The U.S. national team qualified for the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup despite losing 1-0 to Germany in Recife on Thursday.
I repeat. The USA made it out of the dreaded “Group of Death.”
Jurgen Klinsmann’s men completed a remarkable group stage campaign, as they finished runners up in Group G to Germany and qualified for the knockout rounds for the fourth-time in their history. The game-winning moment arrived in the 55th minute as Thomas Muller finished off a loose ball clinically but all eyes were on the other game in Group G, where Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 but that meant the U.S. had pulled off a huge shock to make the knockout round.
The USA will now play Belgium on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET in Salvador, as Klinmann’s men produced one of the best group stage displays in their World Cup history.
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It was a nerve jangling game in a rain-soaked Recife. Germany got on the front foot early on and a cross from the right wing found Muller in the box but the Bayern Munich star acrobatically missed the ball, then Podolski fired well over on the rebound.
Jerome Boateng was getting plenty of joy down the right-flank, as the USA sat back and tried to soak up early pressure from the German attack. Then on the left flank Mesut Ozil played in Podolski who flashed a cross into the six-yard box but Tim Howard collected the ball as Muller slid in to try and convert. Another dangerous ball into the box saw Benedikt Howedes and Per Mertesacker get in each other’s way and the ball was eventually cleared by the U.S. defense.
The USA were under intense pressure early on but managed to weather the storm in rainy Recife.
As the first half wore on some timely clearances from Omar Gonzalez kept things level and brief forays forward resulted in a confidence boost for the U.S. side. In the 22nd minute Graham Zusi was found out wide by Michael Bradley and the Sporting KC winger cut inside superbly but curled his effort just over the bar.
After a frantic start to the game the pace dropped slightly but as half time approached Germany began to press again, with Ozil jinxing into the box and getting a shot in on goal that Howard saved down low. However with the scored locked at 0-0, both teams returned to their locker rooms knowing they were 45 minutes away from reaching the last 16.
Moments into the second half U.S. fans were fearing the worst as the ball broke to Boateng on the right and his cross was arcing towards Ozil but out of nowhere Gonzalez (yet again) arrived to put him off and quell the danger.
In the 51st minute half time substitute Klose went close as the prolific forward peeled off to the back post but he couldn’t get a good connection on his header. A wake up call for the USA.
Disaster then struck for the U.S. as a short corner from Ozil found Mertesacker who forced Howard to make a superb stop, however the loose ball found Muller 20-yards out who powerfully side-footed the ball home. The German machine was clicking into place.
After the opener, the U.S. looked shaky as Germany sprayed the ball around and probed for a second. With Ghana equalizing vs. Portugal, the USA’s chances of advancing now hung on a thread. With the second half closing out, the “Manaus effect” began to take hold on the U.S. as there were plenty of tired legs for the Stars and Stripe and a tense second half played out.
Late on Germany continued to push as Gotze almost got in from close range but Besler made a heroic clearance to keep the score at 1-0. The U.S. almost scored late on as Bedoya was teed up but a superb block from Lahm stopped him, then Dempsey headed over the bar from close range.
Despite not getting the result they would needed before the g ame, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal beat Ghana to send the USA through to the last 16.
LINEUPS
USA: Howard, Gonzalez, Bradley, Besler, Beasley, Dempsey, Jones, Davis (Bedoya, 59'), Beckerman, Zusi (Yedlin, 83'), Johnson
Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Hummels, Schweinsteiger (Gotze, 75'), Ozil (Schurrle, 89'), Podolski (Klose, 45'), Muller, Lahm, Mertesacker, Kroos, Boateng
Goal: Muller (55')