Looked like the same Ghana team that played the US. The US knew that they would get destroyed if Ghana got quick counter attacks, so they stayed back and defended. Ghana had trouble breaking down a staunch US defense. Germany thought that they could defend Ghana in the open on quick counters, much to their chagrin.
Give the USA some credit. Frankly, we defended Ghana better, and were strong offensively until losing Altidore.
Wow, that was intense. Ghana might be a little disappointed, but that was a heavyweight slugging match in the second half.
Meanwhile, I’d really like the US to win tomorrow so I can root for Germany next week with a clean conscience.
I agree with that. I think Japan-Greece was the only snooze I’ve watched so far.
I think the USA deserve plenty of credit, but i don’t think Ghana were nearly as strong in the first game as they were today.
Agreed, that’s all I managed to see today so far, but bloody hell.
Phew, this was an exciting game. Our defense was mostly absent, but you can never count us out. I’m glad for Miro Klose to have scored the record goal, he’s just such a great sportsman.
Aside from their having blinked in the opening moments, allowing the quick USA goal (which is obviously not nothing), I saw the same side as just now. The USA tactics simply handled them a bit better.
ETA: what a pity only two teams move forward. In this group, I see three very deserving sides so far*. We’ll see how USA-Portugal goes tomorrow.
*This is truly the Group of Death! Portugal is certainly no patsy.
Shkrodan Mustafi should be on a plane back to Frankfurt, that defending on Ayew’s header was beyond abysmal. He didn’t even JUMP. Mertesacker, Khedira, and Lahm were also pretty dreadful–Lahm has been surprisingly slow in both matches and I’m wondering if he’s struggling with the temperatures. Mertesacker being slow can hardly be called surprising, but he was caught out a lot today, and Khedira’s passing was from the depths. I think I’d start Schweinsteiger next time. Howedes was also too slow on the left.
Yeah, I think Portugal have got a win in them somewhere (remember they were down to ten men for much of the Germany game) so this could be a very tight group.
Oh yeah, that reminds me. Mustafi. I have to say, it almost looked like he ducked on that header. That was awful.
I didn’t think Khedira was as bad as you thought, but totally agree with the rest.
What turns faster,Per Mertesacker or milk?
I thought it looked like that as well–almost like he was instinctively trying to avoid getting bonked than get in there on the ball. Pathetic.
Khedira, for me, just has had too much poor decision-making and too many poor executions on passes. Then he pushes forward, doesn’t do anything with it, and leaves a bunch of space exposed behind him. The game changed immediately when Schweinsteiger came on in his place.
Wow, what an absymal offside call!
Ok, someone explain to the novice why that was not a goal.
You shouldn’t forget they both struggled with injuries for months before the tournament, with Khedira just getting fit in time (or wasn’t he?). He was good against Portugal, but not today. Schweini, together with Klose, kind of saved the game for us. Let’s see who’ll start against the USA.
Because the linesman erroneously called it offside.
Nigeria has some really nice lead-up play, but they can’t seem to get it together to make good strikes.
I was thinking the same. He should have jumped, he even could have fouled the Ghanaian striker, but man, do something!
I didn’t know anything about Mustafi before his nomination, with him never having played in the Bundesliga and being a last minute surprising substitution for an injured Reus. He was quite good at his offensive actions, but that was embarassing.
B&H almost snagged a draw right at the death there, with a close-in shot saved amazingly (and somewhat luckily) by the Nigerian goalkeeper and deflecting off the post.