Germany 1-1 Spain: 5 Talking Points
SCORE: Germany 1-1 Spain
SCORERS: Germany - Thomas Muller 35'; Spain - Rodrigo 6'
Spain travelled to Germany to take on their national side at Esprit Arena is Dusseldorf. The pleasantries seemed to go on for far too long as the hosts let the visitors take the lead with just 6 minutes on the clock. Rodrigo justifying his selection ahead of the more established Diego Costa and Alvaro Morata by adding to his 16 for Valencia already in the campaign.
Thomas Muller was having none of it though, as the German rifled the ball into the top-left corner with a stunning effort to level things up. That's how it stayed right till the end as both teams seemed satisfied to share the spoils after a good night's work.
#5 This Spain unit looks re-energised
Not that long ago, people were writing up Spanish football's obituary following their humiliation at the hands of Netherlands who romped past them 1-5 in the group stage, halting their progress in the World Cup in 2014.
The Spanish side managed to get past the group stage in the Euros - two years later, despite losing to Croatia in the process. But lost in the next round to an Italian side very much under transition.
If tonight's performance is anything to go by, those days are long past, as Lopetegui seems to have got this side hungry again. The Spaniards came out all guns blazing forcing the World Champions on the back-foot. They kept possession and got an early feel for the ball.
Things were only beginning to settle into the passing pattern that Spain revel in, when the in-form Valencia man put his side ahead with just 6 minutes played. Iniesta at the heart of it all again for Spain with a typical assist.
The World Cup winning side of 2012, and even more so the one that lifted the Euro Cup two years later, never liked not having possession of the ball. But Julen Lopetegui's Spain are much more at ease without the ball as well.
In fact the visitors' best moments came when Germany had pushed high up the field with the technically adept outfielders of Spain picking up the ball in pockets of spaces and looking to counter.
Since the members of the squad: Isco, Thiago, Koke and Carvajal have all found much more game-time with top-level clubs since their last major international engagements, it could mean that they're finally ready to step up on the biggest stage in the World.