Havertz and Sané sink the USA as Germany sign off with a ninth straight win
Antonee Robinson’s thunderous volley briefly hauled the hosts level, but Germany’s class told at Soldier Field as Julian Nagelsmann’s side made it nine wins in a row before the finals.
Jun 7, 2026
The United States wanted one last confidence boost before a home World Cup. Germany were not in the mood to provide it. Julian Nagelsmann’s side won 2-1 at Soldier Field on Saturday, stretching their winning run to nine games and handing Mauricio Pochettino a sharp reminder of the gap between his team and the tournament’s heavyweights, with the opening match now less than a week away.
The damage was done almost before the sellout crowd of 63,636 had settled in. Joshua Kimmich whipped in a free kick inside the second minute and Kai Havertz rose to head it past Matt Freese, who barely had time to set himself. It was the kind of soft early goal that would have worried Pochettino far more than the eventual scoreline.
A stunning reply, then a familiar lapse
To their credit, the hosts did not fold. They grew into the half, and on 37 minutes Antonee Robinson produced the moment of the night. When Germany failed to clear a corner, the Fulham left-back met the loose ball first time from the edge of the box and thrashed a volley that kissed the underside of the bar on its way in. Soldier Field roared, and for a spell the friendly had the feel of a real contest.
The reset did not last. Just before the hour, Havertz turned provider, slipping a short pass to Leroy Sané inside the area. Sané’s low left-footed strike from around 16 yards took a deflection and squirmed beyond Freese’s dive into the corner. It was scrappy, but Germany have spent this build-up finding ways to win, and a side carrying that much momentum rarely needs the goals to be pretty.
Freese, who has been the team’s established first-choice goalkeeper, will not look back fondly on either concession. Neither was entirely his fault, yet both underlined how little margin the United States have when the level rises.
Pochettino’s puzzle before Paraguay
For Germany, this was close to an ideal send-off. Nagelsmann’s team carry a nine-match winning run into the finals and looked comfortable for long stretches against a motivated opponent on hostile ground. Havertz and Sané are both ticking over nicely, and the early goal showed the kind of ruthlessness that separates contenders from the pack.
Pochettino’s read will be more complicated. There were spells, particularly around Robinson’s equaliser, where his side matched Germany for intensity. But the soft start and the inability to hold a draw against a top side are exactly the habits a host nation cannot afford to carry into a World Cup. Chris Richards sat out with an ankle problem, another concern for a defence that looked stretched whenever Germany moved the ball quickly.
The United States open Group D against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on Friday, 12 June, a day after Mexico get the tournament under way. On this evidence, the talent is there in flashes, but so are the lapses that good teams punish. Pochettino has a few days to convince his players that the version who answered Havertz can show up for ninety minutes, not just thirty.