39 mins: Kahn celebrates Ballack's goa (Allsport)

By James Dart, Sportinglife.com

Final score: Germany 1 USA 0

Man-of-the-match: Notable mentions are worthy of Tony Sanneh and Claudio Reyna for the USA, but it has to be Oliver Kahn, who was the hero of the day.

90 mins: Germany are through to yet another semi-final, but the USA deserve great credit for their performance. They had enough chances to even win the game, but Germany, inspired by goalkeeper Kahn, did just enough to go through.

90 mins: Bode has acres of space down the left, but his eventual shot is poor and into the side-netting.

90 mins: There will be three more minutes to be played in Ulsan.

89 mins: The USA are deep in the Germany half. Jeremies' header flicks the ball away to Stewart, who keeps it in. Stewart picks out Sanneh seven yards out at the back post, but he heads into the side-netting, much to his - and his country's - agony.

88 mins: Friedel urges his team-mates forward as he launches a long ball from his own area.

87 mins: A final change now from Germany with Klose being replaced in attack by veteran Oliver Bierhoff.

86 mins: Jones reaches the right by-line, but sees his cross headed out well by Metzelder.

85 mins: Germany defender Ziege is on hand to clear from inside his penalty area as a cross from Lewis on the left is flicked on by Reyna.

84 mins: Reyna curls in the free-kick to Sanneh, unmarked 11 yards from goal, but with his back to the net, his flick glances wide of Kahn's goal with massive question marks over the defending.

83 mins: Free-kick to the USA on the left as Hamann goes in a little heavy on Donovan.

82 mins: Ballack instigates a fast break from Germany. He plays in Bode, whose header on towards Klose sees Sanneh hack clear from the awaiting arms of Friedel.

81 mins: It is hard to see where the USA are going to create a chance for an equaliser, other than through Donovan.

80 mins: A final change in players is made by Arena as he brings on forward Earnie Stewart with Mastroeni coming off.

79 mins: Substitute Jones breaks down the left and feeds Donovan, whose cross from the by-line is turned away by Frings.

78 mins: A change now for Germany as Neuville leaves the field with Marco Bode coming on in his place.

77 mins: Ballack intercepts another USA move, before launching a raid down the left that ends with the Bayern Munich man hitting the deck. Play on is the call.

76 mins: It will be interesting to see if US coach Arena opts to bring on any more attacking players. He does have Wolff on the bench at his disposal.

75 mins: More pressure from Germany and they are looking to finish this game off with a second.

74 mins: In the last few minutes, some of the pace in the USA side appears to have drained out. Have they enough in their reserves to bring themselves on level terms with a late surge?

73 mins: Space is opening up for Germany on the break now. Neuville almost punishes the USA on a counter-attack, but his 20-yard strike is curled high and wide of Fridel's left-hand upright.

72 mins: A free-kick to Germany around 30 yards out from the USA goal on the left. Ziege's free-kick is dangerous, but both Ballack and Kehl just fail to connect as it runs out for a goal-kick.

71 mins: Reyna almost threads a 20-yard ball through to Donovan, but Linke does well to stretch out a leg and bring it down in his possession.

70 mins: Berhalter now goes into the book for a foul on Klose and should the USA come back and reach the semis, the Crystal Palace man would be suspended.

69 mins: A yellow card for Mastroeni as he brings Neuville down as the German looks to break clear down the left. The card is fully-deserved for its cynicism.

68 mins: As the players wait for the free-kick to be played in, Reyna and Jeremies tangle. The former earns a booking after a brief stop in play.

67 mins: A cynical foul from Kehl, as he stops a quick US counter through Mathis to earn a yellow card.

66 mins: Neuville drives the corner into the USA area, but Reyna does well to get his head to the ball at the near post.

65 mins: A wayward backpass hands Germany a corner. The USA make a change with Cobi Jones coming on for Hejduk.

64 mins: The USA break with great speed and a long ball forces Kahn to come out of his area and head upfield. He succeeds in only picking out Reyna, whose 45-yard volley sails just wide of Kahn's goal with the goalkeeper struggling to get back.

63 mins: Sanneh makes an excellent tackle to deny Klose at the near post after Neuville's cross.

62 mins: Better play from the US and a through ball almost sees Hejduk reach it inside the German box, only for Kahn to come out and collect.

61 mins: Scrappy play from the two teams as play enters a temporary lull.

60 mins: With just a third of the game left to play, the USA look to break clear down the right from a quick free-kick, only for play to be pulled back after taking it from the wrong place.

59 mins: Voller decides to take action and replaces Schneider with Jens Jeremies to bolster the midfield.

58 mins: Play continues to take place inside the German half and coach Voller will be starting to get more and more worried by this.

57 mins: The first change of the game sees McBride come off and Clint Mathis replacing him in attack.

56 mins: Since half-time, the USA have been the dominant outfit and they are doing really well to force Germany back deep into their own territory.

55 mins: Donovan finds space to turn inside the Germany area, but from 17 yards out he scuffs his shot and Kahn is able just to fall onto the ball.

54 mins: A dangerous cross from Sanneh out on the right sees Kahn dive in and punch away just ahead of the pacy Donovan.

53 mins: Sanneh and McBride combine to almost set up Donovan for a strike inside the German area, only for Frings and Kehl to both slide in and block his effort.

52 mins: Berhalter almost picks out McBride beyond the last defender Sebastian Kehl, but the forward fails to get the ball under control and Kahn is relieved to gather.

51 mins: The USA still have their tails up as they win a corner on the left. Lewis' flag-kick is half-cleared to O'Brien, whose drive flies through a sea of legs, but Kahn is equal to it.

50 mins: A real escape for the Germans and if the score remains like this at full-time, the USA can feel hard done by after that poor decision.

49 mins: Another corner for the States after good work from Donovan. It is turned goalwards by Berhalter from six yards and beats Kahn, but hits Frings clearly on the hands. The USA celebrate, but no penalty is amazingly given.

48 mins: Reyna's corner is easily-cleared by Frings and as the Sunderland man chips back in, Kahn comes out to catch without challenge.

47 mins: Good football from the States as right-back Sanneh just fails to connect with Lewis's cross and Metzelder is forced to head behind.

46 mins: The second half begins with no changes in personnel made by either team during the interval.

HT: Germany 1 USA 0

45 mins: After one minute of stoppage-time, the half-time whistle sounds. Germany have only really come out of their shell in the last ten minutes of the half, but they have done so with devastating effect. The USA can reflect on missed chances and they will need a half-time lift in order to come out fighting after the break.

45 mins: Ziege lofts the ball over the wall, but Friedel is happy to see it clear the crossbar comfortably.

45 mins: A fortunate escape for the USA, who are rocking just ahead of the interval. And they concede another free-kick, this time about 23 yards out on the right and Ziege will take it.

44 mins: From Ziege's free-kick, Berhalter is just able to flick the ball behind from the head of Ballack. The corner is half-cleared, but seconds later, Neuville's cross from the left picks out Klose at the far post, only for the golden boot contender to strike the foot of the post.

43 mins: A second booking for the USA as Pope collects a yellow card for a foul on the advancing Neuville inside the US half.

42 mins: The 1-0 lead for Germany is a little harsh on the USA as they have had more good chances, but it is a reward for Kahn's exemplorary performance in the German goal.

41 mins: Another free-kick to Germany in an identical spot on the left. His cross is not as dangerous on this occasion and Berhalter is able to head to safety.

40 mins: Lewis collects a yellow card for a foul on Neuville, with referee Dallas making it clear the decision is due to persistent infringements.

39 mins: GOAL BALLACK - Ziege crosses with pace and curl from the left and Ballack rises superbly to head downwards past Friedel from just seven yards out. The header was close to the goalkeeper, but from such close range, the Blackburn stopper did well just to get a hand to the effort.

38 mins: Germany have a free-kick on the right after Frings goes down under Lewis' tackle.

37 mins: This has been a good, open encounter so far and it is definitely Kahn who has been the busiest goalkeeper.

36 mins: A pacy counter from the USA down the left flank, where they have launched their best moves of the game. McBride crosses from the left to Donovan, who lays the ball back to Lewis, whose first-time effort almost catches out Kahn, who punches away without seeing the drive until very late.

35 mins: Hamann advances purposefully inside the US half, but he is crowded out well.

34 mins: A bit of pressure now from the Germans, with two corners in quick succession. Schneider takes both, with the second causing the most problems - Ballack glancing a header a long way wide from the near post around seven yards out.

33 mins: The ball is turned back into the USA box by Ballack, but Sanneh wins it before being tackled by Ballack again on the left.

32 mins: Germany win a free-kick on the right flank after a needless foul. Schneider crosses and Ziege collects the rebound after Klose's attempted header.

31 mins: Lewis is caught offside after Donovan's attempted flick, but it is the USA who have been pressing to up the tempo of play.

30 mins: The corner is centred by Reyna, but it flies just over the head of McBride at the far post and out for a goal-kick.

29 mins: Donovan, appearing to be offside, breaks clear down the left, only to get the ball stuck in his feet before shooting at Kahn and seeing the goalkeeper turn behind at his near post.

28 mins: Nice build-up from the States, but Donovan's loose pass ends the move with Lewis frustrated in space on the left.

27 mins: Michael Ballack, yet to figure too much in the game, receives a knock and leaves the field to receive some treatment.

26 mins: As things stand at the moment, the even exchanges are showing no repeat of the friendly between the two sides just before the finals when the USA crashed to a 4-2 defeat.

25 mins: The ball is whipped in from the left to Berhalter, who meets is first under pressure, but heads over the bar.

24 mins: Good combination play from Hejduk and O'Brien down the right flank and after they win a throw-in, the former then wins a free-kick.

23 mins: Klose gets his first sight of goal in the game, but just as he is poised to shoot from the edge of the USA area, Pope manages to stick in a boot and force him clear.

22 mins: After McBride carelessly concedes possession inside his own half, Klose crosses from the right, only to find that no team-mates are waiting for the ball inside the USA area.

21 mins: A great ball in from the right by Schneider sees Neuville fail to turn it home with his head from six yards out, although his embarrassment in missing is allieved by an offside flag.

20 mins: Klose attempts to turn Pope on the edge of the USA penalty area, but the defender does well to dispossess him.

19 mins: A foul on Torsten Frings and Germany are able to build patiently inside the US half.

18 mins: So far, German top scorer Miroslav Klose has not had a look in. The USA will want to keep things that way.

17 mins: One of the best goals of the tournament is denied as a marvellous run by Donovan ends with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box being tipped around the post by Kahn.

16 mins: Reyna is fouled in midfield, but after it is quickly taken in an attempt to release Donovan, the USA youngster is caught offside.

15 mins: A brief lull in play, but German coach Rudi Voller is clearly giving his players some harsh words from the bench.

14 mins: Sanneh unusually finds himself behind the defence down the right flank, but his pull-back towards the awaiting Donovan sees Metzelder retreat and intercept.

13 mins: Landon Donovan releases the lively Lewis down the left and his first-time cross sees Kahn dive and just get a hand to divert it out of the danger zone. The USA have looked bright in the opening 13 minutes.

12 mins: Good work from Hejduk down the German left sees his deep cross towards Brian McBride flicked away from the striker's head by Linke.

11 mins: Fulham's Lewis takes a shot at goal, but his effort is high and keeps rising over Oliver Kahn's bar.

10 mins: Free-kick to the USA around 25 yards out just right of centre as Reyna catches the prone Metzelder to win a fortunate decision.

9 mins: The corner from Schneider is half-cleared by Tony Sanneh to Neuville, but his strike from 25 yards slices well wide of Brad Friedel's left-hand upright.

8 mins: Gregg Berhalter deflects Schneider's cross behind for another corner.

7 mins: German defender Christoph Metzelder breaks down the inside-left channel, but is unable to wrap his boot around an attempted cross, sending it into the side-netting.

6 mins: Schneider crosses deep into the USA area, but his cross goes too far for the head of Ziege, enabling the USA to clear down the right through Eddie Pope.

5 mins: A corner now to Germany after Bernd Schneider releases Oliver Neuville down the right flank. His cross is turned behind by Pablo Mastroeni.

4 mins: Claudio Reyna crosses from the left, but Germany comfortably deal with his centre and clear their lines.

3 mins: The first corner of the game goes to the USA as John O'Brien feeds Eddie Lewis on the left and his cross is deflected off Thomas Linke.

2 mins: Even early exchanges between the two sides as they look to settle.

1 min: Scottish referee Hugh Dallas is the man with the whistle for this evening's game in Ulsan, and the USA get the action started after a minute's silence in memory of German legend Fritz Walter, who passed away earlier in the week.

Pre-match: Germany were able to again call on Dietmar Hamann and Christian Ziege - returning after suspensions - whilst Marco Bode and Jens Jeremies drop to the bench. USA coach Bruce Arena made just one change to the team that beat Mexico, with Frankie Hejduk back from suspension - Josh Wolff named on the bench.