World Cup 2014 -- USA vs. Germany: Observations from USA's 1-0 Loss
Even when unlucky, Lady Luck seems to be on Team USA's side, as their World Cup hopes are still alive despite a disappointing week of action in Brazil.
The United States booked a berth in the Round of 16 despite losing 1-0 against the Germany Thursday. The team earned the right to move on thanks to a late tally from Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal's 2-1 win over Ghana.
Here are some observations from the Team USA loss:
1. The Ups and Downs of Michael Bradley
It has not been a perfect tournament for Michael Bradley. Far from it.
The U.S. midfielder had a woeful match against Ghana before redeeming himself against Portugal in the second game. But despite a great match, he was the scapegoat for the tying goal as he gave the ball away in midfield during the dying moments.
In the final group game, the U.S. saw the two sides of Bradley. The first half saw the midfielder running around with abandon looking to pressure the Germans' passing game and fighting to win balls back. His passing was crisp, effective and well-time. He was looking to have the game of his life. But his form in the second half was dismal. He would make late fouls and give away possession far too easily. It was simply not happening for him.
One might wonder whether he's not in peak playing shape. His incessant pressing in the opening half was nowhere to be seen in the second, leading to assumption that he was simply tired from his intense play in the opener. The U.S. need first-half Bradley if they are to make a deep run in this tournament.
2. Omar Gonzalez to the rescue
One of the shocking decision of the match was the choice to replace Geoff Cameron with Omar Gonzalez. At first it seemed like a gamble, but it worked out perfectly for Team USA. Gonzalez was undeniably the best defender for the U.S. with a poised performance. He broke up a number of German chances throughout the first half and did not lose his composure despite earning a first-half yellow card.
3. Germany Backline a cause for concern
In the first game of this tournament, it seemed that Germany had no discernible weaknesses. However, in the final two games, it became clear that the team's defensive line may not be as stable and strong as expected. Ghana's two goals came off the rush and the U.S. created a few chances using similar tactics. Benedikt Howedes was one of the worst German players in this game and was constantly victimized on his wing. When they attacked, the U.S. had their way with the Europeans' backline, and if not for a wondrous stop by Phillipp Lahm on Alejandro Bedoya, the game would have ended in a 1-1 draw. A fast counter attack against the German defense could prove disastrous against the pre-tournament favorites.
4. Miroslav Klose is the missing piece
It was rather stunning to see Joachim Low only bring one striker to Brazil but he made it clear that the false-nine was the tactic he planned to use throughout. Against Portugal the tactic worked brilliantly; however Germany had an extra man for most of that match, making it hard to truly analyze the effectiveness of the tactic. Against Ghana, it became clear that Germany's attack was missing a vital piece up front. The penetration was solid, but the finish was not. When Miroslav Klose was brought in as a sub, the team found its attacking flair and tied the game. The same exact thing happened against Team USA. Germany threw in a lot of crosses that were easily parried away or intercepted by Tim Howard simply because there was no one in the box to finish them. The moment that Klose came in during the second half, he created one huge scoring chance that he headed wide of goal. Germany immediately looked dangerous and the U.S. lacked answers on defense to keep them away.
For up-to-date sports news, scores, and more, follow Latin Post Sports on Twitter