USA are OUT of the World Cup, losing against Ghana and finishing bottom of the group. Czech Republic are also out after losing against Italy. Italy and Ghana qualify for the next round.
It's looking very much like Ghana will play Brazil in the Second Round and Italy may play Australia, but that's not definite.
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Ghana 2-1 USA
Ghana reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time today, with a 2-1 defeat of the United States sealing their place in the last 16.
Haminu Draman opened the scoring for the Black Stars following a blunder by Claudio Reyna in the 22nd minute, before Clint Dempsey levelled the scores for in the 43rd.
A controversial penalty from Stephen Appiah just before the break proved decisive, as the USA failed to find a way back into the match.
Both coaches made three changes from the last match. With Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope suspended, Bruce Arena brought Eddie Lewis and Jimmy Conrad into the starting line-up, while DaMarcus Beasley took the midfield place of Reading's Bobby Convey.
Bans forced Ghana boss Ratomir Dujkovic to replace Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari, who were on target in the memorable 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic.
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien picked up his second yellow card of the tournament after just five minutes and three minutes later he fired wide.
After Dempsey challenged with a header in the 17th, the Africans opened the scoring after a mistake from Reyna let Draman in. The striker deprived Manchester City's former Sunderland and Rangers midfielder off the ball and gently chipped it past ex-Tottenham goalkeeper Kasey Keller from 10 yards out on the left. Reyna appeared to be in serious pain as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, but he returned until the 40th minute when Ben Olsen took his place.
It was never going to be Reyna´s day, however, as Essien took advantage of another ill-fated midfield ball to send Razak Pimpong into the clear - only for the striker to fire inches wide.
The USA seized control in the following, with Landon Donovan dragging a shot wide and Ghana keeper Richard Kingson fisting away a dangerous free-kick from Lewis.
Dempsey then pulled one back for his country in the 43rd after Beasley had intercepted a pass in the attacking third. He chipped the ball over to the surging Dempsey, who hammered it home from 12 yards out.
Ghana restored their lead in the second minute of injury-time courtesy of a controversial penalty.
Oguchi Onyewu was penalised for holding Pimpong, and Appiah sent the spot-kick past Keller to give his troops a 2-1 half-time lead. The second half was marred by numerous injury breaks, and the first chance did not come until the 54th minute when a 25-yarder from Matthew Amoah was tipped around by Keller.
With Ghana waiting for counter-attack chances, the US increased the pressure with 25 minutes left.
Fulham's Brian McBride rattled the left post with a close-range header following a pinpoint cross from Leeds' Lewis from the left, Fulham's Carlos Bocanegra shot over, while Onyewu headed just wide. The Black Stars were seeking to run down the clock - and they almost scored a third goal after Essien found Alex Tachie-Mensah on a fast break, but the ball was diverted into safety.
Ghana then survived five minutes of injury-time to make history for the country, with a likely clash against world champions Brazil their likely reward in Dortmund next Tuesday.
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Italy 2-0 Czech Republic
Italy comfortably beat 10-man Czech Republic to progress to the knock-out stages of the World Cup as Group E winners.
Former Everton defender Marco Materazzi gave the Azzurri a 25th-minute lead having only come on as a substitute eight minutes earlier before another replacement, Filippo Inzaghi, killed the game off four minutes from time.
The Czechs were forced to play with 10 men for the entire second half after Nuremberg midfielder Jan Polak was sent off for a second bookable offence.
It proved a hammer blow for Karel Bruckner's side, who did have their share of chances but were denied by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who made sure his team clinched three points.
After beating United States 3-0 in their opening fixture, the Czechs seemed certain to qualify from their group but they surprisingly lost their subsequent fixture against Ghana.
Italy, who should face Australia or Croatia next, are still unbeaten in the tournament and have almost certainly avoided holders Brazil in the second round.
The Czechs started the game with Aston Villa's Milan Baros up front. Baros, top scorer at Euro 2004, returned to play having missed the two opening games with a foot problem but he was lacking match fitness.
Italy coach Marcello Lippi surprisingly left out Serie A's top scorer Luca Toni and opted to play with trio Francesco Totti, Mauro Camoranesi and Alberto Gilardino up front.
The game began at a frenetic pace, with both teams determined to impose themselves on the game.
The Czechs should have taken an early lead with Pavel Nedved's dangerous cross from the left setting up Baros at the far post but his right-footed effort was cleared by Buffon.
The Juventus stopper was then forced to dive to his left to save Nedved's 30-yard strike.
Again Nedved warmed the hands of Buffon with a stinging drive which he managed to clear but only as far as Marek Jankulovski, whose close-range effort was cleared by the keeper.
With 17 minutes played, Lippi was forced to make his first substitution, with Materazzi replacing an injured Alessandro Nesta. Midway though the first half, goalkeeper Petr Cech was forced to come off his line to punch away a dangerous ball following Radoslav Kovac's poor clearance from Fabio Grosso's cross.
The Azzurri finally broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with Materazzi latching onto Francesco Totti's corner to nod the ball past Chelsea star Cech.
The Czechs pressed forward in search of an equaliser but mustered little before the break, with Karel Poborsky's effort from the distance going off-target.
On the stroke of half-time, Jan Polak was shown his second yellow card of the game after an unnecessary challenge on Totti. Midfielder Jiri Stajner replaced Poborsky after the re-start but it was the Azzurri who continued to dominate possession.
An unmarked Totti should have doubled his team's advantage three minutes later, but his weak effort proved easy for Cech. The keeper was then forced to palm away Totti's 30-yard strike towards the far post.
At the other end, Buffon saved Nedved's close-range effort after the Czech captain had successfully broken the Azzurri's defensive wall.
Italy put together a good move in reply, with Totti's free-kick finding Andrea Pirlo, whose first touch served Fabio Cannavaro at the far post but the captain's volley went high over the crossbar.
On the hour mark, Filippo Inzaghi came on in place of Gilardino as the Azzurri looked to kill the game off.
But Baros should have levelled the score but his header from Jankulovski's cross went into the stands.
At the other end, Camoranesi's header fizzed wide of Cech's far post.
Bruckner replaced Baros in the 64th minute with midfielder David Jarolim, leaving Stajner as their only man up front.
Inzaghi wasted a golden chance to make it 2-0 after a defensive blunder by the Czechs but the AC Milan forward failed to beat Cech with his touch going towards the far post.
It could have prove costly had Buffon not made a spectacular save from Nedved's formidable volley.
Simone Barone entered the pitch in place of a tired Camoranesi as Lippi attempted to reinforce his midfield with the Czechs looking more dangerous.
With 10 minutes remaining, Totti should have put the game beyond their opposition's reach but he failed to surprise Cech with a weak shot.
Inzaghi's weak header from Pirlo's cross then went inches wide of the far post.
The striker made amends shortly afterwards, with Simone Perrotta's pass slicing the Czech defence wide open and allowing Inzaghi to take the ball around Cech before securing victory.
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Group E final standings
............P...W...D...L...F...A...Pts
Italy...... 3 ...2... 1.. 0...5... 1... 7
Ghana ...3 ...2 ...0 ..1 ..4 ...3 ...6
Czech R ..3 ..1 ....0.. 2.. 3 ...4... 3
USA...... 3... 0 ...1 ...2.. 2... 6.. 1
