U.S. sharp in narrow WC sendoff loss to Germany
Key takeaways
- Kai Havertz opened the scoring for Germany with a header in the second minute that caught U.S. goalkeeper Matthew Freese flat-footed, but the Americans grew into the game immediately after giving up the early goal.
- Toward the end of the second half, Antonee Robinson equalized for the U.S. with a stunning volley from 23 yards out, blasting the ball past Oliver Baumann in the German goal to make it 1-1 at the break.
- Mauricio Pochettino didn't make any changes at halftime to a U.S.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
United States USAUSA1FTGermany Germany GER2Antonee Robinson - 37'Kai Havertz - 2'Leroy Sané - 57'Summary Report Commentary Statistics Line-Ups USMNT looks sharp in World Cup sendoff loss to Germany By ESPN News Services Updated: Jun 6, 2026, 05:12 pm Facebook Facebook Messenger Twitter Email The United States lost 2-1 to Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday in its last match before the start of the FIFA World Cup, turning in another solid performance after Sunday's 3-2 win over Senegal.
Kai Havertz opened the scoring for Germany with a header in the second minute that caught U.S. goalkeeper Matthew Freese flat-footed, but the Americans grew into the game immediately after giving up the early goal.
Toward the end of the second half, Antonee Robinson equalized for the U.S. with a stunning volley from 23 yards out, blasting the ball past Oliver Baumann in the German goal to make it 1-1 at the break.