The United States started cautiously, perhaps a result of the fact they knew a point would guarantee their progress to the knockout stages.
In the first 20 minutes they completed just 8 passes in the attacking third. Although they did venture forward more as the game wore on, they still only completed 48 passes in attacking areas.
By way of comparison, Germany completed 191 passes in the attacking third - almost four times as many.
It wasn't just in attacking areas that Germany were dominant - midfield duo Toni Kroos and Philipp Lahm both completed more than 100 passes in the middle of the park (as did centre-back Per Mertesacker).
At times the US looked to be getting overrun, and it was a taxing afternoon for their midfield trio of Kyle Beckerman, Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley.
While Jones and Beckerman performed well - particularly the latter - Bradley struggled in a more advanced position than he is perhaps accustomed to. Just 5 of his 12 attempted final third passes found their mark, and he struggled to ever stamp his authority on the game.
Despite the USA lining up with three combative players in midfield, and Germany attempting so many passes in the middle third of the pitch, Jurgen Klinsmann's team didn't make too many tackles in midfield. Their defensive approach was generally more passive.
To an extent that approach worked for the US - it meant Germany weren't able to break at speed or create too many clear-cut openings.
Unfortunately for Klinsmann, Thomas Muller has the knack when it comes to scoring at the World Cup. When the ball fell to him on the edge of the box having been parried by Tim Howard, the Bayern forward gobbled up the chance to put Germany ahead.
The USA struggled to find a way back into the game - in fact, they didn't muster a single shot on goal between half-time and the 90th minute. They did create 2 good openings in injury-time - Philipp Lahm denying Alejandro Bedoya, before Clint Dempsey headed wide in the dying seconds.
The USA will be rightly chuffed to have made it through the 'Group of Death' and into the last 16, but they'll surely need to offer more going forward if they're to make it any further.
Facts and figures
- Benedikt Höwedes received Germany’s first yellow card of the tournament. Germany are the last team to receive a booking in this World Cup.
- Germany have kept 6 clean sheets in their last 8 World Cup group stage matches.
- Thomas Müller has been involved in 13 of Germany's last 23 World Cup goals.
- Thomas Müller has scored 9 goals in 9 World Cup appearances – the same number Pelé scored in his first 9 World Cup appearances.
- USA became the second team to fail to have a shot on target in a match in this tournament (also Australia, against Spain).
- 8 German players attempted more passes in this match than Michael Bradley’s 50 – the most by an American player.
- In this game Philipp Lahm (125) and Toni Kroos (122) recorded 2 of the 3 highest ball touch totals in a match in this tournament. Kroos made 125 touches in Germany’s fixture against Ghana.
