England crash out

England's dream of winning the World Cup was crushed by familiar opponents on Sunday.

After a goalless first half, the young Lions wilted as the impressive Germany found an extra gear to score twice after the break.

Rhys Murphy gave England a glimmer of hope but Germany put the game beyond doubt by scoring twice more to send England home.

The all-European clash had the weather to befit such an occasion - dank. However, despite the threatening downpour, both sides would have found the temperature more bearable than the stifling heat of last week.

Head Coach John Peacock made three changes to the starting line-up - one Daniel replaced another in midfield, anchorman Gosling preferred to the more free-spirited Welbeck, while Gavin Hoyte and Tristan Plummer were also included.

Alex Smithies enjoyed a memorable evening the last time England played at this stadium, the Huddersfield keeper saved a penalty against Brazil, and the stopper had to be alert early on against Germany.

As Richard Sukuta-Pusa raced after a long ball, Smithies dashed off his line to head clear.

Peacock had warned his players to expect the Germans to attack down the flanks and his prediction rang true on four minutes. Nils Teixeira's excellent cross found Sukuta-Pasu but he headed over the bar.

England won the first corner of the game after good work by Murphy and Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi, but it was the Germans who went closest to taking the lead on 11 minutes.

Germany skipper Toni Kroos has enjoyed an excellent tournament so far, justifying his billing as one to watch, and he was inches away from increasing his burgeoning reputation with a free-kick with curled just wide.

The young Lions conjured up their first chance a minute later with a sublime move, Plummer's wonderfully disguised reverse pass setting up Murphy but his shot from a tight angle was comfortably saved by Rene Vollath at the near post.

Both sides were struggling to measure their passes on a greasy surface, but not Michael Woods who displayed his his excellent range of delivery, two early missiles finding Murphy and Plummer in advanced positions.

Germany looked dangerous in attack with Kroos and Milkybar Kid lookalike Sascha Bigalke constant thorns in England's side. The imposing Sukuta-Pasu was less subtle in his work but no less threatening and his battle with the equally sizable Krystian Pearce was a classic bout between two heavyweights.

Bigalke's left foot unlocked the English defence midway through the first half but Sukuta-Pasu couldn't wrap his foot around the ball as he skewed wide.

Jonathan Franks enjoyed a few glimmers of success as England pushed forward but it was Lansbury's long-range shooting which promised an opening goal. After firing wide from 30 yards, the Arsenal man, with two goals in the tournament so far, drilled a free-kick into the wall.

Germany responded with the best chance of the game two minutes before the interval with the highly impressive Bigalke the instigator. His sublime ball inside put Sebastian Rudy one-on-one with Smithies but the VfB Stuttgart midfielder sliced horribly wide.

Rudy did not make the same mistake twice as he put Germany ahead in spectacular fashion on 50 minutes.

After jinking past Lansbury, Rudy reached the edge of the box before unleashing an unstoppable drive with the outside of his boot past a stunned Smithies.

It was 2-0 five minutes later when Sukuta-Pusa fired a low drive through a forest of legs and into the bottom corner.

Peacock made a double change in a bid to reduce the arrears, bringing on Daniel Welbeck and Ashley Chambers.

Germany almost went further ahead after 64 minutes through Bigalke. Drifting in from the right to collect a pass from Kroos, the Hertha Berlin cut inside Hoyte but dragged his shot wide.

Murphy handed England a lifeline a minute later when he stole possession back off Teixeira and calmly slotted past Vollath.

The game was developing into a classic although Peacock would have been worried at how easily Germany breached the English defence.

Sukata-Pusa then crashed a shot against Smithies but there was nothing the Huddersfield keeper could do to prevent England going further behind on 74 minutes.

Bigalke's dink over the top found Dennis Dowidat who controlled, swivelled and drove a venomous shot past the exposed Smithies.

The clinical Germans piled more misery with four minutes to go when Kroos, with the freedom of the Goyang Stadium, slotted home when England were caught outnumbered at the back.

England's night got worse when Chambers was sent off for a rash tackle on Mario Erb.

England: 13 Alex Smithies, 2 Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi, 4 Henri Lansbury (20 Medy Elito, 79 mins), 5 Krystian Pearce, 9 Rhys Murphy, 12 Daniel Gosling, 14 Michael Woods (7 Daniel Welbeck, 58 mins), 15 Jordan Spence (c), 16 Gavin Hoyte, 17 Tristan Plummer (19 Ashley Chambers, 58 mins), 18 Jonathan Franks.

Subs not used: 1 Jason Steele, 3 James Reid, 10 Victor Moses, 11 Nathan Porritt, 21 Wesley Foderingham.

Head Coach: John Peacock

Yellow cards:

Red card: Ashley Chambers, 88 mins

Germany: 12 Rene Vollath, 3 Jonas Strifler, 4 Nils Teixeira, 5 Konstantin Rausch, 6 Kevin Wolze, 9 Richard Sukuta-Pasu (17 Alexander Esswein, 85 mins) 10 Toni Kroos (c) (8 Patrick Funk, 90 mins), 11 Dennis Dowidat, 16 Sebastian Rudy, 18 Mario Erb, 20 Sascha Bigalke (19 Fabian Broghammer, 90 mins). 

Subs not used: 1 Fabian Giefer, 2 Kai Evers, 7 Henning Sauerbier, 13 Mehmet Ekici, 14 Matthias Haas, 15 Tony Jantschke, 21 Kevin Trapp.

Head Coach: Heiko Herrlich

Yellow cards: Dennis Dowidat, 26 mins

Referee: Salvio Fagundes Filho (BRA)

Assistant referees: Altemir Hausmann (BRA) & Roberto Braatz (BRA)

Fourth Official: Olegario Benquerenca (POR)