Germany as they had expected to, topped Group D but England’s lack of goals ensured they would have a rather harder task of making the quarter-finals than they might have expected. Joachim Low’s side was indebted to a wonderful piece of opportunistic shooting from Mesut Ozil and some fine defending from Philip Lahm to see them through against a Ghana side who also qualified despite not having scored from open play in any of their three matches. Nevertheless, Low’s side paid a price for their victory with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Jerome Boateng – who was playing against his half-brother Kevin Prince Boateng and Ozil all suffering injuries.