Mexico hold Germany to 2-2 draw in Philadelphia – as 62,000 fans PACK Lincoln Financial Field out for soccer, even with the Phillies thrashing the Diamondbacks across the street in MLB playoffs!

The city of Philadelphia was overtaken by sports fans on Tuesday night as 62,000 fans gathered at Lincoln Financial Field to watch Germany face Mexico in a friendly match.

At the same time, the Philadelphia Phillies also had a packed stadium of fans on hand to watch a 10-0 blowout of the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series across the street at Citizens Bank Park.

Germany came from behind to grab a 2-2 draw against Mexico in what turned out to be an entertaining match for the thousands of fans who made it to one of the 2026 World Cup host cities.

Second-half substitute Niclas Fullkrug saved the day for Germany, smashing home a low finish from close range after 51 minutes to maintain new coach Julian Nagelsmann’s unbeaten record.

Germany arrived in Philadelphia in a confident mood after a 3-1 defeat to the United States on Saturday.

That victory was the first of Nagelsmann’s reign since he was appointed in the wake of Hansi Flick’s dismissal last month following a 4-1 thrashing by Japan.

The four-time world champion looked set to build on that confident performance at a packed Lincoln Financial Field and took the lead within the first half hour.

Union Berlin defender Robin Gosens fired cleverly from a corner and Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger was waiting at the far post to head in the striking finish after 25 minutes.

Mexico responded well to that early setback, with Santiago Gimenez having a strong penalty waved away in the 27th minute after bundling across the box.

Gimenez should have equalized in the 33rd minute but somehow fired a shot from close range over the crossbar, with only German goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen to beat.

Germany thought they had made it 2-0 after 37 minutes when Bayern Munich’s Thomas Müller got the ball into the net but was ruled offside.

Instead, Mexico immediately surged forward with a lightning-quick counter-attack and leveled when Uriel Antuna tucked away a low shot at the near post after Hirving Lozano’s low cross.

Erick Sánchez headed Mexico into the lead two minutes after half-time to make it 2–1, but Fullkrug’s equalizer in the 51st minute allowed Germany to escape with a draw.

Meanwhile, across the street, Kyle Schwarber hit two of Philadelphia’s three solo home runs off Merrill Kelly and the sweet-swinging Phillies.

Trea Turner also connected and JT Realmuto had two hits and three RBI as Philadelphia improved to 7-1 in the playoffs, moving closer to a second straight World Series appearance. Aaron Nola threw three-hit ball and struck out seven in six innings.

Game 3 is Thursday at Chase Field. The Texas Rangers also have a 2-0 lead over the Houston Astros in the ALCS entering Wednesday’s game.

It was another loud night in Philly as Kelly was confused after saying the fans at Citizens Bank Park couldn’t possibly be louder than the ones he heard cheering for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Not just any classic game. The one in May when Turner hit a grand slam for the United States, sending them to the semi-finals of the tournament.

“I obviously haven’t heard this spot on the court yet,” Kelly said before Game 1, “but I would be very surprised if it trumped that (WBC) game in Miami.”

As the kids say: challenge accepted.

Kelly, a 12-game winner this season, was booed voraciously during the pregame introductions and his walk to the mound, a sort of “we’ll show you” atmosphere from 45,412 Phillies diehards determined to keep the ballpark in October to shake up again.

How loud?

“AC/DC concert level,” Turner said loudly before Game 2.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said a rival coach told him last season that a playoff game in Philly was “four hours of hell,” and Turner sent a fit through the crowd when he clocked a four-seam fastball to left center field for a 1 -0 lead in the first.