China 1 - 1 Germany

Podolski denies China victory

Updated: May 29, 2009, 8:00 AM UK

Germany were held to a draw by China in the first leg of their tour of Asia in Shanghai on Friday.

Hao Junmin gave the hosts the lead in the fifth minute, but Lukas Podolski equalised for the beaten Euro 2008 finalists within two minutes.

Although the two nations are 95 places apart in the FIFA World Rankings, China had the better chances but were denied by a combination of Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke and poor finishing.

Germany now fly to Dubai where they will face the United Arab Emirates in their second and final tour match next Tuesday.

China, ranked 97 in the world, shocked the nation ranked second with a goal after only five minutes with Middlesbrough defender Robert Huth caught cold on his first cap for Germany in three years.

Hao Junmin skipped past Huth before aiming his shot into the far corner, beyond the reach of Enke.

Their lead lasted less than two minutes, though, before Podolski restored parity with a well-placed shot into the bottom corner from 10 yards out after Thomas Hitzlsperger and Bastian Schweinsteiger worked a way through the Chinese defence.

Thoughts that Joachim Low's side would run away with the game were short-lived as a confident China continued to cause Germany problems in a very open game.

They could have gone ahead again in the 24th minute when both Gao Lin and Zhao Xuri had excellent chances to test Enke, who was equal to both efforts.

The next best chance also fell the home team's way when Gao Lin leapt high and hovered to meet Cao Yang's deep left-wing cross, but his weak header was easy for Enke.

Germany did more justice to their FIFA ranking early in the second half with Hitzlsperger's powerful free-kick tipped over the crossbar by Yang Zhi before Mario Gomez had a goal rightly disallowed for offside, meaning he still has not scored for the national team since March 26, 2008.

Jiang Ning tried his luck from long range with Enke having to make a good save low to his left to prevent Germany from going behind again.

With five minutes to go, Schweinsteiger lifted his shot over the onrushing Yang Zin, but the ball was wide of the mark.