Group G games

So I did not post yesterday. My apologies.
  There were 3 games. The least exciting of the games was Nigeria and Iran. It gave us our first tie and to be truthful, both sides seemed very pleased with getting the 1 point. To be fair, neither side has much a chance to get out of the group, but with the point, each still have hope as they head into the second game.
  The first game of the day saw Germany manhandle Portugal. A good deal was made before this game about the matchup between the German defense against World Footballer of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo. While I really do not think that there is much debate of what an amazing player Cristiano is, he is one player against a very disciplined talented German team. The Germans looked very good. Many had predicted a deep tournament run for Germany. This looked every bit a team capable of winning the cup. They have structure, depth and they are creative through the midfield. While Portugal made the job easier by getting a player tossed and going down to 10 men, the Germans were up 2 to 0 already. The Portuguese suffered a cup ending injury to a top flight defender, and of course Pepe will have to sit out the next game for the red card. While it is true that Portugal has real offensive talent and they can score on anyone, People need to remember that they had a very difficult time in qualification. They barely made the Cup and some of their hype is based on past performances and not current data. They are immature and at times selfish. They have a red card in every tournament they have played for the last 20 years. The next game against the US will be a true test for both teams.
  The last game was the much anticipated USA vs Ghana. Ghana is a nightmare matchup for the US. They knocked them out of the last 2 Cups. In fact last year, they came a handball on the goal line away from making the final 4. They are physical and well conditioned. The US got a great early goal from Dempsey, but in away, that shifted the flow of the rest of the game. The US found itself playing defense for 80 minutes. In part because of a probable tournament ending injury to Altidore. With out Josie up front, the US could never find their form, and to be fair, it is hard to switch over your strategy in mid game. So difficult that it was wiser to minimize mistakes and protect the lead. The strategy almost backfired as Ghana scored in the 82 minute. The US showed great resolve by coming back to get the game winner late. 3 points is 3 points, and they now find themselves with a real chance to get out of group. They play Portugal next, and they matchup well. Both sides have players to replace. The US up front, and Portugal in defense. We will we see how it plays out on Sunday. One thing for sure, if the US can win that game...they are almost guaranteed of making the second round. Ghana still have a shot. They will be going all out against Germany on Saturday. They are a much better squad than people think and it will not be a cakewalk for the Germans.