Germany scored a late winner to edge Ghana 2-1 in an international friendly in Stuttgart, as both sides stepped up preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
Kai Havertz marked his return to the national side by opening the scoring deep into first-half stoppage time, calmly converting a penalty after a VAR review judged Jonas Adjetey to have handled the ball inside the area. Germany had dominated possession for much of the opening period but struggled to break down Ghana’s defence until the late breakthrough.
The Black Stars responded with renewed intensity after the interval and were rewarded in the 70th minute when Abdul Fatawu Issahaku continued his impressive recent form, finishing to draw Ghana level. The Leicester City winger’s equaliser capped a spirited second-half display in which Ghana created several openings and briefly threatened to take control of the contest.
However, Germany had the final say. Substitute Deniz Undav struck late to seal victory, finishing off a decisive move in the closing stages to ensure Julian Nagelsmann’s side completed back-to-back friendly wins following their thrilling 4-3 victory over Switzerland days earlier.
The match formed part of both teams’ final preparations ahead of this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Germany using the fixture to assess squad depth and manage player fitness. Nagelsmann had indicated beforehand that rotation would be key, with several players given opportunities to impress before the final squad announcement.
For Havertz, the goal marked another step in his comeback after a lengthy injury absence, with the forward eager to regain full rhythm ahead of the tournament.
Ghana, meanwhile, will take encouragement from their second-half performance despite the defeat. Otto Addo’s side showed resilience and attacking threat, particularly through Issahaku, as they continue to rebuild following a heavy loss to Austria in their previous outing.
While the result ultimately went Germany’s way, the contest offered valuable lessons for both nations. Germany demonstrated depth and late-game efficiency, while Ghana showed they can compete against elite opposition when clinical in attack.
With the World Cup fast approaching, both sides now turn their focus to final squad selections and tactical fine-tuning, knowing that margins at the highest level remain as narrow as ever.
