Germany got revenge on England and piled the pressure on their manager Steve McClaren with a 2-1 friendly win at Wembley on Wednesday.
England were not outplayed as Germany ensured they were the last full international team to win at the old Wembley and the first to win at the rebuilt stadium.
But the result means England have now won just two out of their last nine games -- against minnows Estonia and Andorra -- and does not bode well for their faltering qualifying campaign for the UEFA EURO 2008.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard put England ahead in the ninth minute but a bad mistake by England goalkeeper Paul Robinson gifted Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi an equaliser in the 26th minute.
Schalke left-back Christian Pander, making his Germany debut, scored the winner in the 40th minute, blasting past Robinson from distance after a skilful build-up.
Germany were hunting revenge after the last clash in 2001 produced one of England's greatest away performances -- a 5-1 romp in Munich.
Germany won the last match at the old stadium 1-0 in October 2000.
And they completed a memorable double by being the first team to beat them at the new Wembley in England's second game at the rebuilt national stadium, before 86,133 fans.
Both squads were depleted by injuries to key players. England boss Steve McClaren selected the internationally inexperienced Micah Richards and Nicky Shorey as his full-backs, with Alan Smith partnering Michael Owen in attack.
Former captain David Beckham won his 97th cap for England, a day before he was scheduled to play for Galaxy in the Los Angeles derby against Chivas USA.
The game was a warm-up for the round of UEFA EURO 2008 qualifiers next month.
Struggling England, fourth in Group E, face Israel on 8 September 8 and Russia on 12 September, both at Wembley. Germany lead Group D and play away to Wales on 8September.
England started the more creative of the two sides and Lampard soon scored thanks to fine work from versatile Manchester City defender Richards.
The 19-year-old, making his fifth international appearance, charged down the right wing, beating Pander and captain Bernd Schneider before playing in Lampard.
The midfielder, who had burst forward, turned and shot past Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, who was not helped by a slight deflection off Christoph Metzelder.
Lampard has been criticised for failing to reproduce his club form for England, including his goalscoring.
The strike was his first England goal for a year and six days. Lampard last scored in the 4-0 demolition of European champions Greece at Old Trafford, McClaren's first game in charge.
Germany went in search of an equaliser and came close in the 21st minute, Metzelder out-jumping Rio Ferdinand at a corner and heading just wide.
But five minutes later they were gifted their equaliser by Robinson, who notoriously miskicked to let in Gary Neville's backpass in the 2-0 defeat in Croatia in October.
Fresh from making a straightforward save from a Thomas Hitzlsperger shot, instead of tipping Schneider's cross over the bar, he weakly palmed it straight to a stunned Kuranyi to tap in his 19th international goal.
It was a splendid move which brought Germany their second.
Pander played the ball to Hitzlsperger and got it back via Phillip Lahm, before blasting a rising shot across Robinson from 25 yards out.
England were rattled but nonetheless, a minute later, Owen forced a good save from Lehmann with a diving header.
And the Newcastle striker hit the outside of the post from a tight angle in the 45th minute after bundling his way past Lehmann.
McClaren had seen enough and replaced Robinson with Portsmouth's David James for the second half. James had not been seen in England colours since a disastrous performance of his own in a 4-1 friendly defeat in Denmark just over two years ago.
England went on the attack and Joe Cole hit the side-netting from the top of the penalty box.
England substitute Kieron Dyer, on in attack, twice went close. He beat Lehmann before Metzelder cleared the danger and poked a Beckham cross just wide in the 66th minute.
Shaun Wright-Phillips replaced Cole and his cross, straight after coming on in the 70th minute, was diverted just over by Lampard.
The Chelsea left winger had a shot deflected over the crossbar six minutes later. From the resulting Beckham corner, Lahm cleared a John Terry header off the line as England failed to prevent defeat.
