Two Germans have just received bookings in less than three minutes and their discipline appears to be slipping, Jurgen Klinsmann escapes one there.

This has been Wales’best period of the match and it’s just possible that an element of frustration is creeping in for Berti Vogts’ side.

They are supposed to be ahead by now, or certainly looking more dominant.

Wales are starting to believe here.

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After that flurry of yellow cards, Wales eventually take the free-kick.

It's laid off for Paul Bodin to shoot from a little over 20 yards, but his low left-footed strike hits the wall.

Are Germany losing their cool?

Guido Buchwald concedes a free-kick just a few yards outside the German penalty area for a foul on Mark Hughes, and then Thomas Berthold is shown a yellow card for dissent.

Wales are at it too, though. In the ensuing melee, Peter Nicholas throws the ball at Lothar Matthaus' face!

It's a gentle lob, nothing sinister, but Nicholas is the first Wales player to be booked tonight.

It's getting heated!

A first booking of the match and it goes to Germany as Jurgen Kohler scythes through the back of Ian Rush near the halfway line.

Referee Bo Karlsson has no hesitation in showing the German defender a yellow card there.

Wales think they're in as Dean Saunders flicks a lofted pass towards Barry Horne in the German penalty area - but guess who's there to intercept? Lothar Matthaus of course.

The Germany captain has been ubiquitous tonight, but his latest effort seems to have come at a cost.

Matthaus is clutching his thigh in pain. What a loss he would be if he was forced off.

Andy Melville might never have been a world class footballer, but that is a world class moustache he's sporting.

It’s also fun watching him clattering into and generally bother Rudi Voller all night long as he nullifies one of the greatest strikers of his day in what certainly seems like a tactical ploy from Terry Yorath.

For context, when this match was played, Andy Melville was playing in Division Two with Oxford United while Voller was set for a season where he would win the Italian Cup and reach the UEFA Cup final with AS Roma.

Melville, like captain Kevin Ratcliffe and Mark Aizlewood, is magnificent in this match.

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Rudi Voller seems to have picked up a few of those Italian hand gestures during his time with Roma.

The Germany striker is unhappy that he's been penalised for his challenge on Andy Melville, and he reacts by turning to referee Bo Karlsson with a quizzical expression and one of those cupped hand gestures with his thumb and fingers together.

E allora!

One of the key themes of this match, remembered rightly for some heroics from Big Nev, is just how easy he made goalkeeping seem.

Everton fans will be nodding.

That was a top class save from Stefan Reuter’s drive, but Southall makes it look easy. There should be a term for being the opposite of making saves for the camera. No nonsense Neville.

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You can see why so many consider Neville Southall to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

He has to be at his sharpest to stop Stefan Reuter's shot here, low and powerful from the edge of the area and arrowing towards the bottom corner - until the Everton keeper turns it around his right-hand post for a corner.

It's definitely a bit weird watching a game pre-back pass rule!

Part of the wonder of this match is the sheer quality of the opposition, allied with the fact this is a competitive contest.

We’ve already singled out Lothar Matthaus, who arguably in 1991 had succeeded Diego Maradona to become the world’s greatest player, but let’s also reflect on what an utterly brilliant striker Jurgen Klinsmann was.

Klinsmann scored 47 goals in 107 appearances for Germany, scoring in all six major finals he appeared in between Euro 1988 and the 1998 World Cup.

Perceived in England as a diver as mentioned in an earlier post, due to his performances in Italia 90 and Euro 1992 in Sweden, Klinsmann won over most British fans with a superb season in the Premier League with Spurs where he scored 30 goals in 1994-95.

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That's got the crowd going again! A crunching sliding tackle from Wales midfielder Barry Horne on Guido Buchwald.

Mark Hughes tracks back again moments later and muscles a few German opponents out of the way.

You can see a trend emerging here: German silk against Welsh tenacity. It's a compelling clash at the moment.

A free-kick in a promising position for Wales, on the right-hand side of the German penalty area.

David Phillips swings it towards the back post and Mark Aizlewood rises well to nod the ball back across the six-yard box but Germany clear.

A whiff of a chance for Wales, at least.

Germany really are an impressive team.

That fluid system seems to allow Matthaus, Sammer, Kohler, Berthold and Buchwald to all take it in turns to drop deeper to pick up possession and stride forward, elegantly and in total control.

Midfielders, defenders, sweepers, liberos... Whatever their roles, they are masters of their craft.

Wales are having to live off scraps for now.

Jurgen Klinsmann is a brilliant striker, but his reputation has been sullied a little by accusations of diving.

The Inter Milan player has poked fun at that reputation with a few faux-dive goal celebrations, but there was a hint of simulation about the way he fell under a challenge from Bristol City's Mark Aizlewood just now.

Wales fans certainly thought it was a dive, but referee Bo Karlsson awards Germany a free-kick.

Aizlewood against Klinsmann. What a glorious culture clash that is.

Germany manager Berti Vogts said beforehand he expected Wales to be physical, and the home side have lived up to that billing so far.

Mark Hughes, formerly of Bayern Munich, is throwing his weight around, smashing into opponents at every opportunity.

And a fine sliding challenge from young Andy Melville on Rudi Voller. That will be a handy confidence boost for the young Oxford centre-back, and the crowd love it.

A first chance of the match, and it's a decent save from Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall.

Germany captain Lothar Matthaus is the architect, with a lovely clipped pass with the outside of his boot to Jurgen Klinsmann, whose shot is beaten away by Southall.

Andreas Brehme follows up but the left wing-back's shot is well blocked by David Phillips.

Having Lothar Matthaus and Matthias Sammer in the same team is just ridiculous in hindsight, a Lampard and Gerrard conundrum but on steroids.

It’s hard to express what a big deal Matthaus is in 1991.

He was arguably the greatest player in the world, having been named the Fifa World Player of the Year in 1991, still to this day the only German to win the award.

The World Cup winning captain was strutting his stuff for Inter Milan and was also making headlines off the field thanks to his high profile relationship with former Miss Universe and TV presenter Lolita Morena.

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Wales supporters are not happy with that decision from Bo Karlsson, who awards Germany a free-kick even though it seemed to be Wales' Mark Hughes who was impeded off the ball.

Lothar Matthaus and Matthias Sammer are already starting to get a grip of this match in midfield for Germany.

This atmosphere is simmering nicely.