SAO PAULO -- Jozy Altidore will miss the United States' World Cup game against Germany on Thursday because of his strained left hamstring, but there is a good chance he will return for the knockout stage if the Americans qualify, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said on Tuesday.

The forward was injured in the Americans' opening 2-1 win against Ghana on June 16 and didn't play in Sunday's 2-2 draw against Portugal.

"Jozy is recovering really well," Klinsmann said. "He's doing a tremendous job. Our medical staff is on top of it. This game [against Germany] comes still too early for him, but we're working on him. We're getting him back in this tournament, as we said. So once this game is done -- hopefully successfully -- we'll have a good chance to have him back then in the team."