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Ghana exposed the German defense by crashing down the right flank, the U.S. did the same incredibly well against Portugal. Fabian Johnson will once again be crucial if the United States want to throw numbers forward and attempt to score. The added bonus against Germany compared to Portugal is if Johnson is unable to retreat, there’s not a player of Ronaldo’s caliber to feast on the error. However, that does not mean that task defensively is easier for the U.S.. Germany are excellent when they control possession in the final third. Against Ghana, the U.S. held strong despite being unable to get out of their own end, but they weren’t nearly as organized against Portugal. If the U.S. can get the defense that showed up against Ghana combined with the attack they received against Portugal, it’ll be enough to hold onto the draw. If one side or the other lacks, they’ll need to hope the other group game’s result to send them through.
The Germans have a habit of struggling in second matches of World Cups. Their lone triumph in the previous five tournaments came on an injury time goal against Poland in 2006. However, things turn around awfully quickly for the Germans as they’ve posted an impressive 5-0 record in those same five World Cups. Defensively they almost looked lazy at times against the strong and quick Black Stars. The Germans wanted to play a slower game through the midfield than Ghana allowed and it caused an inordinate number of turnovers for the usually machine-like German side. With a goal differential of +4 and an almost guaranteed spot in the next round, it will be interesting to see how progressive the Germans chose to be. They clearly want to provide a better performance than the one that nearly got them beat by Ghana, but at the same time the U.S. have shown the ability to score and the only way Germany are at risk is if they lose. There are plenty of calls for collusion between Klinsmann and his good friend Joachim Löw. It won’t happen. Both teams have a lot to play for and both would love nothing more to stick it to the other side. The game should be hotly contested for the first 70 minutes or so, but if it remains tied late, risks will be few and far between as the draw suits both
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