Match 56: Lukaku lifts Belgium into last eight

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku (C) scores their second goal during the first half of extra-time against the US

US substitute Julian Green volleyed a Michael Bradley pass into goal to set up a thrilling closing spell in extra-time but Belgium prevailed.

Kevin de Bruyne and substitute Romelu Lukaku hit extra-time goals to give Belgium a 2—1 victory over the United States and set up a World Cup quarterfinal meeting with Argentina in Brasilia on Saturday.

Tim Howard in goal had kept the United States in the game with a series of fine saves, but the Everton keeper was beaten in the third and 15th minutes of the extra period before substitute Julian Green pulled one back.

Belgium created the greater chances throughout the game and it was almost one-way traffic in the second half, but time and again Howard was in the way to take the game to extra-time in Salvador’s Arena Fonte Nova.

But as in Belgium’s group games, it was a substitute who proved decisive. Lukaku came off the bench and with his first touch shrugged off the challenge of Matt Besler on the right.

His cross after a powerful run into the area fell to Wolfsburg midfielder de Bruyne who turned and beat the diving Howard with an angled shot. De Bruyne then fed Lukaku as Belgium broke and the striker — on loan last season to Everton from Chelsea — beat his club teammate with a firm shot.

Green came off the bench for the second extra-time period to volley a Michael Bradley pass into goal to set up a thrilling closing spell.

Clint Dempsey was thwarted by Thibaut Courtois in goal from a cleverly-worked free kick as the US fought hard for a second goal but Belgium were not to be denied.

Belgium’s substitutions have proved decisive in this World Cup so far, and when Lukaku came on for the extra 30 minutes, replacing Lille’s 19—year—old striker Divock Origi, who started for the first time at the World Cup, one sensed it could again be a game changer.

Origi had almost given Belgium the perfect start when through with a shot after just 40 seconds which Howard in goal kept out with his leg.

It turned out to be the story of the game, Belgium created chances only to see Howard stop everything thrown at him. De Bruyne dragged a shot wide after the US were backtracking when Graham Zusi lost possession in midfield. And with many of the Belgium moves coming down the left, DaMarcus Beasley did well to clear a Jan Vertonghen cross with Maroune Fellaini lurking.

US coach Jergen Klinsmann had to replace Fabian Johnson with DeAndre Yedlin after the Hoffenheim player pulled up with a muscle injury. It led to a better spell for the US, with the pacey Yedlin taking advantage of the space vacated by Vertonghen to get forward on the right.

Howard was in action straight after the break, tipping a Mertens header over the bar, while Origi missed a splendid chance on 54 minutes when he failed to get a foot to Vertonghen’s cross in front of goal.

Minutes later Origi’s header dropped onto the top of the bar, Howard saved from Vertonghen and the Tottenham defender risked a volley which cleared the bar.

Origi was proving a handful and beat three men inside the penalty area before sending in a low cross which Dries Mertens flicked into the side netting.

Kevin Mirallas came on for Mertens on the hour as Belgium kept probing and another glorious chance fell for Origi who could only flick = at Howard when the ball fell to him after De Bruyne ran straight at the heart of the US defence.

Dempsey had a couple of potshots straight at Courtois but Howard again came to the rescue when he deflected wide from Mirallas after neat work by Origi, reacted quickly to parry a Hazard drive and tipped a blistering Origi shot over the bar.

Wilmots had kept Lukaku on the bench but decided fresh impetus would be needed for extra-time, and the move paid off with his strong run down the right and cross to De Bruyne.

Lukaku’s second goal appeared to have wrapped the game up, and Howard was kept busy stopping Lukaku again and Eden Hazard to prevent a third. But the US gave themselves a chance with Green’s goal in the 107th minute, and in a battling closing spell came close to taking the match to penalties.

Match 45: Germany beats the United States 1-0; and both enters into next stage

Thomas Mueller scored his fourth goal of the World Cup on Thursday as Germany defeated the United States 1-0 to win Group G ahead of the Americans, who also advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup despite losing.

With two wins and a draw, Germany topped the group with seven points, while the U.S. progressed with four. Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 but both were eliminated. Portugal also finished with four points but the U.S. had a better goal difference.

Mueller scored in the 55th minute with a side-footed shot from the edge of the area as tropical downpours drenched the Arena Pernambuco.

Both teams knew before kickoff that a draw would see them through, but neither held back. The game pitted Germany coach Joachim Loew against his good friend and predecessor Juergen Klinsmann, now in charge of the U.S. team.

The two coaches smiled as they shook hands and patted each other on the shoulder after the match.

Germany’s goal came after a corner by Mesut Ozil. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard did well to punch out a header by Per Mertesacker but the ball fell kindly to Mueller, who pounced on the rebound and rifled a shot inside the far post from the edge of the penalty area. Mueller played despite needing five stiches to close a cut above his right eye sustained in the 2-2 draw with Ghana on Saturday and still visible five days later.

The United States had a chance to level the match in stoppage time, but Alejandro Bedoya’s low shot inside the box was swept away by the sliding Mario Goetze, a late substitute. The Americans got a corner but Clint Dempsey’s header at the far post went high.

Loew reshuffled his lineup by bringing in forward Lukas Podolski for Goetze and midfielder Sebastian Schweinsteiger for Sami Khedira. Center back Geoff Cameron was replaced in the U.S. lineup by Omar Gonzalez.

There were many empty seats in the Arena Pernambuco when the match kicked off but fans streamed in during the first half, apparently delayed by traffic jams as torrential rain flooded parts of this northeastern Brazilian city.

Germany was quicker off the mark and Howard intercepted a low cross from Podolski before Michael Bradley made a good clearance and Gonzalez defended well to deny Mueller a shot from close range. Howard’s 103th cap was a record for a U.S. goalkeeper and he did well to stop Ozil’s shot in the 35th minute.

Graham Zusi had the first good shot for the U.S. but his effort in the 22nd went high.

Referee Ravshan Irmatov of Uzbekistan collided accidentally with Jermaine Jones in the 28th and the American midfielder went down hard but got up. The referee shrugged off the challenge.

Miroslav Klose came on for Podolski at the start of the second half but failed to score and grab sole possession of the World Cup scoring record that he now shares with Brazil’s Ronaldo at 15.

Ozil beat Gonzalez to a cross at the start of the second half but sent his header high, while Klose connected with a cross from Schweinsteiger but was off balance and did not get off a clean header.

Match 31: Varela’s late header saves Portugal’s World Cup hopes

Portugal's Silvestre Varela heads the ball past United States' goalkeeper Tim Howard to score his side's second goal and tie the game 2-2

A superb header by Silvestre Varela deep into time added on saved Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal from crashing out of the World Cup finals on Sunday as it secured a 2-2 draw with the United States.

The Americans had looked to be safely into the last 16 after second-half goals by Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey saw them come back from 1-0 down — a goal by Nani — to lead.

However, with only seconds remaining one sublime cross from a pretty anonymous Ronaldo was met by Varela and it soared past Tim Howard to give Portugal a lifeline as a further defeat after the 4-0 hammering by Germany in the opening game would have seen them out.

The Portuguese got just the start they needed to settle their nerves as a terrible defensive error by Stoke City’s Geoff Cameron — the ball flying off his boot to Nani — saw the Manchester United winger wait for Howard to commit himself before rifling the ball into the net.

It had been pre-empted by an outrageous piece of skill by Ronaldo down the left side, completely bewitching three American players as they tried to corral him out on the touchline, only for a series of step overs and a backheel to see him squirm through the three of them.

The Portuguese’s cursed run of injuries continued as veteran striker Helder Postiga — who himself started only because Hugo Almeida had gone off injured early on in the opening game against Germany — lasted just 16 minutes before he had to go off and be replaced by Eder.

Klinsmann’s men were running the game and a fine move ended with Michael Bradley unleash a fine effort from outside the box that cleared the bar.

Howard, who was earning his 102nd cap, kept his side in the game on the stroke of half-time as he somehow managed to stick a hand out as he dived the wrong way to tip a point-blank shot by Eder over the bar.

There was an even finer block the other end 10 minutes into the second-half as Bradley’s goal-bound effort from only 10 yards out saw defender Ricardo Costa spread himself deflect the ball off his knee for a corner, earning a well deserved kiss on the head from goalkeeper Beto.

The Americans, though, deservedly levelled in the 64th minute as Jones produced a right-footed shot from outside the area, leaving Beto rooted to the spot.

Ronaldo and the Portuguese appeared shell-shocked and it was the Americans who grabbed a second as Bradley’s shot rebounded to Graham Zusi off a defender and his cross was put into the net by Dempsey’s stomach for his fourth goal at a World Cup finals.

That looked to be that until, like Lionel Messi with his late goal against Iran on Saturday, Ronaldo summoned up one piece of class with his pinpoint cross, which was enough to break American hearts.

Match 14:For once, USA sees off Ghana and gets off to a dream start

Substitute John Brooks rises to the occasion after Clint Dempsey drills in first goal

Revenge has rarely tasted any sweeter. The USA, eliminated by Ghana at each of the past two World Cups, looked to have suffered another cruel blow at the hands of their tormentors, giving up an 82nd-minute equaliser in a match they had led from the 29th second. But Jurgen Klinsmann’s team refused to be cowed. John Brooks, a second-half substitute and central defender playing in his first official match for his country, rose to power home a header that sent the vast American contingent in Natal into raptures.

It was a goal of tremendous significance. A draw here could not formally have eliminated either team, but with each still to play Germany and Portugal, it would not have been a result to make either side happy.

Ghana could not have started this game any worse. Clint Dempsey, receiving a pass from Jermaine Jones on the left, stepped easily around John Boye — who had moved too hastily — before drilling a low finish beyond Adam Kwarasey’s outstretched boot.

It was the fastest goal of this World Cup, and the fifth-quickest in tournament history.

The roar at Natal’s Estadio das Dunas was electrifying. Local reports had claimed before the game that as many as 20,000 American fans would be in attendance, but they sounded like twice that number.

Disoriented by the early goal, they waged a frantic war in the middle of the pitch, exchanging misplaced passes. Ghana’s first foray into opposition territory did not arrive until the seventh minute, when Asamoah Gyan surged down the right and swung a cross in towards Jordan Ayew.

But Tim Howard was wise to their intentions, stepping forward to make an easy claim.

The next real opportunity came to USA, Jozy Altidore running onto a Fabian Johnson cross that had evaded its intended target, Michael Bradley, in the middle of the box. The striker steadied himself before crushing the ball goalwards, but was denied by a desperate defensive lunge.

That would be Altidore’s final contribution of the half, and potentially of this World Cup. Just three minutes later, the striker pulled up while chasing a ball down the left. For USA this was not a promising sight. There had been no defenders near Altidore when he went down, and he departed on a stretcher in what appeared to be considerable discomfort.

He was replaced by Aron Johansson, although it would be Alejandro Bedoya who reasserted USA’s attacking intentions, blasting a long-range effort over the bar.

Gyan came close to equalising before the half, manoeuvring his way into half a yard of space just outside the box before letting fly with a well-struck shot that Howard did well to palm away.

Moments later Dempsey tumbled to the turf with a bloodied nose after being caught in the face by a dangerously high boot from John Boye.

That would not be the last of his team’s injury concerns. Centre-back Matt Besler was seen clutching his hamstring towards the end of the first half, and subsequently had to be replaced by Brooks.

Ghana were quick to assert themselves against their opponents’ reshuffled defensive line. Within 10 minutes into the second half, Christian Atsu, Sulley Muntari and Gyan had all flashed efforts just high or wide of Howard’s goal.

His opposite number, Kwarasey, was far less assured in dealing with an optimistic 25-yard attempt from Jones. Although the shot flew straight at the goalkeeper, he allowed it to squirm out of his grasp. But USA did not capitalise.

At the time, it was a lone moment of respite for the Americans in what had become an unrelenting assault.

The victory seemed to have slipped when Andre Ayew seized on a devilish back-heel from Gyan in the box, before pulverising it beyond Howard. For once, USA had faced down Ghana, and lived to tell the tale.