Kai Havertz sent a message to Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann with a decisive performance in his side’s 2-1 win over World Cup co-hosts USA.
Havertz scored one and created another as Germany warmed up for this summer with a hard-fought win at Soldier Field in Chicago.
The Arsenal forward, who also scored in the club’s Champions League final defeat to PSG, headed in an opener for the Germans, before Fulham full-back Antonee Robinson equalised with a fine volley.
Havertz then turned provider, teeing up Leroy Sane for the winner. The victory represented a ninth consecutive win for Nagelsmann’s side, who are seeking a much improved tournament after back-to-back World Cup group-stage exits.
Nagelsmann was delighted with the performance, ahead of Germany’s opening World Cup fixture against Curucao on June 14th.
“It was a perfect test for us in terms of both the conditions and the opponents, who play with a lot of emotion,” the Germany manager said.
“We’ve now won nine consecutive games, and that’s not something you can take for granted. It’s a different kind of match playing against a host nation than against another team. The atmosphere was fantastic and we achieved a good result.”
Havertz added that Germany’s recent winning run has ensured the side enter the World Cup ‘full of confidence’.
“I think we put in a good performance overall, and the second half was even better. Winning our ninth match in a row means we’ll go into the first group game full of confidence. Of course, there were spells when we lost a bit of control, but overall we’re in good form and can look ahead with optimism.”
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