Georgia Stanway scored twice but England could not complete the comeback after slipping to an early three-goal deficit in their 4-3 loss to Germany at Wembley.
The last time these sides met was at the same venue for England’s triumphant 2-1 comeback in the Euro 2022 final. That match remained goalless until the second half but Friday night’s friendly was an utterly different story.
The visitors stunned the hosts with a penalty in an early brace for captain Giulia Gwinn and a third from Klara Buhl in the opening 30 minutes, before Stanway clawed two back including a spot-kick of her own.
England conceded another penalty after the break, converted by Sara Dabritz, with Lucy Bronze able to draw the sides within one late in the thoroughly entertaining contest in front of a 47,967 crowd.
All but two of Sarina Wiegman’s starting XI – goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and defender Jess Carter – featured in that historic final, though both were in the squad 817 days ago.
New Germany head coach Christian Wuck, who was installed after their bronze-medal winning turn at the Paris Olympics, led a visiting side who took an early lead after Millie Bright brought down Linda Dallmann in the penalty area.
Referee Marta Huerta de Aza’s decision stood after a VAR check, and Gwinn made no mistake when she stepped up and beat Hampton.
Alessia Russo thought she had levelled in the 10th minute from Ella Toone’s backheel but the Lionesses’ celebrations were quickly ended by the offside flag.
Germany broke back and doubled their lead, Gwinn again the goalscorer with an effort that pinged off Hampton’s left post before going in.
The woodwork proved less generous to the hosts, who watched Russo’s next effort clip the far post before going out as the end-to-end action continued.
The tempo did eventually slow, England enjoying the possession advantage but without a shot on target to show for it.
Germany were three goals to the good in the 29th minute after Buhl’s low effort flashed through the legs of Bronze and past the diving Hampton’s outstretched hand at the near post.
Stanway finally gave the home support something to celebrate five minutes later after Gwinn, sliding to block Lauren Hemp’s cross, was penalised for handball.
The Bayern Munich midfielder placed the resulting 33rd-minute penalty in the bottom left corner of former Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger’s net, then clawed the Lionesses back within one with a lofted effort three minutes later.
Toone probably should have levelled proceedings after finding herself one-on-one with Berger, but directed her effort inches wide.
The Lionesses remained just a goal down at the halfway point, though Dallmann came close in added time, forcing Hampton into a nervy fingertip save onto the bar.
It was Germany’s turn to have the offside flag deny them a goal five minutes after the restart, and Hampton was called into action again to deny Jule Brand while Buhl skied an attempt just before the hour.
The visitors continued to keep Hampton busy, and substitute Dabritz extended Germany’s advantage after Russo was adjudged to have fouled Pia-Sophie Wolter with an outstretched boot while challenging for the ball.
England had the ball in the back of the net again, Hemp the next player denied by the flag, but it was Bronze who kept the hosts’ chances alive when she pounced on Berger’s error to draw the Lionesses back within one in the 81st minute.
Substitute Alex Greenwood cleared a loose ball from off the line to keep the hosts in it, but six minutes of stoppage time was not enough for England to find an equaliser.