FIFA World Cup 2014 Group G
Germany and Portugal may have been favourites but they had their work cut out in this group. The United States have been eliminated from the last two World Cups by Ghana and came looking for revenge. A threatened strike by Ghana's players over the non-payment of bonuses was averted when £1.7m in cash was delivered to the team hotel under heavy police escort in the early hours before their final match with the USA.
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Germany
Portugal
Germany 4 Portugal 0
Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador
16 June 2014
Portugal were routed with Thomas Müller scoring the first hat-trick of the tournament. Defensive errors made the job of the Germans easy enough but when Pepe was sent off after over-reacting to Müller's theatrical response to his (Pepe's) flailing arms, Portugal disintegrated.
Ghana
United States
Ghana 1 United States 2
Arena das Dunas, Natal
16 June 2014
A goal in 29 seconds from Clint Dempsey got the Americans off to a flying start. After the match settled down, Ghana applied increasing pressure and in the 82nd minute they equalised. Jürgen Klinsmann’s team refused to lie down, however, and with four minutes left, John Brooks, making his debut for the USA, powered home a header, sending the huge American contingent in the crowd wild.
Germany
Ghana
Germany 2 Ghana 2
Estádio Castelão, Fortaleza
21 June 2014
The fact that the two Boateng brothers, Jérôme and Kevin-Prince faced each other added extra spice to this match but in the event both were substituted before the decisive phase of the game. This came early in the second half when Götze put Germany ahead only for Ayew to equalise within three minutes. Then, with just over an hour played, Gyan put Ghana into the lead. Klose was brought on to rescue Germany and with practically his first touch, he poked the ball across the line from two metres.
United States
Portugal
United States 2 Portugal 2
Arena da Amazônia, Manaus
22 June 2014
Portugal came within seconds of being eliminated before Varela scored a last minute equaliser to keep their slim hopes of progress alive. The Portuguese had led from the fifth minute but as we have seen so often in this World Cup, their opponents fought back and with nine minutes to go, Dempsey had given the USA the lead.
United States
Germany
United States 0 Germany 1
Arena Pernambuco, Recife
26 June 2014
The scoreline suited both sides and ensured that both teams went into the knock out stage. The only goal came in the 55th minute from Thomas Müller after a first half in which both teams looked content to play out a draw.
Portugal
Ghana
Portugal 2 Ghana 1
Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Brasilia
26 June 2014
Cristiano Ronaldo finally got his name on the scoresheet to secure a win for Portugal but it came too late to make a difference and his team were eliminated on goal difference.