Until virtually the last kick of USA v Portugal, the title of this post was going to be just: Awesome (a term Americans love) as USA led 2-1 and looked set to book a place in the last 16 and send Cristiano Ronaldo's team home. Yet the fat lady had not finished singing, and there was time for the USA to lose possession and Ronaldo to send in a super cross which Silvestre Varela headed home past a gallant Tim Howard, who had kept out so much before.

Tim Howard made many good saves but was unlucky at the death

Portugal's last gasp equaliser

Cruel for USA, but there are neutrals who did not want to see World Class players like Ronaldo out of the tournament

USA can be confident that they remain in the driving seat, level on 4 points with Germany, who they play next. A draw would see both sides through regardless of the result in the Ghana v Portugal game. Portugal have a terrible -4 goal difference and would have to beat Ghana heavily and hope that Germany beat USA heavily. That combination is unlikely. The threat to USA is that they lose narrowly and Ghana join them on 4 points by beating Portugal . The narrowest of defeats for USA and the narrowest of wins by Ghana would level things up. Exciting!

Before the stage was handed to Ronaldo, it had been occupied by Lionel Messi and he obliged with a 91st minute winner to break the hearts of Iran, who had battled for 0-0 for all of regulation time. When folks look back, it is not the score lines like 1-0 Argentina that are remembered but the individual pieces of football magic, like Messi's wonderful curling shot to win the game, and like Ronaldo's pinpoint cross on to the head of the attacker. Just how do they do that under such pressure?

Honourable mention for Belgium after beating Russia 1-0, with another late, late goal, and thus go through to last 16. Not a great performance and they will need to improve if they are to progress further. However they will prefer where they are over Fabio Capello's Russia - seen as a work in progress.

By ColinSpeakman

International Educator, Economist, goal of helping to increase understanding of China by the West

(Opinions of the writer in this blog don't represent those of China Daily.)