“Thomas Muller’s fine goal won the game, but both sides progress. USA narrow. The major tactical feature was the narrowness of the USA without possession, which is something we’ve become accustomed to. Before the tournament it seemed Jurgen Klinsmann was going to play a midfield diamond, and while they’ve switched to more of a 4-4-1-1 formation, they still focus upon defending the centre of the pitch and preventing the opposition playing through the middle, which made sense against a German side boasting multiple playmakers. It also made sense considering the lack of proper full-backs on the German side. Jerome Boateng and Benedikt Howedes are both more accustomed to playing at centre-back, and therefore the USA were content for these players to have the ball.” Zonal Marking