In hot, humid conditions at Arena Amazonia, the U.S. Men’s National Team earned one valuable point in a 2-2 draw against No. 4 Portugal during its second match of Group G play at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey each scored for the USA with Dempsey’s 81st-minute tally giving the USA a 2-1, come-from-behind lead.
The U.S. was seconds away from clinching a spot in the Round of 16 as a win would have sent the U.S. through and Portugal would have been eliminated. However, Portugal’s Silvestre Varela tallied the latest of equalizers in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time on virtually the last touch of the game.
The USA is now tied atop Group G with Germany at four points each, but Germany holds the tiebreaker based on goal differential. The USA will face Germany in its Group G finale on Thursday, June 26, at 12 p.m. ET (ESPN, WatchESPN, Univision) and can clinch a spot in the Round of 16 in the following ways:
- A victory against Germany, which would also give the USA the group title
- A draw against Germany
- A draw between Ghana and Portugal in the other Group G match, which will be played concurrently to USA vs. Germany
- A loss combined with ending group play with superior goal differential over the winner between Ghana and Portugal
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