Belgium clinched a quarter-final berth following a pulsating 2-1 extra-time victory over the United States at Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador.
Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku put the Europeans ahead in the first period of extra time, but a commendable display from the Yanks resulting in a goal from youngster Julian Green.
Belgium boss Marc Wilmots left Lukaku on the bench in favour of 19-year-old striker Divock Origi, and the deputy nearly made an early impression with a shot on goal in the first 40 seconds.
It took 20 minutes for the next meaningful effort at goal as Clint Dempsey hit a tame volley which caused Thibaut Courtois no harm.
The Red Devils had a glorious chance two minutes later when a swift break culminated in Kevin De Bruyne with space inside the USA box, but his weak shot trickled well past the post.
The game had settled into a nice rhythm with Belgium dominating proceedings and the Americans appearing content to play on the counter in what was unfolding as a highly entertaining encounter.
The second half got off to a flyer with Howard pulling off an acrobatic save to tip Dries Mertens’ looping header over the bar just two minutes in.
On 55 minutes, another telling cross from the right wing found Origi, whose menacing header came off the upside of the bar as Howard stood helplessly and watched.
The game was wide open for the majority of the second half and the USA had their fair share of counters, but couldn’t pose a serious threat to Courtois’ goal; while Jan Vertonghen, Axel Witsel and De Bruyne continued to register shots in anger.
The best chance of the game fell to substitute Kevin Mirallas after Origi played a clever through ball to set him through on 75 minutes, but the Everton custodian got a leg on the shot to keep his club teammate out.
Howard was in the thick of the action as the game turned into an end-to-end contest heading into the final 15 minutes, first denying Origi and then Mirallas before making lightweight of long shots coming in from Marouane Fellaini and Witsel.
Apart from a couple of speculative efforts from Clint Dempsey, The Yanks found it incredibly hard to make inroads down the middle, but crosses were continually whipped into the Belgian box, albeit to no telling effect.
The USA almost nicked the winner right at the end of regulation time, but substitute Chris Wondolowski spurned an absolute sitter with a scuffed effort from eight yards flying well over the bar, leaving coach Juergen Klinsmann perplexed as extra time loomed large.
The breakthrough arrived two minutes into the extra period, when De Bruyne picked up a pass from Romelu Lukaku and found a corridor of space between Howard’s outstretched leg and the sea of defenders around him to fire a low drive into the bottom corner.
Lukaku then took the scoring responsibilities into his own hands and found the back of the net with a sweet first-time effort from just inside the box to seemingly put matters beyond doubt.
But the second period of extra time began with a bang too when 19-year-old Julian Green scored with his first touch ever at a World Cup.
Green, who had only been on the pitch for a few seconds, connected perfectly with a Michael Bradley chip pass to put the ball past Courtois who previously hadn’t conceded from open play in Brazil.
The Yanks almost made it 2-2 moments later when the ball fell to Jermaine Jones whose toe poke went inches wide of the post.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s men had another chance to make it 2-2 when Clint Dempsey went through on goal after a clever free-kick, but the former Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur man found his finish saved by Courtois.
Follow Carlton Diniz on Twitter: @CarltonDiniz
