Here is a recap of Day 15 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
GERMANY 1 UNITED STATES 0
Thomas Mueller scored as Germany won Group G with a 1-0 victory over the United States. LA Galaxy center back Omar Gonzalez started and went 90 minutes as the Americans’ defensive shape flummoxed the Germans for most of the match. Mueller broke through for the Germans in the 51st minute with a rocket shot past U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard. Germany will now face Algeria in the Round of 16 on Monday while the U.S. will face Group H winners Belgium.
PORTUGAL 2 GHANA 1
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the game-winner as Portugal ended their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over Ghana. Portugal took the lead after 31 minutes when a failed clearance by Ghanaian defender John Boye ended up in the back of the Black Stars’ net. Ghana made the match — and all of Group G — interesting in the 57th minute when Asamoah Gyan scored his sixth World Cup goal. With his strike, Gyan is now Africa’s all-time leading goal scorer at the World Cup. Fueled by Gyan’s goal, Ghana pressed for a go-ahead goal, but in the end, it was Ronaldo’s finish in the 80th minute sealed the win for Portugal.
ALGERIA 1 RUSSIA 1
Algeria qualified for the knockout stages for the first time in their history with a 1-1 draw with Russia. The Russians took the lead early on with a goal in the Aleksandr Kokorin in the sixth minute that kept their World Cup hopes alive. Islam Slimani put the Desert Foxes through to the last 16 in the 60th minute when he tallied his second goal of the World Cup. Russia pressed to find the goal to extend their tournament, but it never came. Algeria advanced as runners-up in Group H.
BELGIUM 1 KOREA REPUBLIC 0
Belgium locked down the top spot in Group H with a 1-0 victory over Korea Republic. Korea started the match well as they held the Belgians scoreless, but Jan Vertonghen tallied the lone goal for the Red Devils in the 77th minute to put them through to the knockout stage. Korea continued to search for the tying goal, but saw their best attempt, a Lee Chung-Yong shot in stoppage time saved by Thibaut Courtois. Belgium will now take on the United States in round 16 on Tuesday.
The World Cup will take a one day break before action returns on Saturday. On Saturday, Brazil face Chile at 9:00 a.m. PT while Colombia take on a Luis Suarez-less Uruguay at 1:00 p.m. PT.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
