The U.S. men’s national soccer team (USMNT) pulled off a stunning upset over Germany in an international friendly match presented by AT&T 5G on Thursday, October 14, 2023. The USMNT came from behind to beat the four-time World Cup champions 2-1 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut.

USMNT

Reyna and Balogun Score for the USMNT

The USMNT started the game with a young and talented lineup, featuring nine players aged 25 or younger. Christian Pulisic, who captained the team for the first time, led the attack alongside Folarin Balogun and Timothy Weah. Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Luca de la Torre formed the midfield trio, while Sergiño Dest, Chris Richards, Tim Ream and Joe Scally made up the back four in front of goalkeeper Matt Turner.

The USMNT faced a tough challenge from Germany, who had a new coach in Julian Nagelsmann and a star-studded squad that included Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry and Timo Werner. The visitors dominated the possession and created several chances in the first half, but Turner made some brilliant saves to keep the score level.

Germany finally broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, when Gnabry curled a shot into the top corner from outside the box. The USMNT responded well and equalized just before halftime, when Gio Reyna scored his first senior international goal with a low drive from the edge of the area. The 20-year-old midfielder, who plays for Borussia Dortmund in Germany, celebrated with his teammates and pointed to the sky in tribute to his late father Claudio Reyna, who was also a USMNT legend.

The second half was more balanced and exciting, as both teams pushed for the winner. The USMNT had a golden opportunity in the 65th minute, when Pulisic was fouled by Niklas Süle in the box and awarded a penalty. However, Neuer guessed right and saved Pulisic’s spot kick. The USMNT did not give up and continued to press forward, while Germany also threatened with some counterattacks.

The decisive moment came in the 83rd minute, when Balogun scored his first USMNT goal with a stunning volley from a cross by Dest. The 22-year-old striker, who plays for Arsenal in England, showed great technique and composure to beat Neuer with a powerful shot. The USMNT held on to the lead and secured a historic victory over Germany.

USMNT Shows Character and Quality

The USMNT’s win over Germany was a remarkable achievement for Gregg Berhalter’s team, who showed character and quality against one of the best teams in the world. The USMNT had not beaten Germany since June 2015, when they won 2-1 in Cologne. The USMNT also improved their record against European teams under Berhalter to six wins, four draws and four losses.

The USMNT’s performance was especially impressive considering that they were missing some key players due to injuries or club commitments. Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, Jordan Morris, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright were all unavailable for this match. Malik Tillman also had to withdraw from the squad after picking up an injury for PSV Eindhoven.

The USMNT’s win over Germany also gave them confidence and momentum ahead of their next match against Ghana on Sunday, October 17, 2023. The USMNT will face another tough opponent in Ghana, who have qualified for three consecutive World Cups and reached the quarterfinals in 2010. The USMNT will hope to continue their good form and prepare for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches in November.