Gareth Southgate's first game as permanent England manager, following a four-game spell in interim charge, ended in defeat - but it was a loss with honour here in Germany.
The 46-year-old is charged with shaping the new era that was meant to be Sam Allardyce's province, but which ended after one World Cup qualifying win in Slovakia when the now Crystal Palace manager was caught in a newspaper sting.
Southgate ended his run in temporary charge undefeated, but this was the start of the serious business as he prepares his plans to take England to the World Cup in Russia next year.
England were missing key players who will improve them, and give Southgate even further room for optimism.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane was a very obvious absentee from the squad to face Germany and Lithuania, perhaps more significantly than England's all-time record goalscorer Wayne Rooney, with the sense growing that the Manchester United man's international career is more or less over.
Kane, sidelined with an ankle injury, has 19 Premier League goals this season and, while he has had a dip in form at international level, the 23-year-old has the quality to be a centrepiece for Southgate for years to come.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will add his growing authority to midfield when fit, while Tottenham's Danny Rose has matured at left-back.
Elsewhere, Manchester United teenager Marcus Rashford, who featured briefly in Dortmund, is a shining light for the future in attack while Southampton's James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Redmond got a taste of the action on their debuts on Wednesday.
John Stones only emerged in the final seconds but most shrewd judges see the Manchester City defender, still only 22, as a fixture in England's defence for years to come.
Everton's Ross Barkley is in the form of his life at 23 after some big-stick cajoling from manager Ronald Koeman, and even 22-year-old Raheem Sterling's fiercest critics accept he is improving under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
It is the hope that has made life such a misery for England before - but Southgate was right to fly out of Dortmund in optimistic mood.