Bobby Wood (blue jersey) celebrates after scoring the goal that gave the USA a win over host Germany in an international friendly on June 10, 2015, in Cologne. (Photo: Celso Bayo/isiphotos.com)
COLOGNE, Germany -- Second-half substitute Bobby Wood scored in the waning minutes for the second time in six days to lift the United States to a 2-1 win over top-ranked Germany in an international friendly at RheinEnergieSTADION on Wednesday night.
Wood, who connected in the 90th minute of the Americans' 4-3 come-from-behind victory at the Netherlands on Friday, received a Brad Evans feed from the right side. He turned on his marker, drilling a 22-yard shot that bounced past goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler and into the lower-left corner for the stunning game-winner, his second international goal.
The upset win was the USA's first at Germany in five tries as the CONCACAF champion improved to 4W-0D-7L all-time against the World Cup holder. It was also was the Americans' first triumph against a top-ranked team since defeating Spain 2-0 at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.
Though the Germans enjoyed a somewhat better run of play in the opening half, the score was 1-1 at the break.
The host drew first blood in the 12th minute. Mario Gotze, whose pass set up Mesut Ozil's point-blank shot that was denied by USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan four minutes earlier, slotted home from 10-yards out off a Patrick Herrmann feed from the right side of the box.
With four minutes remaining in the half, the USA equalized. On the right, midfielder Michael Bradley delivered a splendid pass to the chest of a sprinting Mix Diskerud. The New York City FC midfielder chested the ball down in the left side of the box and then beat Zieler with a delightful effort, using the outside of his right foot to net from seven-yards out. Diskerud became the 12th American player to score an international goal this year.
The U.S. next meets Guatemala in a pre-CONCACAF Gold Cup match in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 3.
NOTES: In their last meeting, Germany defeated the U.S., 1-0, in the 2014 FIFA World Cup’s round of 16 ... the last U.S. win against Germany came on June 2, 2013, in Washington, D.C., 4-3.
