Germany and Ghana Play to a 2-2 Draw and Messi’s wonder goal saves Argentina against Iran

Germany and Ghana traded blows in a pulsating 2-2 tie in Fortaleza on Saturday.

The result leaves Germany at the top of Group G with four points from two games; a win for the United States against Portugal in Manaus tomorrow would give the Americans sole possession of top spot.

After a torpid first half of patient German possession and quick Ghanaian counterattacks, the game sprang to life in the 51st minute, when Mario Gotze capped a long run to head home Thomas Muller’s fine cross.

The Germans had barely finished celebrating when Ghana pulled level; Andre Ayew rose above a static German defense to head past Manuel Neuer in the 54th minute.

The Black Stars took a shock lead in the 63rd minute, after Sulley Muntari broke up some sloppy German play in their own midfield to send a pass to Asamoah Gyan. The striker raced in on goal, took one touch to control the ball and another to fire it past the outstretched fingertips of Manuel Neuer.

But Germany Coach Joachim Low had an ace up his sleeve: the veteran striker Miroslav Klose. Germany won a corner, and Klose’s first action was to pop up at the far post to poke home a loose ball that flashed across the goalmouth. The goal was Klose’s 15th in World Cup finals play, tying him with Brazil’s Ronaldo as the all-time leading scorer. He also became the third player to score in four tournaments alongside Pele and Germany’s Uwe Seeler.

Both teams had chances in a frenetic finale, but neither could provide a winner. The result left Germany with four points and Ghana still alive in Group G.

Germany now faces the United States in Recife on June 26. Ghana will travel to Brasilia to play Portugal.

Messi wonder goal saves Argentina against Iran

Lionel Messi spared Argentina’s blushes with a wonderful last-gasp winner against unheralded Iran at the World Cup on Saturday to give the South Americans a 1-0 victory and passage to the last 16.

Argentina’s fabled “Fab Four” strike force had appeared heading for a blank despite dominating possession to the frustration of their massed hordes of fans who came expecting a goalfest at Belo Horizonte’s Mineirao stadium.

But four-times world player of the year Messi, who has struggled to reproduce his Barcelona form at past World Cups, curled the ball in during stoppage time to send them wild with his second goal of two games in Brazil.

 

“With Messi, everything is possible,” said relieved Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella, praising Iran for playing a “great” game and making it difficult for his side.

Watched by past Argentine great Diego Maradona in a 57,698 crowd, Messi had appeared in an unthreatening position when he received the ball on the right in the 91st minute.

Then dropping his shoulder and cutting quickly inside, he curled a simply brilliant 25-yard left-foot shot over Iran’s massed defense and into the far corner past outstanding goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi’s outstretched hand.

“Not even two goalkeepers could have stopped that Lionel shot,” Sabella added.

The result was probably fair given Argentina’s 71 percent possession and superior ballplay in the middle but felt cruel after Iran had grown in confidence and begun counter-attacking neatly to complement their solid defense.

The result leaves Argentina on top of Group F with six points from two games and takes them into the knockout stage.

ARGENTINA WILL NEED MORE GUILE

Sabella’s men will need more guile and precision, however, than they have shown against both Bosnia and Iran, if they want to take home a third World Cup.

Iran, on just one point after a draw with Nigeria and widely viewed as one of the weakest teams in Brazil, were shattered by the game’s denouement but will take heart from a fantastic performance against one of the favorites to lift the trophy.

Their final game is against Bosnia, who face Nigeria later on Saturday

Constantly crowded out by two and sometimes three Iranians, Messi had until the end been unable to pull the strings and again vomited on the pitch in the first half. The Argentine captain put two free kicks wide in either half, and saw a shot go wide after a trademark run early in the second.

In a succession of wasted Argentine first half chances, Gonzalo Higuain was quickly shut down by goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi in a one-on-one in the 13th minute, Angel Di Maria shot over the bar and Sergio Aguero had a curling shot well saved.

 

Germany vs. Portugal: 4-0 Müller nets hat-trick as Die Mannschaft cruise to victory and John Brooks Leads United States Past Ghana 2-1!

Germany started their World Cup campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over 10-man Portugal in Salvador. Thomas Müller netted a hat-trick en route to their massive victory, with Die Mannschaftputting their opponents to the sword after the Selecção had defender Pepe sent off in the first half.

Despite Germany’s eventual dominance, the game actually started quite evenly. Cristiano Ronaldo was denied by the shins of Manuel Neuer, seconds before Sami Khedira missed an open goal from distance after Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício made a sloppy giveaway from his own box. Both sides looked rather unconvincing defensively, and given the top class attacking talent on show, an opening goal felt imminent.

So it proved, with Germany’s Thomas Müller breaking the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 11th minute after João Pereira ended a swift German counter-attack by tugging Mario Götze down in the box. There was still no sign of a Portugal collapse, even when they went two down after the half-hour. A corner fromToni Kroos was powered into the back of the net by Mats Hummels, doubling Die Mannschaft‘s advantage with another set-piece goal.

Fábio Coentrão had Portugal’s best chance within three minutes of Germany’s second, though caught in two minds as to whether to cross or shoot from a tight angle, his tame effort was poked behind for a corner. Things only really started getting ugly a couple of minutes later, when notoriously temperamental defender Pepe raised his arm to the face of Müller and earned a red card for headbutting him once he theatrically hit the deck.

With their numerical superiority, Germany suddenly looked in total control. They all but sealed the points in stoppage time at the end of the first half, when a deep cross from Toni Kroos was chested down in the penalty area and promptly dispatched by Müller.

Germany should have netted a fourth within minutes of the restart, when Mesut Özil found himself clean through on Patrício’s penalty area. However, he delayed his shot, giving the Portugal keeper enough time to get down and deny him in the one-on-one. Unfortunately that only proved to be a brief break in Portugal’s misery, which continued when left-back Coentrão was stretchered off just past the hour.

Meanwhile, Germany looked like they were participating in a training ground possession exercise. They appeared capable of breaking through the Portuguese ranks at will, and they did so with about 20 minutes remaining, only for Götze to hesitate and allow the defence to recover position. Nevertheless, Germany did eventually add a fourth with 10 minutes remaining; Patricío allowing an André Schürrle cross to squirm out for Müller to poke home.

Cristiano Ronaldo almost produced a spectacular consolation with a powerful free-kick in stoppage time, though Neuer parried his stinging effort.

Germany: Neuer; Höwedes, Hummels (Mustafi 73′), Mertesacker, Boateng; Khedira, Lahm, Kroos; Götze, Özil (Schürrle 63′), Müller (Podolski 82′).

Goals: Müller (pen. 12′, 45+1′, 78′) (Hummels 32′).

Portugal: Patrício; Coentrão (A. Almeida 65′), Alves, Pepe, Pereira; Meireles, Veloso (Costa 46′), Moutinho; Ronaldo, H. Almeida (Éder 28′), Nani.

USA 2-1 Ghana

It began with the magical. It ended with the miraculous.

John Brooks, a 21-year-old German-American making his competitive debut for the United States, who was on the field only because a starting fullback was hurt, powered a fierce header into the net in the 86th minute Monday to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Ghana in its first match of the World Cup.

Afterward, Brooks said that he had dreamed nearly the exact situation two nights ago, the only difference being that in his imagination, he scored in the 80th minute. He did not seem particularly bothered by reality’s six-minute delay.

“It was my first dream,” he said softly, “hopefully not my last.”

Brooks’s header was the dramatic coda to an evening that was a jackhammer of emotions. It opened with exuberance from the Americans after Clint Dempsey scored inside 30 seconds. That was followed by about 80 minutes of nervy, anxious nail-biting as two key players were lost to injury and Ghana pounded at the United States goal. Then came a few moments of disappointment after Ghana tied the game. And finally, there was Brooks, rising to meet Graham Zusi’s corner kick and covering the United States with the warm glow of an upset victory.

The Americans still have a considerable road to navigate to reach the knockout rounds with group games yet to play against Portugal (on Sunday) and Germany (on June 26). Any hope of advancement, though, was predicated on a positive result here. And the United States got one.

“The response after they scored was really good,”midfielder Michael Bradley said. “You looked around and still felt like there was more in it.”

At the final whistle, Coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who had not hesitated to liken this game to a final in terms of importance, ran onto the field, a smile wide across his face. The Ghana players, aware of how critical 3 points here were, sank to the ground in anguish.

“The feelings are just incredible,” the American defender Matt Besler said.

It was that way from the start. Just moments after the game kicked off, Dempsey, the United States captain, saw a pass come his way and let it run, stepping over the ball with his foot before tapping it forward with the inside of his right heel. It was a stylish move, dripping with confidence. The ball now in front of him, Dempsey bore in on goal.

One Ghana player ran across him. Then another. Dempsey cut to the inside and, with a quick finish, suddenly stroked the ball past the goalkeeper and in off the post. Klinsmann and the entire United States bench erupted. In their first game of the World Cup, in a group of sharks, the Americans were leading in roughly the time it takes to mix a caipirinha. Twenty-nine seconds was all that ticked off the clock, the fifth-fastest goal in World Cup history.

“I saw that there was space,” Dempsey said, “and I just tried to hit it as hard as I could.”

As the ball settled into the back of the net, Dempsey took off running. Klinsmann threw his hands in the air. The American fans, who looked to make up half of the crowd of 39,760 at Arena das Dunas, danced in the aisles as the United States was suddenly in the lead.

But the Americans could not maintain their pace. In truth, most of the rest of the game was maddening for the United States as Ghana bossed the ball around the field. Frustration turned to sadness, too, when Jozy Altidore, one of Klinsmann’s top strikers, looked to sustain a serious leg injury. Altidore reached down and grabbed the back of his leg as he sprinted for a ball down the sideline in the 21st minute, a telltale sign of real pain. Klinsmann cradled Altidore’s head in his fingers just before Altidore was taken off on a stretcher, his World Cup participation now murky because of a strained hamstring.

“I was crushed,” Altidore said. “I knew right away I couldn’t continue. It was the worst feeling.”

Things did not improve for the Americans as the minutes passed. Ghana, which eliminated the United States in each of the past two World Cups, hammered on the Americans. Kyle Beckerman was floored by a brutal elbow to the head from Mohammed Rabiu (who was cautioned). Dempsey went down, blood pouring from his nose, after taking a shin to the face from John Boye (who got away undisciplined).

Dempsey played the rest of the game despite struggling to breathe through his nose, saying afterward that he was “coughing up blood a little bit.”

John Brooks (6), playing in his first World Cup game, after his header into the net lifted the U.S. over Ghana, 2-1.CreditStefano Rellandini/Reuters

Alejandro Bedoya also looked bothered by a leg injury and so, too, did Besler, one of the two starting central defenders. With Ghana controlling possession and pushing, Klinsmann did not want to risk a gimpy defense, so he pulled Besler at halftime as a precaution. Brooks was the replacement.

The American back line held off Ghana until the 82nd minute. That was when André Ayew beat Tim Howard at the near post from close range.

Deflated as the Americans may have been, they also knew that a tie would still be a good result. Yet Brooks wanted more. And when Zusi’s penetrating corner swung in, the 6-foot-4 Brooks met the ball ferociously, blasting it down and bouncing it past Adam Kwarasey in Ghana’s goal.

Brooks sprinted toward the corner flag and collapsed, as if in a daze. Then he pounded his hands into the ground.

“If you score after just one minute,” Klinsmann said, “you think there can’t be anything better than that.”

But there was. It was something from a dream.

How to Watch the 2014 World Cup: TV, Online & Social Media

Hey World Cup fans, kick back and watch the world’s biggest single-sport competition from the comfort of your laptop. Held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the first of 64 matches will kick off on June 12.

This year’s championship is more digitally interactive than ever before. With apps and beefed-up streaming services, here’s how to keep up with the game’s hectic schedule.

The Beira Rio stadium in Porto Alegre, Brazil will host matches during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

 

To watch the games live on TV, here are the channels you should tune into:

• USA: ESPN, ABC and Univision
• UK: BBC and ITV
• Australia: SBS
• Brazil: Globo
• Middle East [Lebanon]: beIN Sports

For a full list of countries and their corresponding networks that have licensing rights to broadcast the games, check out this resource provided by FIFA. For a full schedule of all of the games, check out this detailed list on ESPN. Sports Interaction also has a beautiful interactive schedule.

After you’ve familiarized yourself with players’ backstories and learned how to pronounce their difficult names, follow this guide for the worldwide web of the World Cup. It’s important to note that mega TV networks mainly hold all the rights to streaming the games online. (Though there are plenty of other sites that might stream the matches, they’re not always legal.)

Online

USA: ESPN, the all-sports-all-the-time network, is all over the event. The channel will not only present all of the games live on TV via ESPN (43 matches), ESPN2 (11 matches) and ABC (10 matches), it will livestream all 64 games online. Every game will be available via the WatchESPNsite and app, which is available for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, Chromecast and more.

The 10 games that air on ABC will be available via WatchABC. However, these online services are only available for those who already have cable and pay for access to the network.

Another site making the games available is Univision. The Spanish language network will air 56 games on Univision Deportes, its sports channel, as well as via its UD app. Like ESPN, the service is only available to subscribed viewers.

The UK: Across the pond, the BBC iPlayer and ITV will also be streaming the games for viewers in the United Kingdom, starting with the first match England plays against Italy on June 14. Both services have apps and sites that will stream the matches live.

Canada: Canadian viewers can check out CBC, which will stream all of the games live on its site, in addition to replays which will be available on demand. Unlike ESPN, it’s a free service.

Australia: The network SBS has secured the rights to stream all 64 games online for Australian viewers, in addition to providing accompanying apps and radio broadcast.

Middle East [Lebanon]: beIN has secured the rights to stream all 64 games! Click Here

Social media

Twitter: If you’re truly addicted to the social site, you can’t watch a major telecast without constantly checking your feed. So keep up with the sport via Twitter by following certain hashtags. The site Fanbrandz has put together a fun, handy guide to tags you should expect, like #GoSocceroos (for Australian fans), #EmBuscaDoHexa (for Brazilian fans) and #Bleus (for French fans).

It’s also worth checking out the official FIFA World Cup account, which keeps up a pretty active flow of tweets.

Plenty of players also use Twitter themselves. Here’s our guide to the most-followed World Cup players currently using the social site.

Follow Elie Chahine’s Twitter account: @ElieChahine

Facebook: Make sure to “like” ESPN FC, the network’s channel dedicated to the beautiful game. The World Cup also has an official page of its own, full of behind-the-scenes photos and interviews with soccer stars.

Follow Elie Chahine’s Facebook Account: Elie M. Chahine

Instagram:
Finally, the FIFA World Cup has an official Instagram page where it posts all kinds of fun photos of players and fans.

Blogs:

Elie Chahine’s Blog got u covered!

Brazil World Cup 2014: Fixtures / Schedules

 

Brazil World Cup 2014: Ghana squad: John Mensah out, Michael Essien in

The Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has been selected in Ghana’s 26-man squad for the World Cup finals. The squad will be cut to 23 at the start of June.

Asamoah Gyan, the former Sunderland striker, and Sulley Muntari, the former Portsmouth midfielder, are also set to appear in their third consecutive World Cup finals.

Richard Kingson, Isaac Vorsah and the former captain John Mensah – for whom there had been calls for a recall despite not having played for the national side for two years – all miss out.

Ghana’s slim hopes of progressing from a difficult group that includes Germany, Portugal and the USA are likely to hinge on the trio of Essien, Gyan and Muntari, as well as Marseille’s André Ayew. They will however make a small piece of history as Kwesi Appiah will become the first Ghanaian coach to lead his country at a World Cup.

Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey, Fatau Dauda, Stephen Adams

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Opare, Harrison Afful, Jeffrey Schullp, John Boye, Jonathan Mensah, Jerry Akaminko, Rashid Sumaila

Midfielders: Michael Essien, Rabiu Mohammed, Agyemang Badu, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari, Albert Adomah, Wakasu Mubarak, Christian Atsu, David Accam, André Ayew, Afriyie Acquah

Strikers: Asamoah Gyan, Kevin Prince Boateng, Abdul Majeed Waris, Jordan Ayew

Brazil World Cup 2014: Fixtures / Schedules

 

THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
20:00 GMT	Brazil	v	Croatia	Group A	Arena Corinthians

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Mexico	v	Cameroon	Group A	Estadio das Dunas
19:00 GMT	Spain	v	Netherlands	Group B	Arena Fonte Nova
22:00 GMT	Chile	v	Australia	Group B	Arena Pantanal

SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Colombia	v	Greece	Group C	Estadio Mineirão
19:00 GMT	Uruguay	v	Costa Rica	Group D	Estadio Castelão
22:00 GMT	England	v	Italy	Group D	Arena Amazonia
01:00 GMT	Ivory Coast	v	Japan	Group C	Arena Pernambuco

SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Switzerland	v	Ecuador	Group E	Nacional
19:00 GMT	France	v	Honduras	Group E	Estadio Beira-Rio
22:00 GMT	Argentina	v	Bosnia-Herzegovina	Group F	Estadio do Maracanã

MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Germany	v	Portugal	Group G	Arena Fonte Nova
19:00 GMT	Iran	v	Nigeria	Group F	Arena da Baixada
22:00 GMT	Ghana	v	United States	Group G	Estadio das Dunas

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Belgium	v	Algeria	Group H	Estadio Mineirão
19:00 GMT	Brazil	v	Mexico	Group A	Estadio Castelão
22:00 GMT	Russia	v	South Korea	Group H	Arena Pantanal

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Australia	v	Netherlands	Group B	Estadio Beira-Rio
19:00 GMT	Spain	v	Chile	Group B	Estadio do Maracanã
22:00 GMT	Cameroon	v	Croatia	Group A	Arena Amazonia

THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Colombia	v	Ivory Coast	Group C	Nacional
19:00 GMT	Uruguay	v	England	Group D	Arena Corinthians
22:00 GMT	Japan	v	Greece	Group C	Estadio das Dunas

FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Italy	v	Costa Rica	Group D	Arena Pernambuco
19:00 GMT	Switzerland	v	France	Group E	Arena Fonte Nova
22:00 GMT	Honduras	v	Ecuador	Group E	Arena da Baixada

SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Argentina	v	Iran	Group F	Estadio Mineirão
19:00 GMT	Germany	v	Ghana	Group G	Estadio Castelão
22:00 GMT	Nigeria	v	Bosnia-Herzegovina	Group F	Arena Pantanal

SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Belgium	v	Russia	Group H	Estadio do Maracanã
19:00 GMT	South Korea	v	Algeria	Group H	Estadio Beira-Rio
22:00 GMT	United States	v	Portugal	Group G	Arena Amazonia

MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Australia	v	Spain	Group B	Arena da Baixada
16:00 GMT	Netherlands	v	Chile	Group B	Arena Corinthians
20:00 GMT	Croatia	v	Mexico	Group A	Arena Pernambuco
20:00 GMT	Cameroon	v	Brazil	Group A	Nacional

TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Italy	v	Uruguay	Group D	Estadio das Dunas
16:00 GMT	Costa Rica	v	England	Group D	Estadio Mineirão
20:00 GMT	Japan	v	Colombia	Group C	Arena Pantanal
20:00 GMT	Greece	v	Ivory Coast	Group C	Estadio Castelão

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Nigeria	v	Argentina	Group F	Estadio Beira-Rio
16:00 GMT	Bosnia-Herzegovina	v	Iran	Group F	Arena Fonte Nova
20:00 GMT	Honduras	v	Switzerland	Group E	Arena Amazonia
20:00 GMT	Ecuador	v	France	Group E	Estadio do Maracanã

THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	United States	v	Germany	Group G	Arena Pernambuco
16:00 GMT	Portugal	v	Ghana	Group G	Nacional
20:00 GMT	South Korea	v	Belgium	Group H	Arena Corinthians
20:00 GMT	Algeria	v	Russia	Group H	Arena da Baixada

SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	1A	v	2B	Second Round	Estadio Mineirão
20:00 GMT	1C	v	2D	Second Round	Estadio do Maracanã

SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	1B	v	2A	Second Round	Estadio Castelão
20:00 GMT	1D	v	2C	Second Round	Arena Pernambuco

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	1E	v	2F	Second Round	Nacional
20:00 GMT	1G	v	2H	Second Round	Estadio Beira-Rio

TUESDAY, JULY 1, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	1F	v	2E	Second Round	Arena Corinthians
20:00 GMT	1H	v	2G	Second Round	Arena Fonte Nova

FRIDAY, JULY 4, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Winner Match 53	v	Winner Match 54	Quarterfinals	Estadio do Maracanã
20:00 GMT	Winner Match 49	v	Winner Match 50	Quarterfinals	Estadio Castelão

SATURDAY, JULY 5, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
16:00 GMT	Winner Match 55	v	Winner Match 56	Quarterfinals	Nacional
20:00 GMT	Winner Match 51	v	Winner Match 52	Quarterfinals	Arena Fonte Nova

TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
20:00 GMT	Winner Match 57	v	Winner Match 58	Semifinals	Estadio Mineirão

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
20:00 GMT	Winner Match 59	v	Winner Match 60	Semifinals	Arena Corinthians

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
20:00 GMT	Loser Match 61	v	Loser Match 62	Third Place	Nacional

SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2014
Time				Stage	Venue
19:00 GMT	Winner Match 61	v	Winner Match 62	Final	Estadio do Maracanã

Estadio do Maracanã