USA World Cup Draw 2014: Breaking Down Group G Opponents

The World Cup draw has been finalized and the U.S. Men's National Team appears to be stuck in the infamous Group of Death. With three opponents ranked inside of the FIFA Top 25, the U.S. have to prove themselves in the group stage as heavy underdogs.

Greg Lalas of MLSSoccer.com gives a breakdown of how Group G fares against other groups in the tournament:

Group G includes Germany and Portugal, the No. 2 and 5 teams according to FIFA, respectively, and a Ghana team that has eliminated the U.S. in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Rather than immediately saying that the U.S. Men's National Team will be out after the group stage, here is a breakdown of each team in America's group.

Germany, FIFA No. 2

The Germans clearly offer the best storyline for the U.S. because of current manager Jurgen Klinsmann, the former Germany National Team coach, on the sidelines. But Die Mannschaft are currently regarded as the best team in the world and a formidable foe for Spain in the final

Strength: The Germans are one of the deepest teams in the tournament with two or three players at every position that can contend on the pitch. With players like Mario Goetze providing some of the best playmaking abilities in the World Cup, this team doesn't appear to have any holes in the midfield or strikers.

Weakness: For as good as this team has been offensively, the backline can at times be shaky. While Bastian Schweinsteiger still remains one of the best midfield defenders and Manuel Neuer is a great goalkeeper, the Germans have slumped at times.

How U.S. can come away with points: It will be a tough hill to climb to win or tie against Germany, but if the Men's National Team can play perfect defensively it might have a chance. Players like DaMarcus Beasley, along with the entire backline, will need to step up to hold off the strong German attack.

Portugal, FIFA No. 5

Portugal possesses arguably one of the best soccer players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo. If you don't believe it, just ask Ronaldo, who is building a museum in his own honor according to Nate Scott of the USA Today. Along with Ronaldo, several other key contributors could lead Portugal all the way to the Knockout Stage or even semifinals.

Strength: Selecao have one of the best defensive teams in the world. The biggest part of Portugal's game is forcing turnovers with backs and midfielders. With an attack that includes both Ronaldo and Nani, two of the fastest and most lethal players in the tournament, the Portugese have a balanced team that can contend with anyone.

Weakness: Here's where the questions about Ronaldo come into play. The star for Portugal has plenty of question marks about his consistency as a scorer, as does the rest of the team. If he is unable to step up, Nani will be asked to carry the load for a team that will need to score against the likes of Germany.

How U.S. can come away with points: The U.S. face yet another daunting task against Portugal, with defense once again being a key. But in this matchup, great play from strikers like Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore will be important to maintaining possession. With a great ball-handling forward like Landon Donovan, America might be able to match up with Portugal's defense.

Ghana, FIFA No. 24

The ranking of Ghana might appear to make them a lesser opponent than Portugal or Germany, but there is a history with the African team that doesn't favor the U.S. After being eliminated by Ghana in the last two World Cups, the U.S. Men's National Team will look to exact some revenge in the first match of the tournament.

Strength: Ghana are a team that is attack first, attack second and attack third. With a stellar group of forwards that includes Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari, Ghana are incredibly strong on the front line.

Weakness: That strong attack unfortunately isn't coupled with a great defense. It is a young back line that has the benefit of a defensive midfielder in Kwadwo Asamoah, but not much else. If Ghana plans to get past the U.S. in the opener, it will need to improve defensively against the U.S. strikers.

How U.S. can come away with points: In order to win or tie in the first match of the tournament, the Americans will need to use its advantage on the front line with Altidore, Donovan and Dempsey. Against a young defense in Ghana, the U.S. defense needs to hold up and allow their strikers to create mismatches. This looks like the most likely win for the U.S., but nothing is a given against the talented Ghana team.