Germany confirmed their position as Group G winners with a 1-0 win over USA, who also qualified on goal difference.

There were few chances in the first half with Germany just about on top, but in the second Thomas Muller scored a superb effort from the edge of the box to put his side in front.

From that point on the result was hardly in doubt, but both teams have booked their place in the last 16.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the action to see whether the result was correct.

Match statistics

USA
Shots: 4
On target: 1
Possession: 37%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 15

GERMANY
Shots: 14
On target: 9
Possession: 63%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 9

Was the result fair?

Absolutely, yes. As can be seen from the statistics, Germany dominated in all areas and although they were not camped in the USA half for the whole game a win for them would have been the only just result. USA defended well at times and kept things tight against their more talented opponents, but were not completely outplayed. Their attack did not manage to get in behind at all, however, and they never really troubled Manuel Neuer in the German goal.

USA's performance

They played Jurgen Klinsmann's tactics about as well as they could have done. They were asked to stay tight at the back and try to create chances on the break, but player for player they simply were not good enough. Omar Gonzalez was imperious at the back after an early mistake, and Michael Bradley was both tenacious and creative in the middle, but they did not have any answers overall. Chances were too few and far between in order for USA to get anything from the game.

Germany's performance

Much better in the second half, but might have been undone by a better team in the first. They dominated the possession and in the second 45 had enough chances to win by more than the odd goal. Philipp Lahm was back to his best in the centre of midfield and Thomas Muller was much improved at the break having been moved to the flank. He ultimately made the difference with a brilliant strike, however it would have been more if not for Tim Howard in the US goal.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Bastian Schweinsteiger: Although Muller ultimately grabbed the winning goal, Schweinsteiger was the oil that kept the German engine ticking over throughout. He was comfortably the most fouled player on the pitch, which meant that he drove forward with the ball well and his passing range was in full effect, spraying balls left and right especially in the first half.

Biggest gaffe

A tough call, this one, but it has to go to the referee for a very strange decision in the first half not to book Kyle Beckerman in the first half for a cynical pull on Schweinsteiger. He allowed play to go on, but then did not go back to book the player and when he finally received a yellow in the second half he probably should have walked.

Referee performance

As mentioned, Ravsan Irmatov did not control the game particularly well. He did not show players yellow cards quickly enough and as such he set a precedent that hard tackles were not being punished. He was also inconsistent playing the advantage rule, with both teams at times frustrated that play was stopped when they wanted to carry on.

What next?

USA: Will take on the winners of Group H, most likely Belgium, in the next round having done brilliantly to escape one of the trickiest groups in the tournament.

Germany: They move on to face the runners-up of Group H, and whoever that ends up being they will go into the game as strong favourites.

Written by
Matt Domm