HALF-TIME: Germany 1 USA 0

HALF-TIME: Germany 1 USA 0

Playmaker Michael Ballack turned goalscorer to give Germany the edge in this quarter-final clash.

He towered above the USA defence to power a header past Brad Friedel, after the USA had more than held their own.

Veteran German keeper Oliver Kahn made a hat-trick of fine saves to keep the USA underdogs from taking the lead early on.

After 33 minutes Neuville tried an overhead kick in the six yard box, and the ball hit Lewis in the face and bounced out to Hamann, but his effort was deflected wide.

Germany were beginning to dictate more, but the States broke away on 35 minutes and only another fine block by Kahn kept the Germans level.

Brian McBride fired over a cross, Donovan touched it back and Lewis hit a drive that the German keeper somehow blocked, sending the ball high into the air.

But after 38 minutes Germany stole into the lead when Michael Ballack rose above Tony Sanneh to power home a close-range header from Bernd Schneider’s free-kick.

A minute later Lewis was booked for a foul on Neuville, and then Eddie Pope was cautioned for another foul on the German.

A minute later Klose, who has scored all his five goals beforehand in the tournament with his head, hit the post with a 10 yard header.