Five keys for USMNT vs Germany

The U.S. men's team arrives in this friendly buoyed by a win over Senegal, but faces its toughest pre-World Cup examination yet against a Germany side boasting Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz. A strong showing would do a lot for confidence ahead of the tournament opener.

Midfield selection is one storyline to watch. Pochettino praised Sebastian Berhalter after the Senegal match and handed him the most minutes, prompting questions about whether he could pair with Tyler Adams to allow Weston McKennie to play higher up the field. Germany will offer a clearer picture of how ready Berhalter is for a bigger role.

Up front, the trio of Ricardo Pepi, Folarin Balogun and Haji Wright gives the coach a pleasant selection headache. Pepi started and influenced the first two goals against Senegal, Balogun struck after coming on, and Wright remains a strong option despite not featuring last time out.

usmnt, germany, jamal musiala, joshua kimmich, florian wirtz, kai havertz, sebastian berhalter, tyler adams, weston mckennie, ricardo pepi