EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Niclas Füllkrug and Jamal Musiala scored three minutes apart early in the second half, and Germany rallied to beat the United States 3-1 in an exhibition Saturday as Gio Reyna played under American coach Gregg Berhalter for the first time since their family feud erupted.
Christian Pulisic put the 11th-ranked U.S. ahead in the 27th minute, and İlkay Gündogan tied the score in the 39th. Füllkrug got the go-ahead goal in the 58th, and Musiala padded the margin in the 61st as No. 15 Germany won its first match since Julian Nagelsmann replaced Hansi Flick as coach.
Reyna, his hair newly dyed blond, played the first half in his first start since fracturing his right leg in a CONCACAF Nations League match against Canada in June. The 20-year-old midfielder had been limited since the injury to a 27-minute substitute appearance for Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Oct. 7.
Berhalter said during a management conference after the tournament that he nearly sent a player home from Qatar for lack of effort during training, remarks clearly about Reyna.
Reyna’s parents, former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna and midfielder Danielle Egan, contacted the U.S. Soccer Federation about a three-decades-old domestic violence allegation involving Berhalter and the woman who later became his wife. Berhalter was replaced by a pair of interim coaches and, after a law firm retained by the United States Soccer Federation determined he did not improperly withhold information when he was hired in 2018, was rehired to resume coaching in September.
The U.S. went ahead when Pulisic accelerated around Jonathan Tah, cut to the center and turned around Antonio Rüdiger, then lifted a shot to Marc-André ter Stegen’s upper left corner for his 27th goal in 63 international appearances.
Gündoğan tied the score with his 18th international goal and first since the World Cup. Leroy Sané spun left back Sergiño Dest, cut across the top of the penalty area and twice exchanged passes with Gündoğan. After goalkeeper Matt Turner committed, Sané poked the ball to Gündoğan for an open shot from close range.
Once Reyna was replaced by Luca de la Torre, Germany dominated.
Füllkrug beat Turner to the far post from 12 yards for his eighth goal in 10 appearances after Robin Gosens slid a pass past Chris Richards. Musiala got his second international goal, racing ahead of Tim Ream after Füllkrug beat Turner to a deflection and then centered the ball.
German midfielder Chris Führich made his international debut when he entered in the 81st minute.
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