2014 FIFA World Cup: What to Know in Matchday 11

US can secure spot in the knockout stage with a win against Portugal.

By
ABC NEWS
June 22, 2014, 11:18 AM ET
2 min read

— -- Top Things To Know

  • Germany and Ghana drew 2-2, as Miroslav Klose scored the final equalizer, tying Ronaldo’s World Cup scoring record with his 15th career goal.
  • The draw means that the United States will advance to the knockout round with a win against Portugal on Sunday. Draws in both remaining games would also put the U.S. through, as would a win against Germany in the group finale. The U.S. seeks to reach consecutive World Cup knockout rounds for the first time.
  • Lionel Messi scored in the first minute of second-half stoppage time to give Argentina a 1-0 win over Iran. He became the second Argentine with 40 international goals, and Argentina became the fifth team to advance to the Round of 16.
  • The only debutant at this World Cup, Bosnia-Herzegovina, was eliminated with a 1-0 loss to Nigeria.

    • United States Future Scenarios Depending on Sunday Result

  • Win vs. Portugal
  • Advance to Round of 16
  • Draw vs. Portugal
  • Advance with win OR draw vs. Germany
  • Advance with loss to Germany AND Ghana-Portugal draw.
  • Advance with loss to Germany AND IF U.S. holds tiebreaker over Ghana-Portugal winner.
  • Lose vs. Portugal
  • Advance with win vs. Germany
  • Advance with draw vs. Germany AND Portugal-Ghana draw AND IF U.S. holds tiebreaker over Portugal
  • Advance with draw vs. Germany AND Ghana win over Portugal AND IF U.S. holds tiebreaker with Ghana-Portugal.

    • U.S. advancement scenarios provided by Paul Carr and ESPN's World Cup research team

    Big Game

    Injuries have been the dominant subplot in the buildup to today’s U.S.-Portugal match, but while both teams will be without important players, each squad’s leader is expected to play. Clint Dempsey, the U.S. captain, sustained a broken nose Monday in a victory over Ghana but should start against Portugal. Dempsey has the option to wear a protective mask, as players in many sports have done, but is said to be leaning against doing so.

    It is possible that Dempsey will play a more advanced role against Portugal because striker Jozy Altidore has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Aron Johannsson and Chris Wondolowski are the likely candidates to start in Altidore’s place.

    Portugal will be without Hugo Almeida and Fábio Coentrão, who are injured, as well as Pepe, who is suspended. The Portuguese will have Cristiano Ronaldo, however, who has been dealing with an injured left knee that's been diagnosed as tendinosis. Portugal’s coach, Paulo Bento, whose team was embarrassed by Germany 4-0 in its opening game, did not mince words Saturday, saying, “Either we win or we pack our suitcase.”

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    Better to Be Lucky Than Good

    According to company spokesman Michael Grodsky, it was the largest wager on the World Cup taken by William Hill, but that did not stop the same customer from returning on Friday to put another $120,000 on the same outcome. That pushed the potential winnings up to $30,000, just less than 10 percent of the amount that would be lost if Iran upset the odds with a positive result - which was minutes away from happening when Messi scored - allowing one very relieved gambler to collect the winnings.

    ESPN’s Darren Rovell first tweeted out the news of the wager.