USMNT vs. Germany score: USA start strong through Christian Pulisic, concede three goals in loss

The Americans looked solid in a first half that had lots of pace but could not keep up in the end

Despite a great start to the match with Christian Pulisic scoring a lovely goal the United States lost 3-1 to Germany in Julian Nagelsmann's first match in charge of the national team on Saturday in East Hartford, Connecticut. The friendly match got off to a fast start with both teams creating chances before Pulisic opened the scoring but Germany would answer back with Ilkay Gundogan following up a Leroy Sane shot to level the game before the half.

Gio Reyna was taken out at the break since manager Gregg Berhalter is working to improve his fitness with Luca De La Torre coming into the match but the entire match fell apart in the final 45 minutes. The USMNT were second to challenges, played passively and allowed Germany to score twice to take a comfortable victory. Niclas Fullkrug and Jamal Musiala scored the goals as the USMNT will need to improve after their biggest test of the new World Cup cycle. 

The absence of Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson was clear as was the talent gap when Germany is able to sub on players like Thomas Muller late in the game. It was a good reality check for the USMNT and provides more to look for when they face Ghana on Tuesday.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 5:14 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Room for improvement

Germany ran away with the game in the second half but that shouldn't take away from the first half being a good showing for the USMNT. Defensively, there was room for improvement as without Antonee Robinson, no one could keep up with Leroy Sane's dribbling and the midfield couldn't track Jamal Musiala to stop Germany from scoring. If the USMNt can keep their energy against Ghana in their next match, they can secure a better result but this is a game to grow from.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 4:51 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Better but not good enough

Pepi was able to disposses Germany but the USMNT wasn't able to turn that into a goal. It's another one of the small moments in this match that make up the difference between victory and defeat. The higher that the USMNT climbs, the more that they'll have to do better in these situations but there is a long way to go.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 4:42 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

More changes for the USMNT

Ricardo Pepi, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Brenden Aaronson have all entered the match with Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards and Tim Weah exiting. The wind is out of the USMNT's sails and Berhalter has to find  away to ignite the match.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 4:33 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

This is escalating quickly 

This time it's Musiala with the goal as the USMNT has paid for a sloppy start to the second half. Antonio Rudiger has been able to wander into midfield as Germany are off and running which is exactly what the United States doesn't want to see here.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 4:28 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

It has been coming

Fullkrug is assisted by Gosens and was all alone in the box to beat Matt Turner in net. It was an excellent goal for Germany as now the USMNT will need to find a way to get a goal back.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 4:19 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Turner has been called into action quickly 

Gundogan and Fullkrug have both stung Turners palms to start the second half but the USMNT keeper has held strong. Germany seems to have tightened up some of their mistakes so it will be up to the United States to adjust.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 4:13 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Changes are incoming 

Luca De La Torre will start the second half in place of Gio Reyna. As Reyna needs to manage his minutes to build fitness, this was a likely a planned change for Berhalter.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

That's the first half

Some good and some bad but after 45 minutes the USMNT are hanging with Germany in the match. There were mistakes that Germany couldn't turn into goals but if the USMNT can't improve their execution in the second half, the match could quickly slip away. An excellent strike from Christian Pulisic was canceled out by Ilkay Gundogan being in the right place at the right time. Overall, the USMNT was the better team in the first half but it will be interesting to see if they can keep up the pace in the second half of play.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:53 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Dest is taken down by Hummels 

It was a foul that the German defender had to take as the USMNT were charging forward but he'll receive a yellow card for the challenge. Pulisic's delivery from the free kick that followed was just over the head of Chris Richards.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:49 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Calamity at the back

Germany are able to tie the match after Sane cuts through the entire defense. Turner was strong in net but no one tracked Gundogan coming into the box and things are level with six minutes to go until the half and they're looking for another goal.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:38 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Pulisic freezes the defense

Making up for his first chance, Pulisic scores a beautiful curling shot ot put the USMNT ahead 1-0 28 minutes in. The team has been coordinated in transition and it paid off with Balogun assisting Pulsic on the chance.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:37 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

So close for Pulisic

It was almost a perfect chance for the USMNT 25 minutes in but Pulisic tried to round the keeper instead of taking a first time shot missing the chance. Fullkrug immediately creates a chance at the other end.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:30 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Settling into a groove

While each team has had chances, the defensive shape has been good on both sides. Pressing has been important to both teams as they try to force each other into mistakes in the early going. 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:19 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Couldn't ask for a faster start

The USMNT almost created a goal as Musah turned a Germany turnover into a quick break but Pulisic's effort was eventually saved. We're less than 10 minutes into the match and so much has happened on both sides.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:17 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Ream's experinece shows

Germany were able to get the ball out wide but when Musiala was able to cross into the box Ream was there to clear a likely goalbound effort if it made it to Fullkrug.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:14 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

USMNT 1, Germany 3 (2H)

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:14 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

A good chance but offside

Both teams are looking to make quick passes over the top as Pulisic puts the ball in the back of the not but is offside. Germany are pushing the pace but the USMNT defense has been organized to start the clash.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:10 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

We're underway

It's a sellout as chants of USA begin to build in the stadium.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:03 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Almost time to get underway

The teams are out and it's time for the anthems.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 2:45 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

All eyes on Pascal Gross

One of the architects of Brighton's success during the years, Gross has earned his first start for Germany due to the absence of Joshua Kimmich. Gross brings a different look in midfield but is also able to slide into right back if needed while offering excellent set play delivery. With Germany being thin in midfield, it's a great opportunity for Gross to impress his new manager Nagelsmann.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 2:24 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

The battle of the wings

Tim Weah will have quite a job not only doing what he can to get forward and create attacks but also providing help defensively for Sergino Dest. With Florian Wirtz and Robin Gosens on the left for Germany, attacks will come Weah's way early and often so his play could set the tone for the match early, especially without a true defensive midfielder in the XI for the USMNT.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 2:09 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Kimmich misses out

It's a strong lineup from Germany even with Kimmich's cold keeping him out of the rotation. Nagelsmann will utilize a standard 4-2-3-1 but without a true right back, Rudiger or Tah will likely operate there.

Germany Starters: 1-Marc-André ter Stegen, 2-Antonio Rüdiger, 4-Jonathan Tah, 5-Mats Hummels, 9-Niclas Füllkrug, 10-Florian Wirtz, 14-Jamal Musiala, 16-Pascal Groß, 19-Leroy Sané, 20-Robin Gosens, 21-llkay Gündoğan (Capt.)

Available Subs: 12-Kevin Trapp, 22-Bernd Leno, 26-Oliver Baumann, 3-Malick Thiaw, 7-Kai Havertz, 8-Leon Goretzka, 11-Julian Brandt, 13-Thomas Muller, 15-Niklas Süle, 17-David Raum, 18-Jonas Hofmann, 23-Robert Andrich, 24-Kevin Behrens, 25-Chris Führich

[Oct 14, 2023 at 1:56 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Gio Reyna returns

Prior to the match, Berhalter spoke about wanting to bring Reyna along slowly as he has only seen the pitch for 26 minutes since the Nations League final in June of 2023. It's likely that he only plays the first half but it will be a good chance to regain fitness.

USMNT Starters: 1-Matt Turner, 2-Sergiño Dest, 4-Chris Richards, 6-Yunus Musah, 7-Gio Reyna, 8-Weston McKennie, 10-Christian Pulisic (Capt.), 13-Tim Ream, 19-Joe Scally, 20-Folarin Balogun, 21-Tim Weah

Available Subs: 18-Ethan Horvath, 3-Cameron Carter-Vickers, 5-DeJuan Jones, 9-Ricardo Pepi, 11-Brenden Aaronson, 12-Miles Robinson, 14-Luca de la Torre, 15-Johnny Cardoso, 16-Kevin Paredes, 17-Alex Zendejas, 22-Lennard Maloney, 23-Kristoffer Lund

[Oct 14, 2023 at 1:48 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Wing backs will be key

In the past, Berhalter has spoken about how fullbacks are the superpower of his team and that remains the case. The issue is that Germany will also utilize attacking fullbacks in the match making the USMNT's job in defending them quite hard. Sergino Dest already prefers to get forward on the right, and without Robinson in the squad, Lund's defensive credentials will be tested. He got forward quite a lot against Oman in his last appearance on the team, but this is a game where if he gets caught out in defense, Germany will score quite a few goals. 

Matt Turner will likely be under pressure in defense no matter what happens, but defensively this is the toughest test that the USMNT has faced since they drew with England in the group stage of the World Cup last year, and they won't have Tyler Adams to shield the side from attacks. A lot of the match will be seeing the difference between the USMNT at the World Cup compared to this group and the defense will be one of the bigger ones to keep an eye on.

[Oct 14, 2023 at 1:44 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

How to watch and odds

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 14 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: Pratt & Whitney Stadium -- East Hartford, Connecticut
• TV: TNT  | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
• Odds: United States +290; Draw +260; Germany -127 (via Caesars Sportsbook) 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 1:44 pm ET · Chuck Booth]

Hello and welcome

Gio Reyna returns as the USMNT will be facing a familiar foe for the Bundesliga contingent of the roster in Germany. It's a great test versus top level opposition as Gregg Berhalter looks to figure out rotations without Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson. Despite the stature of the German national team, Germany will come in as a relative unknown due to this being their first match under Julian Naglesmann which only adds to the intrigue surrounding the occasion.