Ghana’s struggles continued as the Black Stars succumbed to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Germany in an international friendly held at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart on Monday.
Entering the match on the back of three consecutive defeats, the Black Stars hoped for a turnaround. However, familiar defensive frailties resurfaced, allowing Germany to capitalize on critical moments to secure the win.
Germany started the match aggressively, dominating possession and searching for openings. Early on, Nick Woltemade fired wide from inside the box, and in the 6th minute, Florian Wirtz rattled the post with a stunning free kick.
The pressure intensified as Serge Gnabry squandered a clear opportunity midway through the first half. Wirtz thought he had given Germany the lead in the 33rd minute, only for his goal to be disallowed for offside.
Ghana struggled to create clear chances but held firm until stoppage time in the first half when controversy erupted. Following a VAR review, Germany was awarded a penalty for handball against Jonas Adjei Adjetey. This marked a troubling trend for the defender, who had also conceded a penalty in Ghana’s heavy 5-1 defeat to Austria just days earlier.
Germany converted the penalty without hesitation, with Arsenal forward Kai Havertz putting them ahead 1-0 as the teams headed into the break.
After halftime, the Black Stars displayed more intent. Prince Adu came close to equalizing early in the second half, but his effort was blocked. Germany then struck the crossbar again through Woltemade.
The breakthrough for Ghana came in the 70th minute when substitute Issahaku Fatawu made an immediate impact, delivering a superb first-time strike that found the bottom corner, leveling the game at 1-1 after a brilliant assist from left-back Derrick Köhn.
For a moment, it appeared Ghana could complete the comeback. However, Germany responded late in the 88th minute. Deniz Undav latched onto a well-timed pass, found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, and calmly finished into the top corner to restore Germany’s lead at 2-1.
Ghana pushed for a late equalizer, with Antoine Semenyo making a vigorous run into the box in stoppage time, but his effort flew over the bar.
This result means Ghana has now lost four consecutive matches, conceding ten goals in that stretch, raising concerns ahead of their upcoming international assignments.
Looking ahead, the Black Stars will next travel to North America to face Mexico on May 22, before taking on Wales on June 2. With a challenging 2026 World Cup group featuring England, Croatia, and Panama, Ghana must address their defensive issues and enhance their attacking efficiency to make a significant impact on the global stage.
