**The Germany national team have also won their second international of 2026 ahead of this summer’s World Cup. After Friday’s 4-3 victory in Switzerland, Julian Nagelsmann’s side beat fellow World Cup qualifiers Ghana 2-1 in Stuttgart. Kai Havertz put Germany ahead deep into first-half stoppage time, before Issahaku Fatawu equalised in the 70th minute. Substitute Deniz Undav then struck the late winner in the 88th minute.**
In front of goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, Nagelsmann went with Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck in central defence, with captain Joshua Kimmich at right-back and Nathaniel Brown on the left. Angelo Stiller and Pascal Groß lined up in the holding roles, while Serge Gnabry, Havertz and Florian Wirtz supported lone striker Nick Woltemade.
##### Havertz keeps his cool from the spot
It was Woltemade who nearly gave Germany the lead after just four minutes, but after neat work from Havertz he slid the ball narrowly wide from around 12 yards. Moments later, Wirtz struck the outside of the post with a free-kick from a central position (6’). Germany set the tone from the outset and pinned the visitors back deep inside their own half. Aleksander Djiku got back to deny Gnabry after a clipped ball into the box, and from the resulting corner Schlotterbeck’s close-range effort was blocked (9’).
The game then settled down a little. Germany’s pressure eased, allowing Ghana occasional chances to break out. Tah went close again in the 31st minute, but Benjamin Asare pushed his powerful effort behind for a corner. Two minutes later the fans at the Stuttgart Arena were on their feet, only for Woltemade to be flagged fractionally offside in the build-up to Wirtz’s finish. Germany did still take the lead before the break, though. After a VAR review, the hosts were awarded a penalty for handball in stoppage time, and Havertz converted confidently.
##### Undav has the final say
At half time, Nagelsmann introduced youngster Lennart Karl, Antonio Rüdiger and Undav. Rüdiger nearly helped make it 2-0 in the 49th minute, but was put off at the last moment as he attacked a cross. Germany started the second half brightly too, although Groß’s shot lacked the placement to trouble Asare (51’). Ghana then threatened for the first time when Antoine Semenyo broke down the right and Prince Adu was denied in the middle by a crucial intervention from Kimmich (52’). At the other end, the woodwork came to Ghana’s rescue again straight away: Karl delivered a perfect cross for Woltemade, whose header crashed against the bar (53’).
Germany were now launching wave after wave of attacks, but clear-cut chances remained scarce. Chris Führich, Leon Goretzka, David Raum and Josha Vagnoman came on for Wirtz, Groß, Stiller and Brown in the 61st minute. The next big opening came at the other end, though, when Woltemade diverted Jordan Ayew’s shot just wide of the post following a corner (63’).
Germany responded again quickly, but Goretzka’s first-time effort struck Woltemade’s heel instead of finding the net (65’). Raum then went close with a direct free-kick from around 25 yards that flashed just wide (66’). Then, Ghana suddenly made it 1-1. Derrick Köhn beat Vagnoman on the left and picked out the unmarked Fatawu in the middle, and he guided his finish precisely into the right-hand corner.
Germany raised the tempo again in the final 15 minutes and Nagelsmann made another change, with Leroy Sané replacing Woltemade (79’). Sané made an immediate impact, and after a fine solo run from Karl he pulled the ball back smartly for Kimmich, who could not keep his effort down with the goal at his mercy (81’). Karl then had a big chance of his own, but under pressure in the box he sent his shot wide (86’). Undav then produced the decisive moment in front of his home crowd, meeting Sané’s headed lay-off with an acrobatic finish that flew in between the goalkeeper and the crossbar to seal a 2-1 win.