Both coaches paid tribute to Thomas Müller’s unique abilities as a goalscorer after he scored the only goal of a game in which both Germany and the USA progressed to the World Cup’s last 16.

Perhaps that is no surprise, both Joachim Löw and Jürgen Klinsmann are German, after all, but with four goals in three matches Müller is joint the top scorer in Brazil and on course to become the first player to retain the Golden Boot award. Müller needed only five goals to achieve that honour in South Africa and at his present rate he could easily surpass that total at this tournament.

“There isn’t a team in the world that wouldn’t like to have Thomas Müller on its side,” Klinsmann said. “He is a remarkable player.” Löw praised the striker’s fitness and work rate as well as his finishing ability. “He is mentally strong, a very smart player who always seems able to find space, but physically he is in great shape as well. He is the one who runs the most kilometres but he makes it look easy, even the heat doesn’t seem to affect him.”

The rain was more of an influence on the game in soggy Recife, yet the pitch drained much more impressively than the city centre streets, and Müller’s strike from the edge of the area would have beaten the USA goalkeeper, Tim Howard, in any sort of weather.

“There was a corner, and as I took up my position at the back of the area I realised there was no one standing next to me,” he said. “I thought I could shoot from there and tried to get a message to the winger to hit the ball straight to me, but I couldn’t do it and there was a cross for a header instead. But when the goalkeeper saved the header the ball ricocheted in my direction exactly where I wanted it in the first place. I already had the far post lined up and I hit the ball just the way I wanted to hit it.”

Germany will be strong favourites for their next game, against the second place team in Group H, while the USA are almost certain to face a tougher game against Belgium. “We have nothing to fear now,” Klinsmann said. “We have just come through the strongest group, and it’s great to be able to put the Group of Death behind us and concentrate on just beating a single team.

“When you consider the quality that Ghana, Germany and Portugal bring to the table it was a huge achievement to escape that group. I don’t think many people gave us a chance.

“The late goal that Portugal scored against us was hard to swallow, people thought that might hurt us, but we are still here. The second phase of a World Cup is completely different to the first. You have just got to win your game. It doesn’t matter how, it might be in extra time or on penalties, but you know what you have to do. You don’t get another chance.”

Löw agreed that Klinsmann’s players were worth their place in the second stage. “I think everyone thought Portugal would make it ahead of them,” he said. “USA had some tough games but I think if you beat Ghana and draw against Portugal you deserve to make it to the round of 16.”

The German coach rested Sami Khedira, brought in Bastian Schweinsteiger to good effect, and dismissed Mesut Özil’s grumble that he would be happier in a more central role. “I wanted to give Sami a break after two tough matches, and Bastian played very well for us,” he said. “So did Mesut. He is good enough to play in different positions. I know he prefers to play as a 10, but Toni Kroos can do that as well. We are just happy to be able to put two such capable players on the pitch.”

Considering the overnight rain never relented for a moment in the lead-up to the game, and floods caused chaos for spectators trying to attend the match, the pitch itself played very well in the conditions. “Despite all the rain it was a great surface to play on,” Löw said. “I would even say it was a better pitch than in Salvador and Manaus. It was very quick because of the rain, it suited our game perfectly.”