Ghana’s Black Stars suffers a late 2-1 defeat to Germany in friendlies ahead of FIFA World Cup

Ghana’s Black Stars suffers a late 2-1 defeat to Germany in friendlies ahead of FIFA World Cup

Germany scored late in each half to secure a 2-1 win over Ghana in an international friendly in Stuttgart, extending their strong run while deepening concerns for Otto Addo’s side ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Julian Nagelsmann’s team broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Kai Havertz converted from the penalty spot after Jonas Adjetey was penalised for handball inside the area. The decision came after Angelo Stiller’s flick struck the defender’s arm.

Germany had dominated the early stages, with Nick Woltemade and Florian Wirtz both going close, while Jonathan Tah also missed from close range before a disallowed effort from Wirtz following a VAR review.

Ghana showed improvement after the break and were rewarded in the 70th minute when Abdul Fatawu Issahaku finished from close range after good work from Derrick Köhn to level the score.

However, the visitors could not hold on, with Deniz Undav striking in the 88th minute to restore Germany’s lead and seal victory.

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The result means Ghana have now gone four matches without a win, following earlier defeats to Japan and South Korea, as well as a heavy loss to Austria last week. While there were signs of improvement in Stuttgart, the Black Stars continue to search for consistency ahead of the World Cup.

Ghana are set to face Panama, Croatia and England in the group stage of the 2026 tournament in North America, with questions remaining over whether the team can find the level required before the competition begins.