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WC 2014: Ghana 1-2 USA

By on June 16, 2014

Revenge. Ever since the USA were drawn with Ghana in World Cup 2014 Group G, that was the one word plastered across all USA fans minds. Ghana had knocked the US out of the last two World Cup’s, in 2006 and 2010, and by the time the two side’s took to the pitch in Natal, Brazil, they were the biggest nemesis the US had. Even the hatred the US might have of Mexico is nothing compared to what the two World Cup exits made US fans feel of Ghana. And now, finally, Jurgen Klinsmann’s side have a revenge that has been eight years in the making. And although revenge might be a dish best served cold, it didn’t matter that the US were playing in the searing heat and humidity of Natal – it tasted just as good. Especially with the way it came.

The US did just enough at the times it mattered most, at the very start and very last moments of the game. Just thirty-two seconds in, the entire US went mad in celebration, after Clint Dempsey had stunned everybody by scoring what was the quickest goal in a World Cup since 2002, and the fifth quickest of all time. Jermaine Jones flicked the ball into the Toronto FC midfielder’s feet down the left of the box from the left, and after taking one brilliant touch to get it out from under his feet, another to take it by John Boye, and on final touch to set up a shot, Dempsey curled a low shot around Adam Kwarasey and in off the base of the far post with his fourth touch.  It would have undoubtedly been the highlight of the match, had it not been for how the match went down.

Immediately after the goal Ghana looked shellshocked, but managed to start finding their feet, and had most of possession by the quarter-hour mark. Howard was forced to smartly dart off his line to tip the ball ball away from Andre Ayew, and the US broke down even more after main forward Josy Altidore pulled up with a hamstring injury, which is likely to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the tournament, nineteen minutes in.  Clint Dempsey was forced out for a few minutes soon after, with a horribly bloody, and probably broken nose, before Matt Besler started holding his hamstring. The US’ momentum was quickly petering out. The match was opening up, Michael Bradley had troubled controlling the game like he usually does, and Tim Howard was forced into a brilliant save to parry Asamoah Gyan’s blasted twenty yard shot. A incredibly great situation for the US was turning sour.

It only got worse as the match wore on into the second half, as Alejandro Bedoya began to hold his hip after a challenge fifty-three minutes in. And then began the Ghana onslaught. Sulley Muntari saw his twenty-five yard curled fly inches wide of the left-hand post fifty-five minutes in, and just two minutes later Gyan somehow managed to head a wonderful thirty yard cross from the midfielder over the bar as he flew in to meet it near the penalty spot, somehow headed over. Howard then produced an incredible save to tip away an amazing fifteen yard header from Gyan, but it looked like Ghana would soon taking advantage of the US, who were physically breaking down, as the match opened up.

Christian Atsu sent a twenty-five yard effort curling inches over the crossbar, but the equalizer would not come, and the US began to regain a foothold in the match. Jones blasted a thirty yard effort on goal as the match neared its end, only to see it punched away by the Ghana keeper. Gyan then saw a dipping effort saved by Howard, but by brining Graham Zusi seventy-seven minutes in on Klinsmann has installed a positive force for the US. Yet then, just as the US looked to be in the clear for the win, Ghana struck. Gyan back-heeled the ball to Ayew down the left side of the US box in a flowing move, and Ayew caught Howard leaning the wrong way with an outside of the foot effort that nestled into the bottom corner of the near post.

Everything the US had done for eighty-something minutes seemed to be gone with the goal. However, in a sudden twist if fate things got better than they were before for the US. Substitute John Brooks came up for a late Zusi corner, and in a glorious rant met the ball, headed it down low, into the ground, and into the back of the net. That was the winning goal, an eighty-fifth minute winner. Revenge doesn’t come sweeter than that. It is surely going to be a moment that will go down in history.

It was a grind, but it was a wonderful one at the end of the day.” – US coach Jurgen Klinsmann

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.