Honolulu native leads U.S. to victory over powerhouse Germany
Germany's Shkodran Mustafi, right, looks on while United States' Bobby Wood, center, runs to score his side's 2nd goal during the soccer friendly match between Germany and the United States in Cologne, western Germany, Wednesday, June 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
COLOGNE, Germany >> For the second time in six days, Bobby Wood scored a late goal to give the United States its first victory at a European soccer power.
The 22-year-old, originally from Hawaii, scored in the 87th minute Wednesday night, lifting the Americans to a 2-1 victory at World Cup champion Germany in an exhibition game.
U.S. captain Michael Bradley had passed to Brad Evans, wide on the right flank, and Evans made a 25-yard diagonal pass to Wood, who had entered in the 74th minute. Wood trapped the ball just outside the arc, swiveled, took a touch and sent a 23-yard shot on a hop past goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.
Wood scored his first international goal in the 90th minute Friday to give Americans a 4-3 win over the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Wood grew up in Hawaii and moved to California when he was 11 so he could join the Irvine Strikers, one of the state’s best clubs. When he was 14, a Munich professional team signed him to a contract.
The U.S. had lost its previous two games against the Germans in Germany, 4-2 in 2002 and 4-1 in 2006.
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Germany’s Sami Khedira bounced a header off the crossbar in injury time.
Mario Goetze put the world’s top-ranked team ahead in the 12th minute, but Mix Diskerud tied the score in the 41st when he ran into a precise 20-yard pass from Bradley and with the laces of his outstretched right boot kicked it in from about 6 yards. That culminated a 30-pass, 90-second sequence for the Americans.
U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who sang both national anthems before kickoff, won against the country he led to the 1990 World Cup title as a player and coached to third place in 2006.
The U.S., ranked 27th, is preparing for next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Americans won the 2013 title and would earn a berth in the Confederations Cup if they win this year’s tournament.
Germany plays a European Championship qualifier against Gibraltar on Saturday. No. 1 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was left off the roster along with Thomas Mueller and Toni Kroos as the stars were rested after their club seasons.
The U.S. had not beaten the world’s No. 1 team since upsetting Spain at the 2009 Confederations Cup. The Americans scored multiple goals in consecutive games in Europe for the first time since 1979, the U.S. Soccer Federation said.
