Germany were beaten 2-1 in their international friendly against the USA on Wednesday night. Mario Götze’s twelfth-minute strike put Joachim Löw’s side ahead in front of 40,348 spectators at the Rhein-Energie-Stadion in Cologne, but Mix Diskerud level the scores four minutes before the break. Substitute Bobby Wood of recently relegated 2. Bundesliga side Erzgebirge Aue netted the winner with just three minutes left on the clock, following a brave second-half display from the Americans. Die Mannschaft were the much better side in the first half, but lost their way after the change of ends and missed the chance to head into Saturday’s EURO 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar off the back of a win.

The DFB-Team began with six World Champions in their starting XI and a young back four, who had won an average of five and a half caps. With Mats Hummels and Benedikt Höwedes both missing through injury, as well as Jérôme Boateng being rested, Sebastian Rudy, Antonio Rüdiger, Shkodran Mustafi and Jonas Hector made up the Germany defence. Bastian Schweinsteiger led the team out onto the pitch as captain in what was his 110th appearance, while Patrick Herrmann made his senior international debut.

Despite a somewhat new-look team, Germany came flying out of the traps, something that had a lot to do with Patrick Herrmann’s performance. The Gladbach winger made the right flank his own, causing the US backline a number of problems. In the seventh minute, the 24-year-old played a great pass to Mario Götze and he in turn laid the ball off for Mesut Özil, but Aston Villa keeper Brad Guzan provided the save. Five minutes later, Herrmann jinked his way into the box and found Mario Götze, who slotted the ball past Guzan to open the scoring.

Zieler with little to do at first

USA were happy to sit back throughout most of the first half, with Germany goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler untroubled by long-range shots from Diskerud and Aron Johannsson. Meanwhile, at the other end, Patrick Herrmann almost crowned an impressive debut with a goal, but his volley from Özil’s chipped pass went into the side netting. Lightning almost struck twice for the debutant assist provider, as he found Mario Götze once more in the 32nd minute, but this time it was Brad Guzan who came out on top against the game’s opening scorer. Yet for all of Die Mannschaft’s chances, they were pegged back four minutes before the interval as Michael Bradley’s long ball was put away by Diskerud.

Jürgen Klinsmann’s men became more and more courageous in the second half and put Löw’s boys under pressure on a number of occasions. The Germany defence had to be on its toes to block shots from both Gyasi Zardes and Ventura Alvarado in the 56th minute. Johannsson had a golden chance to put USA ahead nine minutes later, but didn’t connect properly with his first-time effort. The DFB-Team then showed that they could still be dangerous going forward, but substitute Sami Khedira couldn’t quite direct a sumptuous cross from Herrmann on target. The Americans then came close to grabbing the next goal; Jordan Morris’ first touch after coming off the bench was a curler with the outside of his boot that zipped just wide of the upright. Die Mannschaft then needed a big save from Zieler to keep out Bradley from just inside the box, but the Hannover 96 shot-stopper was helpless in the 87th minute when Aue striker Wood drilled the ball into the bottom corner on the turn. Khedira came agonisingly close again in the closing stages, but his header came back off the crossbar.