(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Lukas Podolski's goal nine minutes from time secured World Cup winners Germany a 2-2 draw against Asian champions Australia in a friendly on Wednesday.
An experimental German side - who were missing goalkeeper Manuel Neuer while veteran midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was on the bench - were ill at ease for large parts of the game which started on a sombre note with a minute's silence in tribute to the 150 victims of the Germanwings plane crash on Tuesday.
They did, however, take the lead as Marco Reus scored his eighth international goal with a right-footed shot after latching onto Sami Khedira's long pass in the 17th minute.
The Australians, though, equalised when James Troisi headed home five minutes from the break, the goal stemming from Mesut Ozil losing possession.
The visitors were in raptures when they doubled their tally and took the lead in the 50th minute as Mile Jedinak netted with a freekick, nicely curled round the German wall.
However, after the Australians spurned several chances - Troisi guilty of a terrible miss in the 71st minute - Podolski was on hand to score from close range and prevent the hosts suffering the same fate as the national side did in 2011 at the hands of the same opposition.
Germany go on to play Georgia in their Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday where they cannot afford a slip-up as they trail Poland by three points in what is a hotly-contested group with both Scotland and Ireland also in contention.
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