USA Looks To Progress To Knockout Stages

Clint Dempsey will look to find the back of the net and guide the United States to the second round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup when the side meets Germany on Thursday.

The United States will look to beat the bookmakers and advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup Thursday as they face group-leading Germany.

Kickoff at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil, is scheduled for noon ET.

Expected to finish at the bottom of the tough-as-nails Group G ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Jurgen Klinsmann’s side needs nothing more than a draw against Germany in order to advance to the round of 16.

The side came within a hair’s breadth of progressing to the knockout stage with a game to spare on Sunday evening, succumbing to a late goal from the Portuguese and leaving Manaus with a 2-2 draw.

Now the United States will look to advance at the second time of asking.

Much of the focus ahead of the match has been on the existence, or lack thereof, of a “non-aggression pact” between the two sides.

With a draw good enough to send both teams through, some are suggesting that Germany and the United States might consider playing out a lifeless draw and then moving on.

That was a tactic employed by the infamous 1982 West Germany side, and one that Klinsmann assures the world will not be adopted Thursday lunchtime.

Hopefully Klinsmann’s comments will prove ingenuous and we’ll be treated to the sort of offensive display we’ve become used to at this high-scoring tournament.

In terms of personnel, the United States will in all likelihood be without Jozy Altidore once more, although the striker hasn’t been ruled out altogether following a hamstring injury suffered in the opening game of the tournament.

Clint Dempsey will once more act as a spearhead for the American attack, and will look to get the better of a German defense.

Joachim Löw will make changes to shore up that defense though. He’ll likely insert Phillip Lahm in the backline. The Bayern Munich defender played in midfield during a 2-2 draw with Ghana on Sunday.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, making his 104th appearance for Germany, looks likely to take over the midfield role. Meanwhile, Miroslav Klose – one goal away from breaking the all-time record for World Cup goals – will be ready to come off the bench again.

Game time temperatures are expected to reach 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29C). If that wasn’t enough to make the players uncomfortable, rain is also forecast. This one could turn into a sloppy affair.

If the United States loses against Germany, all hope is not lost. They’ll need to hope that Ghana and Portugal draw or face a convoluted tiebreaking scenario based on goal difference and goals scored.

The winner of the game will advance to the round of 16 as group winners, setting up a matchup with Group H runners up (likely to be Algeria or Russia). Germany will advance as group winners in the event of a draw.

The runner up in the group will likely meet Belgium in the next round.

USA vs. Germany match odds for 06/26/2014

Germany (-155) is the favorite to win the match, with a draw (+220) considered more likely than a victory for the United States (+650).

However, it was the USA that went home victorious the last time these two sides met, earning a 4-3 win in a friendly last June.

Germany has won six of nine head-to-head matches all-time. The two sides have combined for 36 goals during that spell, an average of four goals per game.

The two sides last met in the World Cup in 2002, with Germany winning 1-0 in Ulsan, South Korea, during the quarterfinals of the tournament.

The spread opened at 1/2 and the total at 2 1/2.

However, online sportsbook Bovada is offering alternative spreads and totals for you to pick from.

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The other match in Group G – a first ever meeting between Portugal and Ghana – will be played at the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília, with kickoff also scheduled for noon ET.

Portugal (+110) is a narrow favorite over Ghana (+200), with a draw (+300) being the least expected result.

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