re: Group G Match 28 | Germany v Ghana | Official Match Thread | 3:00 EDT

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Sorry to jump in late, but doesn't a tie help us the most?

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Germany ties Ghana

In this scenario, a U.S. win over Portugal would put it top of the group after two games and officially clinch a place in the round of 16. A tie against Portugal would put the Americans on the cusp of sealing qualification, too.

A draw also is most ideal because all of these situations revolve around motivation. If both the U.S. and Germany go into a final game knowing that a tie would qualify both teams, then the chances of that happening drastically increase. It doesn't mean the match is fixed. Rather, it is all about risk versus reward.

Say the USA-Germany game is tied with 10 minutes remaining and all either team needs is a tie. Common sense dictates that a safety-first approach is the right way to go. On the other hand, coming up against a team that desperately needs to win to save itself is a different proposition. That team will throw caution to the wind and risk everything in search of a breakthrough.

Conspiracy theorists would point to the fact that Klinsmann and Germany head coach Joachim Loew are friends and former colleagues with the German national team in 2006. Then there is the murky history of the 1982 World Cup where West Germany and Austria conspired to arrange a specific result to ensure Algeria was eliminated and both countries progressed.

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