchesín.

Great save by Marchesín! That's the best chance we've had so far.

Germany get Julian Brandt scampering clear of the Argentina backline and into shooting space on the right-hand side of the box, but the visitors' goalkeeper produces a smart stop with his legs.

Joshua Kimmich, who is wearing the captain's armband for Germany, earns himself an early booking with a very unfriendly tackle on Paredes.

There's the first moment of danger for Argentina! Pereyra clips over an exceedingly inviting right-wing ball into the box, where Lautaro Martínez is ready and waiting on the penalty spot. Before Lautaro can get his head on the ball, though, Emre Can is there in the nick of time.

For the first time, Germany get the decibels rising a little above that typical international-friendly background hum, releasing Serge Gnaby to run at a back-pedalling Marcos Rojo... but, as the in-form Bayern Munich man heads for the byline, he succeeds only in running the ball out of play.

After a first five minutes or so of absolutely nothing worthy of note, Kai Havertz gets himself into a crossing position on the right but sends the ball straight into Marchesín's arms.

Peeeep! Monsieur Turpin gets us up and running in Dortmund.

The teams are out at Signal Iduna Park. Anthems time! Argentina first.

There will be a minute's silence before kick-off as a mark of respect for the victims of the gun attacks in the German city of Halle today.

Turpin takes charge

Tonight's referee is France's Clément Turpin, by the way.

No World Cup winners in Germany team

Speaking of Germany's 2014 World Cup win, tonight's game is the first time since that trophy triumph that Die Mannschaft have named a starting line-up without a single member of their squad in Brazil.

First meeting since 2014

This is the two nations' first meeting in five years. They last met back in September 2014 - just two months after their World Cup final clash in Brazil.

Having been beaten by Mario Götze's extra-time winner at the Maracana, Argentina made sure they won the real quiz in Düsseldorf, claiming a 4-2 friendly victory courtesy of goals by Sergio Agüero, Erik Lamela, Federico Fernández and Ángel di María.

Scaloni makes six changes

For Argentina, there are six changes to the side that thumped Mexico 4-0 in the Albiceleste's most recent outing, with Agustín Marchesín, Juan Foyth, Nicolás Otamendi, Roberto Pereyra, Paulo Dybala and Ángel Correa all coming into Scaloni's XI. Lautaro Martínez plundered a hat-trick in that September win over El Tri, and leads the line once more for the Argentinians.

Here is Twitter confirmation of that Argentina line-up.

Ter Stegen gets his chance in goal

Currently at the centre of quite the ding-dong in Germany over who should be Die Mannschaft's number one, Marc-André ter Stegen starts in goal tonight, with regular keeper Manuel Neuer set to get the nod for Sunday's Euro 2020 qualifier against Estonia.

As well as giving Robin Koch his debut, meanwhile, Joachim Löw also hands an international bow to the defender's Freiburg colleague Luca Waldschmidt. The 23-year old striker has banged in five goals in eight games for his club so far this season.

Stark pulls out late due to illness

Hertha Berlin defender Niklas Stark was due to come into the hosts' line-up and make his international debut, but has been ruled out by a stomach bug. He is replaced by Freiburg's Robin Koch, who is also uncapped.

Argentina team news

Starting line-up, as announced by Lionel Scaloni yesterday: Marchesín, Foyth, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico, Paredes, De Paul, Pereyra, Dybala, Correa, Lautaro Martínez

Substitutes: Martínez, Musso, Acuña, Kannemann, Pezzella, Saravia, Domínguez, Lamela, Ocampos, Rodríguez, Alario, Vargas

Germany team news

Germany starting line-up: Ter Stegen, Klostermann, Süle, Koch, Halstenberg, Can, Kimmich, Havertz, Gnabry, Waldschmidt, Brand

Substitutes: Leno, Neuer, Amiri, Gündogan, Reus, Rudy, Serdar

Germany vs Argentina: preamble

Guten Abend!

Welcome to our live coverage of Germany vs Argentina in what is a heavyweight international friendly in Dortmund - after all, this is a fixture that has graced no fewer than three World Cup finals. Unfortunately, both sides do head into the match with significant absentees.

With Toni Kroos, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sané, Nico Schulz and Thilo Kehrer all already on a lengthy German injury list, Jonathan Tah left the hosts' camp with flu today, while Timo Werner and Niklas Stark also miss out due to illness.

For Argentina, meanwhile, the most notable unavailability is that of Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who is still serving a three-month suspension for criticising the 2019 Copa América's organisers and match officials after his side's elimination by Chile.

Visiting coach Lionel Scaloni, who took the unusual step of naming his starting line-up during yesterday's pre-match press conference, has also been unable to call up any Boca Juniors or River Plate players, with the two clubs in the middle of a Copa Libertadores semi-final.

Germany's XI has now also been confirmed, so let's dive straight into this evening's team news...