U.S. shocks another European power in beating world champion Germany (Video)

Just five days after the United States men's national team took a spirited comeback win over the Netherlands, it claimed another unlikely victory against Germany, beating the world champions 2-1 in Cologne.

A fine goal from Mix Diskerud canceled out the go-ahead score from Mario Goetze, who had also decided the World Cup final last summer. And a late Bobby Wood strike, his second game-winner for his country in a week after never scoring in a Yanks uniform previously, secured the win.

In the last two years or so, the Americans have two wins and one loss against the Germans, whose structure and playing philosophy was put in place by current U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. The Americans dropped a 1-0 loss to the Germans at the World Cup in Brazil, but beat Die Mannschaft 4-3 in a friendly in Washington, D.C. in June 2013 and again Wednesday.

This time around, the Americans made a spritely and eager start to the game but flagged fairly quickly. Just a few minutes in, Bastian Schweinsteiger was wide open at the U.S.'s second post on a corner that was nodded on, but the ball skipped just behind him. Mesut Ozil then had a good look as well, but his effort was smothered by goalkeeper Brad Guzan. It seemed then like the USA defense would be overrun.

Soon enough, Germany was ahead. Patrick Herrmann sliced inside from the wing in the 12th minute, running away from Diskerud and through three other Americans, and squared for the abandoned Goetze. He beat Guzan easily with an against-the-grain shot.

Not much later, the Americans were almost reduced to 10 men as Danny Williams scythed through Ilkay Gundogan and could well have gotten a red card, but was spared and given a yellow instead.

The German dominance would last a while longer. Guzan denied Goetze on the half hour after the forward had been played into an acre of space. And Andre Schurrle had a wide-open header but couldn't get enough of his noggin on it. Thereafter, the Americans came alive. After producing almost nothing up to that point against an experimental German backline, with just 22 total caps, they began taking control of the run of play.

In the 41st minute, a 35-pass, minute-and-a-half sequence of American possession culminated in a cross-field pass from Michael Bradley, who had already been distinguishing himself in midfield. He picked out Diskerud, who chested the ball down and volleyed it under Ron-Robert Zieler for the equalizer.

Gyasi Zardes then blasted an open look from the edge of the box well over on the brink of halftime. The young forward had the first good look of the second half as well, as he got himself onto the end of a splendid ball from Diskerud, but a pack of German defenders caught up to him before he could finish the chance.

As the second half wore on, the Americans did not relinquish the momentum they had seized before the intermission and even controlled possession for long stretches. With plenty of speed in the side, they were even making the Germans' life uncomfortable.

Sami Khedira got a chance for Germany after an hour but couldn't quite connect on his header. And then the U.S. began pressing for the winner.

Jordan Morris, the collegian from Stanford, almost curled in a shot from the edge of the box with the outside of his foot seconds after coming on. Bradley nearly whipped a corner in directly for an Olimpico. And the captain then built an attack, exchanged balls with DeAndre Yedlin but saw his finish denied by Zieler.

Then, in the 88th minute, Brad Evans played a low, diagonal ball to Wood. The forward, who had scored the winner against the Netherlands as well, took a touch, spun and then slammed a shot past Zieler from outside the box.

A touch of luck preserved the win as a 94th-minute Khedira header caromed off the crossbar above the beaten Guzan.

The Americans were better value for their win than they had been against the Dutch, who had dominated but given away far too many chances. The USA matched the Germans in their energy and playing ambition and deserved the win.

And so, with less than a month to play before the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Klinmann's men got a second huge confidence booster.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.