The United States reached the knockout stage of consecutive World Cups for the first time, just not the way the Americans wanted.
Germany beat the U.S. 1-0 on Thursday in soggy conditions on Thomas Muller’s 55th-minute goal to win Group G, but the Americans advanced as runners-up when Portugal defeated Ghana 2-1 in a game played simultaneously in Brasilia.
The Germans, three-time World Cup champions, finished with seven points, while the U.S. had four after allowing a 95th-minute goal against Portugal on Sunday in a 2-2 draw. Portugal also had four, but the Americans advanced from a so-called “Group of Death” because their goal difference was even and the Portuguese were minus-3.
The U.S. will next play Belgium unless they lose to South Korea (4 p.m. ET, ESPN) and Algeria beats Russia (4 p.m. ET, ESPN2), in which case the Americans will face Algeria. The U.S. is advancing to the knockout round at consecutive World Cups for the first time in the team’s history.
