Match report: Germany 1 England 2 | Capello's 24-carat gold reserves | How England rated | Debate: what is England's best XI now? | Agbonlahor merits inclusion in long-term plans | Rise and rise of Captain Responsible | Wenger eyes Walcott compensation | Giles Smith: was it meaningful enough to put I'm a Celebrity on hold for a night? | Debate: were Carson and Bent the only losers in Berlin?

Fabio Capello may have put his foot down this week, but his second-string England team stuck the boot in last night, inflicting a deserved 2-1 defeat on Germany and enabling the manager to celebrate a near-perfect year in charge. John Terry was the pivotal figure, although not in the manner he may have expected, the captain recovering from an untypical defensive howler to head a late winning goal.

Terry’s journey from zero to hero was swift, the Chelsea centre half undermining a sturdy performance by handing Patrick Helmes an equalising goal after a mix-up with Scott Carson, the substitute goalkeeper, before redeeming himself six minutes from time. It says much about his character that the setback was temporary.

Having served notice that he would not tolerate any more cry-offs from his experienced players — Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard were obliged to report and prove their lack of fitness — the irony of Terry’s aberration will not have been lost on Capello, although in other regards the experience was deeply positive. This was Germany’s first loss in Berlin since 1973.

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Capello’s 24-carat gold reserves

The England manager celebrated a near-perfect year in charge as his second-string deservedly beat Germany 2-1

• England's lesser lights combine to fulfil year of transformation

• How the England players rated against Germany

• Rise and rise of John Terry, aka Captain Responsible

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• England's lesser lights fulfil transformation

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• Germany v England

With no international fixture until March 28, when they host Slovakia in a friendly game, England ended their 2008 programme in fine fettle. Capello’s influence has been immense, having won eight of his ten fixtures since replacing Steve McClaren, with one draw and a 1-0 defeat by France blotting an otherwise exemplary record. All four of his World Cup qualifying matches have been victorious.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better year as England manager,” Capello said. “To be better than this, I think it is impossible. We have played ten games and after every game I have said that the players have taken another step forward. Today I saw another step forward.

“We played very well — like a team. This is very important to me. I liked the attitude of the team. We played with confidence and personality.”

Terry restored the lead that England had grasped through a rare goal by Matthew Upson, nodding a cross from Stewart Downing beyond Tim Wiese. Downing, the Middlesbrough winger, was instrumental in both goals, restoring some lustre to his reputation on his return to the starting line-up after being booed by supporters during the laborious victory over Andorra in September.

With Shaun Wright-Phillips striking the woodwork and Darren Bent, a substitute, missing an open goal, Capello could reflect on a solid evening’s work and a margin of victory that should have been greater, particularly given the inauspicious circumstances. Along with David James and Gareth Barry, Terry was one of only three regular starters in the side.

In a daunting arena and in front of a crowd of almost 75,000, the absence of Gerrard, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney did not prove insurmountable and, if nothing else, the absentees have been given something to think about — as has Capello.

“We had the opportunity to get to know some players we hadn’t seen,” the manager said. “I have a problem now but I’m very happy to have it. We have time to decide before we pick the next squad. I have no message to the others — I think they will be very happy because we won.”

The only sour note came from a predictable source. More than 7,000 England supporters had travelled to Berlin and while those inside the Olympic Stadium behaved admirably, there were clashes with Germany fans outside the ground. An hour before kick-off police had to intervene when bottles were thrown.