Germany draw to Cameroon – Volland on the bench

Personnel and tactics: National team manager Joachim Löw opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation but opted to play without an out-and-out striker, with Mario Götze operating as a ‘false nine'. Erik Durm made his debut for his country at left back. Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira pulled the strings in the centre of the park. Roman Weidenfeller was in net for Germany. There we no surprises in terms of big names missing.

Germany often found it difficult to find space against a defensive side as Cameroon operated with a back line of five or even six players. Nevertheless, there were chances – they tended to arrive when Germany got between the lines of defence quickly and when the attackers won their aerial duels. Mertesacker and Hummels were often kept busy at the back though by veteran Samuel Eto'o. Gaps did appear in defence during the African side's counterattacks though.

Hoffenheim's participant: Kevin Volland spent 90 minutes on the bench in Mönchengladbach. The TSG attacker could not advertise himself again for Joachim Löw's World Cup squad, which he is set to submit on Monday. We wish Kevin all the best.

Match highlights:

1st minute: Özil shoots at goal from a central position 12 yards out, but his strong left-footed effort goes centimetres wide of Cameroon's goal.

11th minute: Müller releases Götze and the ‘false nine' shoots from twenty metres. Itandje has problems and can ultimately thank his left-hand post for keeping the scores goalless.

38th minute: Eto'o releases Moukandjo who is one-on-one with Weidenfeller. The Germany keeper makes a great save to keep things level at the break though.

62nd minute: Goal for Cameroon! Weidenfeller stops a shot from Eto'o, but then the ball comes back into the centre. Cameroon's top man reacts quickest in the box and pokes the ball into the far corner to give his side a 1-0 lead.

66th minute: Goal for Germany! Boateng puts a crisp cross into the middle from the right and Müller nods it in at the near post. Unstoppable. Equaliser to make it 1-1!

71st minute: Goal for Germany! Podolski is offside but play is allowed to continue down the left. The Arsenal man sets up André Schürrle in the middle, who taps in from close range to make it 2-1.

78th minute: Goal for Cameroon! Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting shoots from the left 1 from 4 metres out with his strong left foot. An unstoppable strike into the far corner to make it 2-2.

Moment of the match: André Schürrle had only been on the pitch for a few minutes when he made a robust tackle on his opponent close to the right corner flag in Cameroon's half and committed a foul. The Chelsea forward clearly showed how he wanted to apply himself in Borussia Park. This approach did the team some good.

Man of the match: Thomas Müller. The attacker showed lots of what makes him who he is. He was constantly on the move, always ready to get involved and took his goal well too. Markus Gisdol can feel like he has been proved right. He described Müller as “FCB's best player” before the match against FC Bayern in the second half of the season.