The United States men’s national team put in a strong effort against Germany, but they came up on the short end of their final World Cup warm up game in a loss to the four-time champions on Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino went with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Tim Ream partnering with Miles Robinson at central defense, and Sergino Dest deployed on the right wing in the attack opposite Christian Pulisic.
The Germans struck within two minutes of the game when Kai Havertz made a perfectly timed run to break away from Ream and head in Joshua Kimmich’s free kick past Matthew Freese.
The Americans showed their resiliency as they worked their way into the game with attempts to find a breakthrough the German defending.
Then, in the 37th minute, Antonee Robinson scored the equalizer with a wondrous goal. Pulisic’s outswinger from the right side was headed away, but the left-back was all alone at the top of the area to send a screaming volley into the back of the net.
The goal boosted the confidence in the World Cup co-host, but shots by Dest and Pulisic could not produce anything to give them the lead.
Leroy Sane restored Germany’s lead in the 57th minute when Jamal Musiala played the ball to Havertz in the area, allowing him to set it into the path of the winger to send his left-footed strike past the outstretched Matt Freese.
The game began to wind down after both sides made substitutions, as the U.S. could not find a way to tie it up.
Now, Pochettino and his 26 head to Southern California where they will start its first Group D game against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12.
