Deniz Undav Scores 88th-Minute Winner as Germany Defeats Ghana 2:1 in Stuttgart

Deniz Undav scored an 88th-minute winner as Germany defeated Ghana 2:1 in a friendly match in Stuttgart on March 30, 2026, extending the national team's winning run to seven consecutive matches. Kai Havertz had given Germany the lead with a handball penalty in the 45th+3 minute, but Fatawu Issahaku equalized for Ghana in the 70th minute before Undav, a substitute and local hero at the Stuttgart Arena, sealed the result. The match drew to a sold-out stadium. Germany had beaten Switzerland 4:3 three days earlier, making this their second victory in two test matches ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Germany's preparations for the 2026 World Cup have included a series of friendly matches to assess the squad ahead of the tournament. The World Cup is set to begin on June 11 in North America, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Ghana, a four-time African champion according to the source articles, arrived in Stuttgart having suffered a 1:5 defeat against Austria in Vienna. Ivory Coast was originally scheduled as Germany's opponent but was drawn into Germany's World Cup group alongside Curaçao and Ecuador, prompting the DFB to select Ghana as a replacement.

Undav silences doubters with late Stuttgart winner Undav, who plays his club football for VfB Stuttgart and has scored 18 goals for the club in the Bundesliga this season, had been left on the bench for the starting lineup in favor of Nick Woltemade. The Stuttgart crowd made their preference clear by chanting Undav's name before he had even entered the pitch. After coming on as a substitute in the second half, Undav delivered the decisive moment, converting to make it 2:1 and sending the home fans into celebration. Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann used a total of eight substitutions after the break, using the match as a final opportunity to assess players before the World Cup squad nomination.

„It was crazy to hear how the fans stand behind me. I enjoy that. It was a perfect evening. Got the win, scored a goal, top.” — Deniz Undav via ARD

Undav also defended Leroy Sané, who was booed by the Stuttgart crowd during the match.

„If Leroy comes on next time or another player, that there should be no booing. No matter what a player does, what he is like — you should stand behind the team.” — Deniz Undav via ARD

Germany's attack lacked precision despite clear dominance Despite controlling large portions of the match, Germany struggled to convert their superiority into goals with the efficiency Nagelsmann would have wanted. Woltemade came closest to extending the lead when his header struck the crossbar in the 53rd minute, a moment that would have made the final stages considerably more comfortable. Havertz, who had moved from center-forward to the right side to accommodate Woltemade as the central striker, scored his first international goal in more than 16 months with the penalty. Florian Wirtz, outstanding in the Switzerland win, hit the outside of the post with a free kick in the sixth minute. Ghana's goalkeeper Benjamin Asare also made a key save to deny a shot from center-back Jonathan Tah after a crossed ball was mishandled. Ghana's equalizer came on a counterattack down the left wing, with Issahaku finishing unmarked in the penalty area after Stuttgart defender Josha Vagnoman lost the decisive duel.

World Cup squad deadline looms as Germany eye June opener Germany's World Cup squad nomination is scheduled for May 12, with tournament preparation set to begin on May 25. The 2026 World Cup opens on June 11 in North America. Ghana head coach Otto Addo, a former Borussia Dortmund professional, saw his side defend compactly in a deep formation, clearly prioritizing avoiding another heavy defeat after the loss to Austria. Among the Germany starters were Alexander Nübel in goal and Nathaniel Brown at left-back, both introduced as part of the four changes Nagelsmann made from the Switzerland lineup, alongside Pascal Groß and Woltemade. With seven wins in a row, the direction of Germany's preparations appears positive, though Nagelsmann acknowledged there remains work to do in defense and in converting chances before the tournament begins.

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[{"side1": "Germany", "side2": "Switzerland", "score1": 4, "score2": 3, "round": "Friendly"}, {"side1": "Germany", "side2": "Ghana", "score1": 2, "score2": 1, "round": "Friendly"}]

VfB Stuttgart