Portugal Stuns USMNT With Last Minute Goal, Match Ends In 2-2 Draw

USMNT celebrates the goal that put them ahead 1-0
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For awhile it looked like the U.S. men were going to do the unthinkable, enter their third World Cup game against Germany, having gone 2-0 in the ominous Group of Death.

In the final minute of stoppage time USA held a 2-1 lead against Portugal, when superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, stepped up and saved the tournament for a grateful nation.

Having been embarrassingly dismantled by Germany 4-0 in the opening game of the tournament, a loss by Portugal would have sealed their own elimination and the advancement of the Americans.

Ronaldo moved swiftly up the right wing during the 95th minute of play, delivering a precise cross to Silvestre Varela directly in front of the U.S. goal. Varela headed the ball beyond the reach of American goalkeeper Tim Howard and found the back of the net—it was almost too easy.

Ronaldo has always had a way of making the impossible seem effortless.

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo—earlier in the match
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The fortunes of two nations changed in a split second—exactly the kind of drama that makes the World Cup the globally obsessed over event it is. Although the U.S. is still in a better position than both Ghana and Portugal moving forward, a win on Sunday was their only definitive chance to advance.

Underdog stories always have the happiest endings when they seize any and every opportunity to take matters into their own hands.

A fact that was all too recognizable on the dejected faces of American fans, coaches and players on hand at the Arena Amazonia in Manaus, who recognized the implications of the goal would reverberate well beyond a single game.

An American fan and Assistant coach Andreas Herzog
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Though he gave his own team no chance of wining prior to the tournament, USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann said after the match, “Well, obviously when you get it in the last second, it’s unfortunate. But I think it was an amazing game, amazing performance by our guys. … We got to go and got to beat Germany, get a result against Germany. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Suddenly the notoriously morse Klinsmann, a German himself, sounds a lot more optimistic about the prospects of the Americans.

And perhaps he’s right to be hopeful. The Washington Post did a great breakdown of what is required to advance to the round of 16. An outright loss to Germany would likely spell doom, but a win or even a draw put the U.S. in a very solid position.

The USA takes on Germany on Thursday, June 26, at 12:00 PM on ESPN.