USA suffer late defeat to Germany in final World Cup warm-up

The United States national team concluded its final preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday. The result serves as the last outing for the Americans before they face Paraguay in their Group D opener on June 12, marking a mixed end to a build-up that included a 3-2 victory over Senegal.

Germany established an early advantage through Kai Havertz, who headed the ball into the net in the second minute. The strike caught United States goalkeeper Matthew Freese flatfooted, giving the visitors a commanding start to the fixture. Despite the early setback, the American squad adjusted quickly, growing into the game and asserting control as the first half progressed.

The United States levelled the scoreline towards the end of the second half through a precise strike from Antonee Robinson. The defender unleashed a volley from 23 yards out that bypassed German goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, making it 1-1 at the interval. The performance demonstrated resilience from the US side, which had maintained momentum heading into the break.

United States manager Mauricio Pochettino opted to make no changes at halftime, retaining the same lineup that had dominated the opening period. However, the tactical decision did not yield the desired result, as Germany orchestrated a clever move just before the hour mark. This sequence set up Leroy Sané for a first-time finish, restoring Germany’s lead and ultimately securing the win.

The defeat leaves the United States to focus on their World Cup Group D schedule, which begins against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, before matches against Australia and Türkiye. Meanwhile, Germany, which has failed to advance past the group stage in the previous two World Cups, prepares to kick off its Group E campaign against Curaçao on June 14, followed by fixtures against Ecuador and Ivory Coast.