Germany 2, Ghana 2: Ghana held Germany to a 2-2 draw on Saturday despite veteran striker Miroslav Klose coming on as a substitute to tie the World Cup scoring record with the equalizer in their highly entertaining Group G match in Fortaleza, Brazil.
Klose now has 15 career World Cup goals, equaling the mark set by former Brazil star Ronaldo.
Klose scored the equalizer in the 71st minute, less than two minutes after coming on, when a corner by Toni Kroos was flicked to the far post by Benedikt Hoewedes and the striker slid in to knock the ball into the roof of the net.
The result means the United States would advance from the group if it beats Portugal today.
Mario Goetze had put Germany ahead in the 51st, but Ghana equalized three minutes later through Andre Ayew.
Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan then put the Africans ahead in the 63rd, only to see Klose cancel out his goal.
The 36-year-old Klose is in his fourth World Cup and had been level with former Germany striker Gerd Mueller on 14 goals. Ronaldo also scored his 15th against Ghana, in 2006 in Germany.
With coach Joachim Loew preferring to play with a ''false nine'' system without a striker, Klose sat out Germany's opening 4-0 rout of Portugal.
But with Ghana threatening to put a damper on Germany's hope of winning the group, Loew turned to his veteran, who provided again.
Argentina 1, Iran 0: Lionel Messi scored a superb goal in stoppage time to give Argentina a victory over Iran in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on Saturday and secure his team's place in the second round of the World Cup.
Iran had defended solidly throughout the game and also took the match to Argentina in the second half, creating several chances to win the Group F match and cause a tournament sensation.
But Iran was punished for those missed chances when Messi picked up the ball about 20 yards out and curled a shot into the left hand corner.
It was a moment of individual brilliance, and showed why Messi has been voted world player of the year four times. Up until that point, he had been kept quiet by stoic Iran defending, while Argentina had at times been exposed to counterattacks.
Iran had several chances to win it, especially in the second half. The best of those opportunities came in the 67th minute, when midfielder Ashkan Dejagah's powerful header from close range was tipped just over the bar by Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
Earlier, lone striker Reza Ghoochannejhad's header from close range was saved by Romero after a cross from the right. He later missed a chance for a late winner when his shot was again saved by Romero.
Before the match, Iran faced criticism for its defensive tactics after a dour 0-0 draw against Nigeria. But before Messi's strike, Iranian and Brazilian fans were singing ''Ole, ole, ole, ole, Iran Iran!'' in recognition of the team's attempts to score a winner.
But Messi denied Iran what would have ranked as its greatest result by drawing with the former world champions.
The victory sent the pro-Argentina crowd into raptures and most of them stayed in the stands well after the match, chanting and waving scarves and flags, and watching highlights — including Messi's goal — on the big screens.
It almost looked like Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella's decision to return to an attacking lineup would backfire.
In Argentina's 2-1 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Group F opener, Sabella started employing a more defensive lineup, a 5-3-2 that utilizes only two strikers.
He then changed to a 4-3-3 formation in the second half — a system favored by Messi — and he continued with that lineup at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte.
Nigeria 1, Bosnia-Herzegovina 0: Nigeria eliminated Bosnia-Herzegovina from World Cup contention in Cuiaba, Brazil, with Peter Odemwingie's first-half goal getting the African champions closer to the knockout stage.
Odemwingie sealed Nigeria's first victory at a World Cup since 1998 — spanning 10 matches — by finishing from close range in the 29th minute after one of a string of powerful runs by fellow striker Emmanuel Emenike.
Bosnia faded after a bright start, during which star striker Edin Dzeko had a goal contentiously disallowed for offside, and is still without a point in Group F following a 2-1 defeat to Argentina in its opener.
A draw would have given the Bosnians something to play for in its last group match, against Iran, but Dzeko had a shot tipped onto the post by goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama in the final few seconds, ending their hopes.
Nigeria needs a point against Argentina on Wednesday to be guaranteed a spot in the Round of 16 — and a surprise win would secure top spot in the group.
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