After the news broke a few hours ago regarding Luis Suarez’s ban, I think a lot of people will have been happy to see an actual football game instead of all the politics. What a game we were treated to as well – Germany versus the USA. There was a fair bit of talk before the game about the fact that these two sides needed a draw to progress and they might play for that. Read on to see our thoughts on how the game panned out!
Germany started the match as expected, in the ascendancy, prowling around the American final third. Their first half-chance came in the first minute as Ozil, Boateng and Schwiensteiger played some good football down the right flank, not under too much pressure from the USA in all honesty, before whipping a ball in for Muller who was given the kind of space to try an ambitious overhead kick but it didn’t come off.
Schweinsteiger was very influential in the play early on popping up everywhere to help the Germans keep possession and keep the Americans pegged back into their own half; it took 11 minutes for the USA to have a sustained period of possession in the German half but even then, the Germans were restricting their possession to the centre-circle area or the less dangerous areas down the flank.
The Europeans were creating half-chances in abundance and really appeared to be going for it; so far the game wasn’t living up to the bore draw billing that the media were spinning around this game. America soon began to get it together too, making a really good contest of the game. Although the USA seemed to be a bit guilty of repeating previous errors – pressing very high as a unit sometimes whereas other times they didn’t press at all.
The Germans were working to get a lot of space on the flanks and frequently got into dangerous crossing positions; the final ball was seriously lacking in the first half though. Low balls were frequently being sent in by the German wingers and full-backs but Tim Howard and the American defence were doing a good job of sweeping up the danger and keeping Muller away from any balls that spilled loose. The only thing missing from a very competitive first half was a goal; the teams went in 0-0 at half-time but it wasn’t for the want of trying!
Germany started the second half equally as quick as they did in the first. Klose had been introduced in place of Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski and occupied the central position whereas Muller took Podolski’s place on the left. The opening five minutes of the half was all Germany and, had it not been for Omar Gonzalez who was having a great game at the back for the Americans, the Europeans might well have found themselves ahead. It was good work down the flanks again that led to a big chance from the Germans as Boateng sent in a very inviting early cross towards Ozil who was mere feet away from the goal but was challenged at the last by Gonzalez who pressured the playmaker enough to head out.
Ozil was soon involved again though and it proved decisive as he played a corner short before getting the ball back and sending a powerful curling cross in towards the goal for Mertesacker to head towards the bottom corner. Howard was equal to the effort, getting down low really well to push the effort away but could only push to the edge of the box where Muller was waiting to lash the ball back into the far corner of the American goal to give the Germans a 1-0 lead.
Things were soon looking very glum for the Americans too as not only were the Germans fully in control of this game but Ghana had managed to equalise in the other game of the group meaning that if they were to pull ahead of Portugal in that game, they would be equal on points and goal-difference with the Americans but behind on goals scored therefore the Americans would just about scrape through. Germany were creating enough chances though to look like scoring again so the Americans were treading on thin ice after 60 minutes of this fixture.
As the game rolled on into the final ten minutes the Americans were still occupying second place in the group but now looked relatively safe in that position as there had been a goal in the other game in Brasilia and it was a goal for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo had netted for the Portuguese to put the Iberians 2-1 up on the night but still a long way behind the USA in the goal difference rankings therefore America were safe barring some miraculous comeback by Ghana or a monumental collapse of their own defence against the Germans.
Fortunately for Team USA, everything went their way – they had a couple of great chances in added time to equalise but couldn’t take them; it probably would have been harsh on the Germans if they hadn’t grabbed the win as America hadn’t looked like scoring throughout the game. Nonetheless the Americans advanced to the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup for the second year running and the fifth time in their history. Stick with us here at Fortitude to see how both of these sides get on in the knockout rounds!