In the movie War Games, there is a scene where a general tells staff at 3 US bases that they are tracking inbound nuclear missiles to their locations, but that they cannot confirm it. He asks them to stay on the line as long as they can, presumably waiting for their imminent demise. When the FIFA announced the 2014 World Cup draw, everyone called group G, with the USA, German, Portugal, and Ghana, the group of Death.
Considering the fact that Germany and Portugal were considered potential winners and Ghana had knocked the US out of World Cup play in 2 of the last 3 tournaments, it was, Death to America. We were just to wait, watch, and pray. Back to the film, as the war room display screens showed the impacts of the unconfirmed missile strikes, the general asks the bases if they can now confirm the impacts. An Airman at one base, nervous not just at the nuclear strike, but also at talking to the general because his CO is unavailable, exuberantly shouts, "We're Still Here!"
Group of Death play has just completed, and "We're Still Here!" Portugal's 2-1 victory over Ghana combined with our 1-0 defeat at the hands, er feet, of Germany put us into a tie for second in group, and goal differential was the tie-break that put us through. I should mention that of the last 3 times we played in the world cup, the one Ghana did not knock us out of, Portugal did.
The rest of the tournament play is win or go home, so it will be difficult to imagine the US playing in 2 more games, much less winning the 4 it will take to win it all. But what do they say about the lottery? You've got to be in it to win it.
If my information is inaccurate about our exits from the previous World Cups, well I'm not going from personal memory, but from Fox News.