United States lost to Germany 1-0 in the final match of group play, but still advanced to the round of 16. The U.S. advanced to the round of 16 despite the loss because Portugal defeated Ghana 2-1.
One more goal from Ghana would have knocked the Americans out of the World Cup.
The Ghana-Portugal match was played in Brasilia, Brazil, simultaneously with the U.S.-Germany contest.
The U.S. and German teams have several ties to each other. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann coached Germany to a third-place finish in the 2006 World Cup and as a player, helped lead Germany to the 1990 World Cup championship. German coach Joachim Low was Klinsmann’s assistant on the 2006 World Cup team.
U.S. midfielder Julian Green is the teammate of seven German players on the traditional Bundesliga power Bayern Munich while American defender Fabian Johnson and German midfielder Cristoph Kramer are teammates on Borussia Moncherngladbach in the Bundesliga.
U.S. defenders John Brooks and Timmy Chandler also play in the Bundesliga.
— City News Service
