Germany are leading the US 1-0 in the second half in Recife, seeking to cement their place in the knockout phases. In Group G's other decisive game, Portugal have reclaimed the lead against Ghana, but likely to no avail.
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The game in Recife started on schedule despite torrential rains during the course of the day. By the half-time break, the pitch appeared to be in good condition, but neither Germany nor the US had found the net. Graham Zusi came closest with a mid-range shot just over the bar, while most of Germany's better attacks faltered before the final shot. Mesut Özil was the exception to that rule, but Tim Howard was down sharply to stop his shot.
Miroslav Klose came on after the break, relegating Thomas Müller back into the German midfield. Yet it was Müller who opened the scoring with a deft shot from the edge of the area. US keeper Tim Howard will feel hard done by, Müller's shot followed a spectacular save to deny Per Mertesacker.
In Brasilia, Portugal took the lead after 30 minutes through an unfortunate Ghana own goal. John Boye redirected a dangerous low cross past his own keeper to give the European side the early lead. Ghana pulled a goal back after the break, however, with Asamoah Gyan picking up his second in Brazil. The header also put Gyan on six career World Cup goals, the most for any African footballer in history.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored with 10 minutes left to restore the Portuguese lead, effectively deciding the group ahead of time. Portugal's poor goal difference after their 4-0 defeat to Germany meant they were only a threat to the US if they beat Ghana by a commanding margin on Thursday - and time was decidedly against them when Ronaldo scored.
Any member of Germany's World Cup group can still dream of reaching the next round of the World Cup, but it's Joachim Löw and Jürgen Klinsmann's teams who are in pole position. A draw would suffice to send both countries through, although Löw and Klinsmann have both insisted their players know only how to play for the win.
Ghana and Portugal, who play in Brasilia in the parallel match, will both be hoping for a winner in the game in Recife. Should Germany or the US claim three points, the door would then open for the winner in Brasilia to squeeze through to the next round.
German coach Joachim Löw made two changes to his side following the 2-2 draw with Ghana, moving Lukas Podolski onto the left wing for Mario Götze and replacing Sami Khedira with Bastian Schweinsteiger in midfield. Eight of the German starters ply their trade in the Bundesliga, save for the side's Arsenal threesome: Podolski, Per Mertesacker and Mesut Özil.
Germany starters: Manuel Neuer; Jerome Boateng, Per Mertesacker, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Höwedes; Philipp Lahm (c), Bastian Schweinsteiger; Mesut Özil, Toni Kroos, Lukas Podolski; Thomas Müller
US starters: Tim Howard; Fabian Johnson, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, DaMarcus Beasley; Kyle Beckerman, Jermaine Jones; Graham Zusi, Michael Bradley, Brad Davis; Clint Dempsey (c)
(Updates to come during the match, or follow @dw_sports on Twitter for live commentary and analysis.)
In the final match of the group stages, Germany take on the United States in Recife with the hope of booking a spot in the Last 16. Here are ten things you should know before the two teams clash.
Image: AP
Three former DFB trainers together
Thursday's match in Recife is like a class reunion. Three former, or present, German national team coaches will take their place in the dugout. Of course, Joachim Löw is the current DFB coach, the successor to Jürgen Klinsmann, who was in charge for two years. Then there is Berti Vogts, who coached Germany to Euro 1996 triumph - but is now an adviser to Klinsmann in the US.
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Klinsmann - home is where the heart is
Former German international footballer, and current US boss, Klinsmann has found home in Huntington Beach, California. He has resided on the West Coast of the United States since 1998, where he brought up his son Jonathan and daughter Laila. Jonathan is a promising goalkeeper and has committed to the US youth national team.
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Five German US coaches
The US team has had five pre-Klinsi German coaches: Johann Herberger, nephew of 1954 World Cup-winning boss Sepp, took charge of one match in 1964. Dettmar Cramer (pic) lasted two games before taking a job at Bayern Munich in 1974. Manny Schellscheidt was the boss for three games in '75, then Lothar Osiander coached for two years, before Bob Gansler helped take the US to the 1990 World Cup.
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The American-German contingent
There is a flavor of Germany at the heart of the US team. Five players have dual American-German citizenship, four having been born in Germany: John Anthony Brooks (Berlin, Hertha BSC), Fabian Johnson (Munich, Hoffenheim), Timothy Chandler (Frankfurt, Eintracht Frankfurt), Julian Green (Tampa, Bayern), Jermaine Jones (Frankfurt, Schalke). Some of the players had parents stationed in US army posts.
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Generation MLS
Since Major League Soccer's inception in the 1990s, several high-profile German footballers have played in the American game. Nine players, overall, but most notably, former German World Cup winner Lothar Matthäus signed for NY Metrostars in 2000. Since then, Torsten Frings has played in Toronto, Frank Rost in New York and Arne Friedrich in Chicago.
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Franz Beckenbauer - New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos returned to US Soccer recently, but nothing will match the glitz and glamour of the 1970s and 1980s in the now-defunct North American Soccer League. Only three years after winning the World Cup, Franz Beckenbauer joined the Cosmos - also the club of Brazilian legend Pele. Beckenbauer went on to win three NASL championships in his time in the US.
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Disgrace of Gijon
West Germany, at the 1982 World Cup, were involved in one of the most infamous moments in the history of the tournament. For 80 minutes, with both Germany and Austria playing each other and qualifying, neither team looked to score. It's remembered as the "non-aggression pact of Gijon" and the same scenarios surround the USA-Germany clash this week.
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Bundesliga and NFL boom
Yesterday, the DFL announced the Bundesliga is the most-attended football league on the planet with an average of 42,609 fans per match in the 2013-14 season. But for all sports, the NFL still sits at the top with the Bundesliga in second-place. The American football league attracts 68,338 per match, which adds up to more than 17 million people per season.
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Fan miles
Germany loves a "fan mile" at the World Cup. It's part of German tradition and the one in Berlin, especially, eclipses all others. Hundreds of thousands cram in front of the Brandenburg Gate to watch the German national side in action. More than 20,000 fans crammed into Grant Park in Chicago to watch the US draw 2-2 with Portugal - the highest recorded crowd for public viewing in the US.
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Previous battles
Germany have won six from nine encounters against the United States, scoring 21 goals and conceding 15. The biggest clash of the two came at the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan where the Germans knocked the US out at the quarterfinal stage. Michael Ballack scored the only goal in a side that included World Cup goal-hero Miroslav Klose.
