World Cup roundup: U.S. moves on despite loss

RECIFE, Brazil – Joachim Loew and Jurgen Klinsmann shook hands, smiled and patted each on the shoulders, like the two good friends they are. The two coaches had every reason to be pleased: both of their teams advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup.

Loew’s Germany beat Klinsmann’s United States 1-0 thanks to Thomas Mueller’s fourth goal of the tournament and the outcome allowed both teams to advance. Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 in the other Group G match but both were eliminated.

A draw would have been enough as well, and it had been the matter of much conjecture before Thursday’s match at the rain-drenched Arena Pernambuco. But neither team held back and both attacked, although Germany was clearly in control.

“Well, first I asked him (Klinsmann) for the result of the other match. I didn’t know that, and he also told me they advanced and I told him, I’m happy,” Loew said.

“That is a tough group and the Americans were a bit the outsiders. Everybody considered Portugal a favorite to make it. … (The Americans) really have qualities, they fight, they can run and they really are tough on the opponent. If you beat Ghana, play a draw against Portugal, I think you deserve to make it to the next round.”

Germany, a three-time champion, now travels to Porto Alegre to play Group H runner-up Algeria on June 30. The Americans play the winner of that group, Belgium, on July 1 in Salvador.

“It’s a good feeling because now it’s really just a clear picture for everyone. Just focus on that one opponent you have for that next game. … We’ll just talk about one team to beat at a time and this is why I’m really excited,” Klinsmann said of the next phase.

Klinsmann was Loew’s predecessor and made him his assistant until Klinsmann quit following Germany’s third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup at home. Loew then took over and is still looking for his first major title.

Klinsmann also warmly embraced German players, some of whom got their start under him. Mueller got his Bundesliga debut in August 2008 when Klinsmann was the coach of Bayern Munich.

Klinsmann must have had a good nose for talent, since Mueller is on track to retain his Golden Boot title by scoring his fourth goal of the tournament, to go with five he had in 2010.

Germany’s goal came in the 55th minute after a corner by Mesut Ozil. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard did well to punch out a header by Per Mertesacker but pushed the ball into the path of Mueller, who rifled a shot inside the far post from the edge of the penalty area.

“We clearly dominated the match and we played not a bad game against a top-fit American team,” Mueller said. “I finally scored a pretty goal. I manage it every now and then. We’re all terribly ambitious, and this ambition can take us very far and I try to give my part in each and every match.”

Belgium 1

South Korea 0

SAO PAULO – Defender Jan Vertonghen scored from a rebound in the 78th minute to give 10-man Belgium a victory over South Korea to clinch the top spot in Group H at the World Cup.

It was Belgium’s third straight victory of the group stage and set up a meeting with the Unites States in the round of 16,

South Korea was eliminated with the loss — joining the other three Asian nations at the tournament.

Vertonghen was a stand-in captain for injured star Vincent Kompany. He knocked in the winner after South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu had saved a shot from Divock Origi.

Belgium was reduced to 10 men just before the break when Steven Defour was sent off for a two-footed challenge, but South Korea couldn’t capitalize.

Algeria 1

Russia 1

CURITIBA, Brazil – Algeria has qualified for the World Cup knockout stages for the first time after Islam Slimani’s headed equalizer gave his team a draw against Russia.

Algeria placed second in Group H behind Belgium, meaning it will meet Germany in the second round.

Russia dominated much of the match after taking the lead in the 6th minute when Alexander Kokorin powerfully headed in a left-foot cross from Dmitry Kombarov.

Slimani’s 60th-minute equalizer came after Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev failed to catch a swinging left-foot free kick from Yacine Brahimi. That was the second costly error that Akinfeev has made in the tournament for Russia.

Russia needed a win to advance to the next stage.

Portugal 2

Ghana 1

BRASILIA, Brazil – Cristiano Ronaldo’s first goal of the World Cup earned Portugal a win over Ghana but couldn’t prevent his team being eliminated from the tournament along with the Africans.

Portugal finished level on four points with second-place United States in Group G but with an inferior goal difference. Germany topped the group.

Ronaldo slammed in the winner with his left foot in the 80th minute to break his drought in Brazil and give Portugal its first win.

Ghana captain Asamaoh Gyan’s 57th-minute header canceled out an own goal scored by John Boye in the 31st.

Suarez banned

RIO DE JANEIRO – FIFA banned Uruguay striker Luis Suarez from all football activities for four months for biting an opponent at the World Cup, a punishment that rules him out of the rest of the tournament and the start of the upcoming Premier League season.

The ban also covers Uruguay’s next nine international games, which goes beyond the next four months and rules him out of next year’s Copa America. FIFA also fined the Liverpool striker 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000).

Suarez bit the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s 1-0 win in the group stage, but escaped unpunished as the referee did not see the incident.

“Such behavior cannot be tolerated on any football pitch and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field,” Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said in a statement.

This is the third time Suarez has been banned for biting an opponent after similar incidents with Ajax in the Dutch league and Liverpool. He was given a 10-match ban by the Premier League for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic toward the end of the 2012-13 season.

The FIFA ban is effective immediately, meaning Suarez will miss Uruguay’s round-of-16 game against Colombia on Saturday. By banning Suarez from all football activities, FIFA also prohibited Suarez from even entering a stadium at the World Cup.