World Cup 2014 Matchday 15: Algeria, USA through; Portugal, Ghana out

SOUTH KOREA 0-1 BELGIUM: click here to read the match report ALGERIA 1-1 RUSSIA: click here to read the match report GERMANY 1-0 USA: click here to read the match report PORTUGAL 2-1 GHANA: click here to read the match report FT: Algeria finally through to a WC knockout stage, Belgium top group Algeria have reached the knockout stages for the first time in their history — and they’ve clearly been better than Russia and South Korea. Belgium have made it three wins out of three with a hard-fought win over Korea after going down to ten men. GOAAALLL! Belgium finally break the deadlock - 78 minutes It’s that man Origi getting involved again, and again as a substitute. He takes a stinging shot from just outside the box and Jan Vertonghen is there to convert the rebound. 1-0. EQUALISER! Algeria are back in it - 60 minutes Akinfeev comes out to collect Djabou’s freekick from the left but makes a mess of his attempt and Slimani takes advantage of it at the far post. Two mistakes for Akinfeev now, both leading to goals (the first one against South Korea). https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/482273846557696000 GOAAALL!! Russia take early lead - 6 minutes Shatov scampers down the left and sends in a high cross which is met by an incoming Kokorin with perfect timing, power and placing. Unstoppable header. Belgium XI: Courtois, Vanden Borre, Van Buyten, Lombaerts, Vertonghen, Defour, Dembele, Fellaini, Mertens, Januzaj, Mirallas South Korea XI: SG Kim, SY Yun, YG Kim, HM Son, Y Lee, JC Koo, KY Han, SY Ki, CY Lee, SW Kim, JH Hong Algeria XI: Mbolhi, Belkalem, Halliche, Mesbah, Feghouli, Brahimi, Medjani, Slimani, Bentaleb, Djabou, Mandi Russia XI: Akinfeev, Kozlov, Ignashevich, Glushakov, Kokorin, Kerzhakov, Berezutskiy, Shatov, Samedov, Fayzulin, Kombarov FT: Germany, USA through; Portugal, Ghana out Ronaldo presented chance after chance after chance but Dauda manages to keep out a couple of efforts while he hit one just over. Maybe if it was his day, Ronaldo would have led his team to a historic win with a margin that would have taken Portugal through after USA lost 0-1 to Germany. GOAL!! Ronaldo finally gets his goal in Brazil - 78 minutes The ball is bobbing around in the penalty area and Dauda’s weak punch is straight to Ronaldo who unleashes a left foot rocket to make it 2-1 to Portugal. https://twitter.com/br_uk/status/482216042207657984 GOAAALLS! Germany take lead, Ghana equalise - 55 minutes Muller scores his 9th goal as Howard palmed a shot off towards the striker whose attempt from the edge of the penalty area was good enough to beat the GK. In Brasilia, a beautiful outside of the foot cross from Atsu is headed in by Gyan. Brilliant! HT: Boye almost scores another OG, Germany vs USA cagey Another ball comes in, this time from the right and Boye attempts another sliding scissor-kick clearance which almost goes in! That was quite silly to be honest. Meanwhile, there’s been one chance in the 23rd minute for the USA but not on target. Germany have had 60% possession but nothing has come off it. USA are sitting deep, playing safety first. GOAL! Boye own goal gives Portugal lead, 30 minutes Moutinho juggles through three-four defenders and shows great skill to thread a ball to the left from where Veloso crosses. Boye comes ahead of his man and tries to clear it awkwardly and the ball glances off his knee and creeps in. 1-0 to Portugal Ronaldo brilliantly denied by Dauda, 20 minutes Incredible cross from Joao Pereira and Ronaldo’s header from point blank range is brlliantly saved by Dauda – and the keeper celebrates maniacally after making it. Seconds later Gyan is through at the other end but his snapshot is saved. Still cagey in Germany vs USA, 12 minutes Germany dominating possession. In the first five minutes, Germany completed 73 passes; USA completed 7. It’s still raining so players not sure how the ball will roll. It is still 0-0 but Germany sure don’t look like they are playing for a draw. Ronaldo hits woodwork and tests keeper with freekick - 10 minutes Ronaldo zips away on the right and is clearly attempting a cross which takes a bit of backspin and hits the bar with the keeper stranded. 5 minutes later he takes a trademark swerving freekick which is well saved by Dauda. Portugal XI: Beto, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Veloso, Carvalho, Ronaldo, Moutinho, Nani, Amorim, Pereira, Eder Ghana XI: Dauda; Asamoah, Boye, Mensah, Afful; Rabiu, Badu; Atsu, A.Ayew; Gyan, Waris Germany XI: Neuer, Boateng, Mertesacker, Hummels, Howedes, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Özil, Podolski, Muller USA XI: Howard; Johnson, Gonzalez, Besler, Beasley; Jones, Bradley, Beckerman, Davis, Zusi; Dempsey Suarez banned for nine months for biting Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was banned for nine matches by FIFA on Thursday after being found guilty of biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini. Suarez was also suspended from any football-related activity for four months and fined 100,000 Swiss francs (65,255.81 pounds). “Such behaviour 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. Click here to read the full report. 6.46 pm: Klinsmann provides USA Fans with permission slip to bunk off work to watch USA vs Germany match The USA soccer team’s twitter has been circulating a permission slip personally signed by USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann to help the fans get a leave from work to watch their crunch match against Germany. The match is in noon in the east and 9 am in the West and hence it would be difficult for most of the USA fans to watch the match. You cool boss might just be impressed with this slip! https://twitter.com/ussoccer/status/482128200928333824 6.00 pm: Wrestling star Hulk Hogan warns Germany This World Cup has caught the imagination of the United States, with tens of thousands of fans gathering to watch their team play in cities across the country. The USA’s opening game against Ghana set a viewing record that was then surpassed by their second game against Portugal. Now the Hulkster has joined their legion of fans and has a sharp warning for Germany

5.30 pm: More on Boateng and Muntari The Facebook page of Christopher Opoku, a Ghanaian journalist, posted this titbit on 24 June (hat-tip to the Guardian live blog): 1. Kwesi Appiah was involved in an altercation with Kevin Prince Boateng yesterday after Appiah thought that a comment Boateng made to Sulley Muntari was aimed at him. According to reports, Appiah swore at Boateng, who questioned why the head coach was shouting at him in front of every body. 2. Appiah later on broke down in tears when the Black Stars entourage was having dinner and he had to be escorted out of the dining area by Prof. Kwame Mintah. 3. According to deputy Sports Minister, Joseph Yamin, the players’ insistence on receiving their appearance fees in cash has led to the money being kept in a bullion truck at the Kotoka International Airport, awaiting clearance before a jet would transport the money to the boys in Brazil. 4. Players are now threatening not to train until they are paid. 5. Kevin Prince Boateng might be thrown out of camp but the matter is still being discussed. 5.15 pm: Ghana FA sends Boateng and Muntari home In a stunning turn of events, Ghana has sent home two of its best players in Kevin Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari. The decision is all the more surprising given Ghana’s chance of progressing to the next round depend on them beating Portugal in their match later today. The Ghanian FA posted two statements on their website on the rationale for their decision. Muntari reportedly punched an executive committee member while Boateng is said to have abused the coach, Kwesi Appiah. [caption id=“attachment_1590317” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sulley Muntari will play no further part in the World Cup. AFP[/caption] Here are the press releases in full: The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has suspended Sulley Ali Muntari indefinitely from the Black Stars with immediate effect. The decision was taken in the wake of his unprovoked physical attack on an Executive Committee member of the GFA and a management member of the Black Stars, Mr. Moses Armah on Tuesday 24th June, 2014 during a meeting. Muntari’s accreditation for the 2014 World Cup has been withdrawn with immediate effect. And The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has approved coach Kwesi Appiah’s decision to suspend Kevin-Prince Boateng indefinitely from the Black Stars. The decision takes immediate effect. The decision was taken following Boateng’s vulgar verbal insults targeted at coach Kwesi Appiah during the team’s training session in Maceio this week. Boateng has since showed no remorse for his actions which has resulted in the decision. Boateng’s accreditation for the 2014 World Cup has been withdrawn with immediate effect.