Grings back in style in Germany draw

Germany 1-1 China
Inka Grings took only 100 seconds to score on her first Germany appearance for more than three years only for China to earn a friendly draw in Bielefeld.

Early goal
Grings last played for Germany in a FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier against Scotland on 20 October 2005, when she opened the scoring in a 4-0 win. Barely had the world and European champions begun their first fixture of 2009 that Grings had struck, but Xu Yuan levelled midway through the half in bizarre style.

Equaliser
With Birgit Prinz and several regular defenders absent through injury, Grings partnered Anja Mittag up front and the FCR 2001 Duisburg immediately brushed past two markers inside the box to show the sort of finishing that has put her on course to be the Frauen-Bundesliga top scorer for the fifth time in eleven seasons. China, though, were unbowed and although Kerstin Garefrekes headed wide on the quarter-hour, five minutes later a cross from Xu flew over Nadine Angerer, hit the post and bounced in off the Germany goalkeeper's thigh.

Debuts
Germany coach Silvia Neid rang the changes in the second half, giving Bianca Schmidt and Kim Kulig their debuts, and Garefrekes again went close before Martina Müller hit the crossbar six minutes from time. Their build-up for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ in the summer continues with the Algarve Cup from 4 to 11 March, when they meet Finland, China and Sweden in the group stage.

Coach pleased
Neid said: "I am very pleased. Our young team has done well with this task and showed lots of passion. I liked what I saw." Grings, who was substituted after 57 minutes for Fatmire Bajramaj, was less satisfied, admitting: "Looking at the balance of the game, we should have won."