Germany v England, Dortmund

Friendly International
Germany v England
Westfalenstadion (Signal Iduna Park), 
Dortmund, Germany
22 Mar 2017

This friendly had the added twist that it was also the farewell game for Lukas Podolski. The emphatic German striker was starting in his 130th international and had already netted 48 times before the match. He was to extend his tally to 49 following a wonder strike that no goalkeeper on planet earth could have stopped. The Germans edged out England 1:0 in an entertaining match at the home of BvB Dortmund. 

The final England allocation was for just over 4000 across two price categories (Cat 4 £39 and Cat 5 £22). I opted for the cheap seats at the back because I didn't fancy being soaked with beer from some of the imbeciles that have started to follow England. I was unfortunately proved correct.

Giant tifo is displayed in the Sud Tribune celebrating the international career of Lukas Podolski 

To the right is the Sud Tribune, straight ahead is the Main Stand (Tribune West) and the Nord Tribune is to the right of picture. England are in the Nordost corner.

Poor choice of front covers for the 151st edition of the 
Free Lions - he wasn't even in the squad

Germany 1 England 0
Attendance: 60,109

Make no mistake, this friendly game was a belter. England dominated the 1st Half with some slick movement and first time passing. The Three Lions narrowly missed taking the lead when Adam Lallana intercepted a pass on the half way line and then sprinted into the box leaving the German defence in his wake. His shot beat the keeper but rebounded off the post. Later Jamie Vardy robbed a defender in the final third and then stabbed the ball through to Deli Ali who had a point blank strike on goal, unfortunately the shot was blocked by keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. In the 2nd Half the Germans adjusted to counter England's system and they started to get on the ball more. Then on 69 minutes Lukas Podolski released a thunderbolt that broke the deadlock.

Arriving at Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at 1146 

The apartment on Lindemannstasse, Dortmund

5 floors later and we arrive the 

front door a bit out of puff

Uwe (the host) is the technical director of the Dortmund U (the main cultural and exhibition centre in town).

Our view

Borrussia Dortmund's Fan Shop

Impressive

Exterior of the Nord Tribune

Inside the Fan Shop

The Main Stand (West Tribune)

Sudost Tribune

Sudost Tribune 

Sud Tribune from the allotments

Old ticket booth leading to the Ost Tribune

Outside Strobels Bar

1st bier in Dortmund

Currywurst mit 'pommes und mayo'

Westfalenhallen is a multi purpose venue originally built in 1925 and re-built in 1952 following destruction in WW11. It was where the Bundesliga was founded in 1962

2nd bier in a Dortmund Kneipen in our 
local neighbourhood of Kreuzviertel

The Winged Rhino is the symbol of Dortmund's Opera House. There are 100 artistically designed Rhino sculptures within the city and all have different shapes and colours. 

Our 3rd venue is in down town Dortmund and we are meeting the lads in the rather unfortunately named bar

Sue, Paul, me, Tommo and Jamie

At last we find Kumpel Erich

Prost!

Dortmund's port terminates the Dortmund-Ems canal which connects Dortmund to the North Sea.

The old harbour master's office in Dortmund Hafen (harbour) 

'Bierkutscher' (Brewer's drayman) 

outside the Stadtgarten Theatre U Bahn station

Alte Rathaus on Friedensplatz

The new Rathaus opposite the square

Approaching Wenkers from Betenstrasse

Wenkers next to the ticket collection point

Zum alten Markt (to the old market)

Blasserbrunnen (Horn Blower's fountain)

 in the Old Market Square

St Reinoldi's Church (1250-70)

Goose Market

Stadt plan

Hovel's Haus Braueri is one of the last remaining active breweries in the former 'Bierstadt" Dortmund. 
The 'Dunkel Bier" (dark beer) is outstanding.

Old photo of Dortmund in the U Bahn 

Steinerner Turm was part of the medieval defence system of Dortmund and controlled the long 
distance trade route to the south between Dortmund and Cologne. 

Florianturm is the TV tower of Dortmund and was built in 1959 and is 220 meters high.

Views of the Sud Tribune from Florian Tower

View to the South

St Reinoldi's and Sankt Marien's Kirche in front.

Walking to the stadium along Stobelallee

The scene outside the England entrance

Beer is on - this could get messy

Prost

This wouldn't be Germany if there wasn't one in the Stadium!

View to the Sud Tribune

The Nord Tribune

Pano 1

  

Pano 2

Podolski's Tiffo in the Sud Tribune

Pano 3

England fans shaping up to boo the German national anthem

England's finest in the NE corner

The raising of Podolski's shirt when he scores that cracker

Our final day in Dortmund so we visit the Dortmund U because Uwe (our host) is the Technical Director. The Dortmund U is the site of the former Dortmund Union Brewery and is now an Art and Cultural centre

Uwe introduces us to some of the Artists and we watch new exhibits being put together. This is Darco a graffiti artist from Paris at work.

Me and Uwe on the terrace of the U

Spontaneous drawings by Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi

The main exhibition during our visit was "I am a Fighter" by Niki De Saint Phalle (she's worth googling). Quite a disturbing collection!

Deutsche Fussball Museum 

Deutsche Fussball Museum 

Stop the stereotyping, I even managed to get a deck chair

4 x World champions and don't we know it!

The Klaus Fischer memorial

On the bus with my imaginary 'freunde' 

Gutten Tag Frau Sue

La Paz Bahn 403 - A pub on a tram

Auf Wiedersehen Dortmund und danke