2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 05 - GROUP F - Ghana vs USA 1:2
Ghana vs USA 1:2
Ghana lost their opening match against USA. Now it's getting tough for the Black Stars to reach the knockout-phase.
Goals:
Ghana
82′ A.Ayew
USA
1′ Dempsey
86′ Brooks
John Brooks headed in a late winner for USA in a dramatic finale to their opening Group G game against Ghana. Clint Dempsey put USA ahead on 29 seconds with the fifth-fastest goal in World Cup history, cutting inside John Boye before sweeping home.
Ghana upped the tempo and equalised when Andre Ayew latched on to Asamoah Gyan's backheel to fire in a leveller. "The way Ghana conceded the corner kick that led to the USA winner was poor. In these games, you can't do that. They are in trouble. They still have to play the big dogs in the group."
USA looked tired but Brooks nodded in from six yards following a late corner to give his side a winning start. Brooks reacted with a mixture of disbelief and delight at the goal, which gave USA a measure of revenge for being knocked out of the past two World Cups by Ghana.
They had looked to be tiring, and a winner seemed unlikely as Ghana dominated the second half and pulled themselves level. But their tenacity was rewarded to leave the Black Stars precariously placed, with both teams now having to face Germany and Portugal.
Ghana exited the World Cup four years ago in tears, when Gyan's missed penalty in the last minute of extra-time against Uruguay denied them the chance to become the first African side to reach the semi-finals.
If they were still nursing that pain, they did not show it as they sung and danced their way into the dressing room at the Estadio das Dunas. But they fell behind within the first minute. Dempsey collected a Jermaine Jones pass on the left wing, cut inside right-back Boye and shot into the far corner.
Ghana struggled to mount a response as the USA consolidated their lead with a work-rate and organisation that kept their rivals at bay.
Indeed, Jurgen Klinsmann's side could, and maybe should, have extended their lead. Striker Jozy Altidore controlled a low, right-wing cross but his shot from 10 yards was blocked by Boye. That was Altidore's last major act of the game, a hamstring injury seeing him replaced by Aron Johannsson.
USA centre-back Matt Besler also left the field injured, and his exit, combined with Ghana increasing the pace of their play, resulted in the Black Stars piling the pressure on Tim Howard's goal. Most of the chances fell to Gyan, but he nodded high from 10 yards when unmarked before having another header tipped wide by Howard.
Gyan may not have scored, but he did set up his side's equaliser as his lovely backheel teed up Ayew to shoot home with the outside of his right foot. It seemed Ghana might have enough time to engineer a winner, but Germany-born Brooks had other ideas, and his first international goal proved decisive.
Key facts
• Clint Dempsey has now scored in three successive World Cups, with two of his three goals coming against Ghana
• Ghana had 21 shots, a joint-high in the World Cup so far (along with Ivory Coast) but only three of the 21 were on target
• USA scored more than once for only the third time in their last 12 World Cup games.
Analysis
Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls striker)
"One of the moments of the World Cup for me was the reaction of John Brooks for the winning goal. That was priceless. That is what the World Cup is all about.
Ghana
USA