By Kwame Bediako
Germany struck late in each half to secure a 2-1 victory over Ghana in an international friendly in Stuttgart, extending their impressive form while piling pressure on Otto Addo’s side ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Black Stars showed flashes of promise but ultimately fell short against a clinical German team.
Julian Nagelsmann’s men took the lead in first-half stoppage time through Kai Havertz, who calmly converted from the penalty spot after a handball decision against Jonas Adjetey.
The incident followed a flick from Angelo Stiller that struck the Ghanaian defender’s arm, prompting the referee to award the spot kick.
Germany had dominated much of the opening half, creating several chances through Nick Woltemade and Florian Wirtz, both of whom came close to scoring.
Defender Jonathan Tah also missed from close range, while Wirtz had a goal ruled out after a VAR review, underlining the hosts’ attacking pressure before the breakthrough.
Ghana improved significantly after the restart and found a deserved equaliser in the 70th minute.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku finished from close range after impressive work by Derrick Köhn, giving the Black Stars hope of salvaging a result after a spirited second-half display.
However, Ghana’s resistance was broken late on when Deniz Undav struck in the 88th minute to restore Germany’s lead and seal the win.
The defeat extends Ghana’s winless run to four matches, following losses to Japan, South Korea, and a heavy defeat to Austria, raising concerns about consistency as they prepare to face Panama, Croatia, and England in the 2026 World Cup group stage.
