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(81,856 posts) Thu Jun 26, 2014, 10:32 AM Jun 2014

Group G: USA-Germany & Portugal-Ghana

Group G: USA-Germany

12PM EDT

BBC Match Preview: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25285382

Fifa Match Info: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255931/match=300186469/index.html#nosticky

ESPN: http://www.espnfc.us/gamecast/383258/gamecast.html

US Matchday Preview: http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/06/25/17/36/140626-mntvger-matchday

http://www.ussoccer.com/mens-national-team/tournaments/2014-fifa-world-cup/140626-mntvger

Group G: Portugal-Ghana

12PM EDT

BBC Match Preview: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25285312

Fifa Match Info: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=255931/match=300186476/index.html#nosticky

ESPN: http://www.espnfc.us/gamecast/383259/gamecast.html

Advancement Scenarios:

Here’s how the United States can advance to the round of 16:

– A win over Germany (United States finishes first in the group, plays the second-place team from Group H on Monday at 4 p.m. in Porto Alegre).

– A draw with Germany (United States finishes second in the group, plays the first-place team from Group H on Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Salvador).

– A loss to Germany combined with a Portugal-Ghana draw (United States finishes second in the group, plays the first-place team from Group H on Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Salvador).

– A U.S. loss to Germany combined with a win by either Portugal or Ghana would create a two-way tie for second in the group at four points. The United States could still advance under this scenario, depending on tiebreakers. After points accrued, the first tiebreaker is goal differential, then total goals scored. Here’s an explanation of FIFA’s tiebreaking process.

To put it another way, if the United States loses, it really will hope that Portugal defeats Ghana. The United States has a five-goal edge over Portugal in goal differential, which is the tiebreaker that will come into play and will be nearly impossible for Portugal to overcome.

If the United States loses and Ghana wins, things could get dicey. A one-goal U.S. loss combined with a one-goal Ghana win would send the Americans through, because of their head-to-head win over Ghana. But if the United States loses (by any margin) and Ghana wins by two or more goals, Ghana will advance.

Other Group G scenarios

– Germany will advance and win the group with a win or a draw against the United States.

– Ghana will advance with a win over Portugal and a loss by either the United States or Germany, provided it wins the tiebreakers.

– Portugal will advance with a win over Ghana and a loss by either the United States or Germany, provided it wins the tiebreakers. Given its minus-four goal differential (the first tiebreaker), Portugal will need a sizable win over Ghana combined with a blowout win by either the United States or Germany to advance.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2014/06/26/heres-how-u-s-soccer-can-advance-in-the-world-cup-group-g-group-h-scenarios