Germany edge Ghana in World Cup warm-up game

Germany earned a hard-fought 2–1 win over Ghana in Stuttgart as both sides continued their preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Julian Nagelsmann’s team dominated early on and were rewarded just before the break when Kai Havertz calmly converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Ghana, who had spent long spells defending deep, grew braver after the interval. Substitute Abdul Fatawu levelled the game on 70 minutes with a precise finish after a clever cut-back from Derrick Köhn, capping a sharp counterattack that briefly silenced the home crowd.

Germany responded by rolling fresh quality off the bench and eventually broke Ghana’s resistance. Deniz Undav struck the winner in the 78th minute, guiding home a low cross from Leroy Sané to restore the lead and underline Germany’s attacking depth.

Both coaches will take plenty of lessons from the night: Germany’s control and flexibility, Ghana’s resilience and danger in transition. Next up, Germany continue their World Cup tune‑up against Finland, while Ghana look to bounce back in their upcoming friendly against Mexico.