Thomas Mueller's second-half goal saw Germany sail to a 1-0 victory over the United States in World Cup Group G on Thursday, a result that saw both teams progress to the knockout stage of the tournament. Germany top the group and will face the runner-up in Group H while the United States finish second and will face Group H's winner. Portugal who beat Ghana 2-1 are eliminated with the Africans.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the tournament but missed a glut of other chances as Portugal's 2-1 win over incident-hit Ghana on Thursday was not enough to make the second round as both sides exited the World Cup. Portugal finished level on four points with the United States in Group G but the Americans advanced to the last 16 courtesy of a better goal difference despite their 1-0 loss to group winners Germany in Recife.
"We are very disappointed. We have to go home and come back stronger," Ghana's goalscorer Asamoah Gyan said after they finished bottom of thr group with one point. Ghana defender John Boye's first-half own goal summed up a match that. The Germans dominated the game with Juergen Klinsmann's team, with their backs against the wall, creating very few chances.
The breakthrough came after 55 minutes when Tim Howard parried out a Per Mertesacker header but Mueller collected the loose ball on the edge of the area and superbly side-footed into the bottom corner. "For once I scored a beautiful goal. If I don't watch out I'll become a legend? OK, I won't watch out," Mueller told ZDF Television after being told he had outscored Diego Maradona in World Cups.
"We are ready for the knockout stage. We keep working hard and we are full of team spirit." The game had been threatened by a torrential downpour in the north-eastern city of Recife on Thursday morning but the heavy rain that hampered the preparations of fans and players alike eased to a drizzle as kickoff approached.
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