[WC 14] GROUP G: Germany, Ghana, Portugal & USA

[NASpurs]

Me when Portugal scored

[resistanze]

Winner of the Group's path (as it stands): Algeria, France/Nigeria
Runner-up of the Group's path: Belgium, Argentina/Ecudaor

[Venti Quattro]

Its a good result for both team but no way you to 30 players look if you are alone miss your shot. Germany cannot offer luxury to take any risk. Again if it's a tie with 15 min remaining yes both team will stand bye but you don't refuse to play during 90 min.

I'm not saying settle for a scoreless draw because that's ing boring. If your're gonna conspire for a draw so that both teams advance, might as well make it a scoring draw. How does 4-4 appeal?

[NASpurs]

Venti Quattro dat pope

[DMX7]

Venti Quattro dat pope

That would have been even more epic a few years ago with HitlerJugend Pope.

[DMX7]

Oh, and the Nazis would have slaughtered the Columbians like cattle if they had a chance. What an idiot that guy is.

[ElNono]

Germany gonna come out to win, tbh... time to avenge WWII

[Blizzardwizard]

I see a hard fought 1-1 draw. If they get a little luck, there's no reason the USA can't sniff a quarter-final or even a semi-final. No team in the entire tournament has completely dominated both games in the group stages so far, except for France but they were playing mediocre opposition.

[ManuLoco]

I see a hard fought 1-1 draw. If they get a little luck, there's no reason the USA can't sniff a quarter-final or even a semi-final. No team in the entire tournament has completely dominated both games in the group stages so far, except for France but they were playing mediocre opposition.

I don't remember a world champion who dominated the group stages. They always suck until the semis. France is not going to win this.

[hater]

Ghana has easily been the best team of this group of death. Too bad they had a bit of bad luck in game 1, deserved to win it.

they could easily be leading the group at this point. They will play their little hearts out vs. Portugal and should be able to win IMO. But unfortunately Jurgen Klinsmann knows Germany too well. He can easily negotiate a tie vs. the Krauts

[Darth_Pelican]

76% chance that US advances.

How the U.S. can qualify for the last 16




Following the thrilling 2-2 draw between the U.S. and Portugal, here are the scenarios that would allow the U.S. to clinch a spot in the round of 16.
Remaining fixtures:

- Thursday U.S. vs. Germany (ESPN, noon ET); Portugal vs. Ghana (ESPN2, noon ET)



Updated Soccer Power Index odds to advance:

- Germany: 99.7 percent
- United States: 76 percent
- Ghana: 19 percent
- Portugal: 5 percent

Simplest Scenarios
- Germany: Advance with win/draw vs. USA
- United States: Advance with win/draw vs. GER
- Portugal: Advance with win vs. GHA AND GER/USA do not tie, IF POR wins tiebreak with loser (see below)
- Ghana: Advance with win vs. POR AND GER/USA do not tie, IF GHA wins tiebreak with loser (see below)

U.S. Scenarios
- Win/draw vs. Germany
- Loss and Portugal-Ghana draw
- Loss and win tiebreaker vs. Portugal-Ghana winner

Tiebreakers
If the United States loses, Ghana would qualify instead if either game is decided by a margin of two goals or more. If the U.S. loses by one goal, Ghana would need to win by two goals or be involved in a higher-scoring one-goal win. For instance, a 1-0 scoreline in both games would put the United States through on head-to-head. So, if the U.S. loses 1-0, then Ghana must win 2-1 to qualify on goals scored.
To surpass the U.S., Portugal will need a goal-difference swing of five (head-to-head is level). So for instance, Portugal would need to win 3-0 and U.S. lose 2-0, among other equivalent scorelines. The teams will draw lots if goal difference is identical (this would happen with a 3-0 U.S. defeat and a 2-0 Portugal win, for example).

History
If the United States and Germany draw on Thursday, both will advance to the knockout stage regardless of Ghana and Portugal's result. There have already been questions about how much attacking will occur in that match, as there's precedent for German involvement in a mutually-assured advancement situation.
In 1982, West Germany was in a group with Algeria, Austria and Chile. A 3-2 Algeria win in its last match meant Algeria would be the first team to reach the knockout stage unless West Germany beat Austria by one or two goals -- in which case both European sides would advance. After Germany's Horst Hrubesch put the Germans in front in the 10th minute, both teams realized they were through if results held and basically stopped playing for the final 80 minutes (0 shots, barely any tackles, etc.).
The incident is what prompted FIFA to change the format of the final match of the group stage. All four teams in a group now play their third match simultaneously to avoid this scenario.

[hater]

as mentioned Germany will not easily concede a tie because their main goal will be to win the group as early as possible and start getting into form for the 2nd round.

USA will have to go 110% to even hope to get a draw IMO

[lefty]

Nazis are gonna cheat like they did in 1982

[hater]

hopefully this goes the way of the Dresden firebombing

[Darth_Pelican]

Nazis are gonna cheat like they did in 1982

was that the game where the players just stopped playing in the 80 minute mark? that was hilarious

[Infinite_limit]

Ghana has easily been the best team of this group of death. Too bad they had a bit of bad luck in game 1, deserved to win it.

they could easily be leading the group at this point. They will play their little hearts out vs. Portugal and should be able to win IMO. But unfortunately Jurgen Klinsmann knows Germany too well. He can easily negotiate a tie vs. the Krauts

I rewatched the Ghana/German game last night.

Germany dominated their ass. They had 10+ solid/calm/precise chances in the final 20 minutes after Schweinsteiger came in. I know Ghana had some nice breakaways late and that was nice but Germany could have easily put 5 goals up on them late.

[Infinite_limit]

as mentioned Germany will not easily concede a tie because their main goal will be to win the group as early as possible and start getting into form for the 2nd round.

USA will have to go 110% to even hope to get a draw IMO

Actually. The easier road to the Final is as the 2nd Place team. USA must Win the group because they will be underdogs versus Belgium. Germany will slap their little cousins and then skull Argentina for a 3rd time

[hater]

I rewatched the Ghana/German game last night.

Germany dominated their ass. They had 10+ solid/calm/precise chances in the final 20 minutes after Schweinsteiger came in. I know Ghana had some nice breakaways late and that was nice but Germany could have easily put 5 goals up on them late.

disagree. Germans played pretty well of course, they are Krautland after all. But the skill of the africans was evident, they smoked the German defenders a good percentage of the time. Obviously when Ghana scored the 2nd goal, Krauts hit the panic button and sent the entire Panzer batallion to the fronts which easily allowed for the tie goal. But Krauts cannot play like this the 90 minutes, they cannot sustain it, especially with the african players creating dangerous counterattack after dangerous counterattack.

IMO Ghana deserved the win yesterday.

[lefty]

was that the game where the players just stopped playing in the 80 minute mark? that was hilarious

Wayyyyy before the 80 min mark. Austria let Germany score and then they just passed the ball around for the rest of the game

[Infinite_limit]

disagree. Germans played pretty well of course, they are Krautland after all. But the skill of the africans was evident, they smoked the German defenders a good percentage of the time. Obviously when Ghana scored the 2nd goal, Krauts hit the panic button and sent the entire Panzer batallion to the fronts which easily allowed for the tie goal. But Krauts cannot play like this the 90 minutes, they cannot sustain it, especially with the african players creating dangerous counterattack after dangerous counterattack.

IMO Ghana deserved the win yesterday.

Ghana is the best African team in the Tournament & probably 2nd best in the Group. And I will be sad to see them not reach the Knockout Stage (most likely). It was probably the best 45 minutes of action so far (As the analyst said).

[Robz4000]

The US is advancing, even with a loss. Portugal will either tie or beat the africans, hence pushing the US through.

Idk, Yurop has been getting a train run on itself by Africa and South America tbh.

[Infinite_limit]

Idk, Yurop has been getting a train run on itself by Africa and South America tbh.

Is that what Kayne said?

[hater]

Ghana is the best African team in the Tournament & probably 2nd best in the Group. And I will be sad to see them not reach the Knockout Stage (most likely). It was probably the best 45 minutes of action so far (As the analyst said).

and the 10 minutes or so between the 2nd Ghana goal and the German goal was some amazingly dominating game by the Krauts

if the Krauts played like this for 90 minutes they could win the Cup by raping teams. But I guess they cannot sustain that effort throughout the 90 minutes thus why they "fall asleep" at times

[Infinite_limit]

and the 10 minutes or so between the 2nd Ghana goal and the German goal was some amazingly dominating game by the Krauts

if the Krauts played like this for 90 minutes they could win the Cup by raping teams. But I guess they cannot sustain that effort throughout the 90 minutes thus why they "fall asleep" at times

I'd prefer to move Lahm back to his natural position, fill his MF void by a top player off the bench. Fullback is the biggest weakness, why not fill it with Lahm

[Darth_Pelican]

Ghana is the Golden State Warriors of soccer. Them nigglets are fun to watch but their swiss cheese defense concedes too many goals.