US lose, but they still go through

Thomas Mueller fired an unstoppable 20-metre shot to give Germany a 1-0 victory over the United States last night and top spot in World Cup Group G.

The US, coached by former German boss Jurgen Klinsmann, also went through to the last 16.

The 1-0 win and Germany's domination of the game answered doubters who had suggested the two sides could be happy with a draw that would see them both through to the second round.

Klinsmann hired German coach Joachim Loew as his assistant when he was in charge of Germany. The two remain friends but both insisted they would go for a win.

Germany went on the attack from the start and in the first 20 minutes the ball was seldom out of the US half. However, Mueller and his team-mates struggled to create clear-cut chances.

The breakthrough came 10 minutes into the second half as US goalkeeper Tim Howard faced more pressure.

Howard punched away a header from Per Mertesacker, but Mueller was waiting on the edge of the penalty area and fired it back in, giving the goalkeeper no chance.

Mueller now has four goals in the tournament, taking him level at the top of the scorer's rankings with Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Neymar.

An own goal by John Boye and a late strike by Cristiano Ronaldo gave Portugal a 2-1 win over incident-hit Ghana last night, but it was not enough to make the second round as both sides exited the World Cup.

Portugal finished level on four points with the US in Group G, but the Americans advanced to the last 16 courtesy of a better goal difference.

Boye's poor attempt at a first-half clearance summed up a disappointing match between two teams who needed big victories in the Brazilian capital to have a chance of advancing.

The defender swiped at a 31st-minute cross from Portuguese fullback Miguel Veloso which hit his knee and then the crossbar before nestling in the back of the net.

The goal came after a Ghana break ended when Bahrain official Nawaf Shukralla accidentally blocked an attempted pass, handing possession to the Portuguese, who went up field and scored.

The Ghanaians improved after the break and striker Asamoah Gyan headed them level at the back post after a brilliant cross with the outside of his foot by Kwadwo Asamoah in the 57th minute.

Gyan then turned provider, putting in another ball from the left for an unmarked Abdul Majeed Waris moments later, but the striker could only steer his header wide from six yards out.

The wasted effort proved costly as Portugal skipper and World Player-of-the-Year Ronaldo smashed his side ahead in the 80th minute after Ghana goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda flapped at a high ball, sending it straight to the Real Madrid forward.

Ronaldo should have had another minutes later, but Dauda was on hand to parry the forward's side-footed effort from close range, with the keeper also blocking an effort from the skipper in the dying stages.

The World Cup exit completed a miserable two days for the Africans, who were embroiled in a pay row and also kicked out midfielders Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari for ill-discipline just hours before the kick-off.

• Visit www.timeslive.co.za for World Cup commentary from our soccer writers.

Weekend's Fixtures

Tomorrow

Brazil vs Chile (6pm)

Colombia vs Uruguay (10pm)

Sunday

Netherlands vs Mexico (6pm)

Costa Rica vs Greece (10pm)