NUREMBERG, Germany, June 21 (Reuters) - Germany and Argentina drew 2-2 in their final Confederations Cup group match on Tuesday, putting Germany into the semi-finals as Group A winners and their opponents through as runners-up.

The outcome was a relative disappointment for the hosts, who

led twice and were set to end a 13-match, five-year run without

a victory against top-level opposition until Esteban Cambiasso

hit Argentina's second equaliser with 16 minutes remaining.

The two sides will now face opponents from Group B, where

Mexico are already qualified with six points and Brazil can join

them by avoiding defeat to Japan in Cologne on Wednesday.

Germany, whose last win against a top-ranked nation was

against England in October 2000, went ahead through Kevin

Kuranyi after 29 minutes, before man of the match Juan Roman

Riquelme equalised for Argentina with a blistering free-kick

four minutes later.

Gerald Asamoah restored Germany's lead with a well-taken

goal under pressure in the 51st minute before Cambiasso levelled

with a superb shot from outside the box that took a slight

deflection.

Second bookings for German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger

and Argentine defender Walter Samuel mean both will be suspended

from their semi-finals at the weekend.

Germany topped the group on goal difference from Argentina

after both finished with seven points. Tunisia, who beat

Australia 2-0 in Leipzig, were third on three points and

Australia finished bottom with none.

RINGING CHANGES

Little could be read into Tuesday's result, the second time

the teams have drawn 2-2 in Germany this year after a friendly

ended with the same scoreline in Dusseldorf in February.

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann changed his side from the

one that beat Tunisia 3-0 on Saturday, while Argentina's Jose

Pekerman also re-shuffled his pack for a game in which the hosts

made a better start and the South Americans a stronger finish.

Germany's opening goal came after Argentina failed to clear

a Thomas Hitzlsperger free-kick which the Germans were fortunate

to get. Although Samuel had bundled Kuranyi off the ball,

Kuranyi kept his balance and play continued.

However Slovak referee Lubos Michel booked Samuel, costing

him his place in the semi, and Argentina were doubly punished by

the goal.

Hitzlsperger's free-kick slammed into the wall, and was then

played back in by Sebastian Deisler before eventually running

out to Fabian Ernst whose cross was forced home by Kuranyi.

Germany's elation was short-lived as four minutes later

Ernst tripped Javier Zanetti just outside the German penalty

area and Riquelme's curling right-footed effort flew past Tino

Hildebrand.

Asamoah, roundly booed by the crowd for a poor performance

against Tunisia at the weekend, justified Klinsmann's faith in

him with a well-taken goal after a perfect set-up by Kuranyi,

firing home from an acute angle under German Lux's outstretched

hand.

However Cambiasso's effort was the pick of the four, always

swerving away from Hildebrand to leave the teams deservedly

level at the end.