Updated

Bahia, Brazil (SportsNetwork.com) - The United States men's national team faces a difficult task in next summer's World Cup after being drawn into Group G on Friday along with Germany, Portugal and Ghana.

In the 2010 event, the U.S. was in a group with England, Algeria and Slovenia and advanced to the round of 16 before losing to Ghana. But this time around, the U.S. was dealt a much more challenging hand.

The Americans first match will be against Ghana, the side that knocked them out of each of the past two World Cups, on June 16, while Group G's opening clash between Germany and Portugal will be earlier that day.

Jurgen Klinsmann's squad will most certainly be the underdog in the group, but will take some confidence from past success against Germany and Portugal.

The Americans beat Germany 4-3 in a friendly in Washington, D.C. earlier this year and toppled Portugal in the 2002 World Cup group stage.

Klinsmann offered this reaction following the draw:

"I kind of knew we were going to get Germany," he said. "It's one of the more difficult groups. This is what the World Cup is about. We'll take it on and hopefully surprise some people. We are going to be well prepared and we don't look at ourselves as outsiders."

Some of the other more challenging groups to come out of the pots on Friday were Group B and D. Group B contains defending champions Spain along with European powerhouses the Netherlands, Chile and Australia.

Spain and the Netherlands - a rematch of the 2010 World Cup final - will open Group B play on Friday, June 13.

Group D could also be considered a "group of death" as Liverpool's Luis Suarez and PSG's Edinson Cavani lead Uruguay into a group with England, Italy and Costa Rica.

Some of the easier groups include Groups E and H. After being a seeded team ahead of the draw, Switzerland will have a solid chance to survive the group as they are in with Ecuador, France and Honduras, while up-and-comers Belgium were drawn into Group H with Algeria, Russia and South Korea.

Mexico, which struggled mightily to qualify and needed to beat New Zealand in a playoff earlier this year, was drawn into Group A with hosts Brazil.

The full 2014 World Cup draw is as follows:

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon.

Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia.

Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan.

Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy.

Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras.

Group F: Argentina, Bosina-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria.

Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA.

Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic.