Berlin  - Captain John Terry scored both goals as England downed Germany 2-1 in Berlin Wednesday.

The Chelsea defender headed an 84th-minute winner for Fabio Capello's depleted side to save his embarrassment after a terrible mix-up with keeper Scott Carson had gifted Germany an equalizer.

Terry had given England a deserved opener in the 24th minute but a schoolboy error with Carson, playing the second half for David James, had allowed a lacklustre home side to level in the 63rd.

Carson, playing for the first time since his blunder against Croatia a year ago contributed to England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008, was hesitant in coming out to clear a harmless ball.

Terry also waited instead of taking charge and second-half substitute Patrick Helmes nipped the ball through Carson's legs to score.

It threatened to ruin a confident and competent display by an unfamiliar England side against a German team who were were outplayed for most of this friendly international in front of a capacity 74,244 crowd in the Olympic Stadium.

There was an unfamiliar look about the England side who were depleted by injuries, and an unfamiliar feel to a tentative opening exchanges in which the visitors quickly gained ascendancy.

Capello made seven changes to the team which started England's last match against Belarus, with only goalkeeper James, defenders Wayne Bridge and Matthew Upson and midfielder Gareth Barry retaining their places.

Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Chelsea teammates Ashley and Joe Cole as well as Emile Heskey and Theo Walcott were all sidelined with injuries.

Rather than complain Capello welcomed the opportunity of seeing whether younger players who had performed well in the Premier League had the confidence to thrive at international level.

From the start England looked bright, with Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor doing well on his debut, Stewart Downing active on the left and Shaun Wright-Philipps busy and dangerous.

Hoffenheim defender Marvin Compper looked unhappy in his debut on the left of defence for Germany who struggled to find any sort of fluid movement.

Schalke's Jermaine Jones - also making his first start - and Simon Rolfes in the centre of midfield were often second best in an area of the park patrolled simply and effectively by Michael Carrick and Barry.

England's opener came as little surprise, with Terry bundling the ball over the line after goalkeeper Rene Adler, under pressure from Jermain Defoe, failed to deal with a corner from Downing.

The Leverkusen goalkeeper complained he had been unfairly hindered but Swiss referee Massimo Busacca would have none of it.

Germany's best chances came from a Piotr Trochowski free-kick tipped over the bar by James and a Heiko Westermann header over the bar from a Bastian Schweinsteiger free-kick.

But at the other end Adler had to stretch to stop a Downing shot and the half ended with jeers from home fans in the Olympic Stadium.

Germany coach Joachim Loew reacted by replacing Miroslav Klose with Helmes and Marko Marin for Jones, while Lukas Podolski came on for the ineffective Mario Gomez up front in the 57th minute.

Tim Wiese was a second half replacement for Adler in goal to earn his first cap.

Capello also rang the changes at half-time, bringing on Tottenham's Darren Bent for Defoe and Carson for James.

Bent had the chance of the match in the 63rd minute when he rounded Wiese but could not keep his footing and screwed the ball wide of an empty goal.

That moment was hardly digested when Terry and Carson contrived to allow Germany back in the game.

Germany then enjoyed their best spell, and Marin tested Carson with a long-range effort and the lively Wright-Philipps struck the post as England continued to threaten

Terry then settled it for England when he outjumped Westermann to head a Downing free-kick powerfully past Wiese. (dpa)