World Cup 2014 Brazil » Group G » Live commentary: Ghana - USA 1:2

Fulltime Summary:
Well that was one of those games where one team is dominating virtually all the time and still the other one emerges victorious. Team USA took the lead right in the first minute of the game, but didn't continue to attack. Instead Klinsmann's squad concentrated on defending and left having the ball to their opposition, who had 59:41% possession. Additionally, Ghana had 21:8 shots, while only 8:7 of those went on target. The spectators saw many attempts go widely off, so clearly the Black Stars' problems were a lack of precision and efficiency. The Yanks on the other hand showed much the latter and converted their few real chances into two goals. Because after Ghana equalized in the 84th minute with a beautiful team effort, it took the Stars and Stripes only two minutes to restore their lead with a header following a corner kick. So finally the United States win despite being the inferior team.

The Black Stars are trying everything! Asamoah plays a high one-two with Muntari and gets the ball back. But his cross from the left border of the penalty area doesn't create any danger.

The ref adds five minutes of stoppage time! can Ghana use it to score the 2-2?

Goooal for USA, 1:2 by John Anthony Brooks
That's Unbelieveable! Ghana just managed to equalize and now it's the USA leading again! Zusi swings in a corner from the right and his curved cross comes right in front of the six-yard-box, where Brooks is able to convert with a fine diving header!

Goooal for Ghana, 1:1 by André Ayew
That's a superb goal! Asamoah plays a surprising pass with his left foot to Gyan, who's standing at the left border of the box. With a nice heel pass he finds André Ayew, who can score from about eight metres with his left sidefoot!

At least Team USA still can make a shot! Johnson dribbles through the left side and passes to Dempsey, who's attempt from about 14 metres is easily saved by Kwarasey.

This is really a one-sided second half until now, Ghana clearly are the superior team. Oone has to say, the Americans show a quite weak performance by just hoping to maintain their lead by defending throughout the whole game.

Boateng tries the same kind of shot Jones did a few minutes before and like his counterpart, the midfielder fails to create danger. His shot goes over the bar and onto the stance.

At least they have their first attempt in the second half! Jones boldly shoots from about 35 metres and his powerful effort isn't bad at all! But Kwarasey can catch it without any problems.

Kwasi Appiah makes his first substitution, Boateng replaces Jordan Ayew. Maybe the polyvalent Schalke 04 midfielder can help Ghana be more effective.

Ghana increase the pressure on their opposition! Muntari's beautiful cross from the left hand side finds Gyans head, but his effort goes over the bar.

After Bedoya commits a foul Ghana get a free-kick and Atsu is sent to the right wing. From there he looks to get in front of the box and finishes from about 16 metres with a left-footed shot. But it goes off target.

Klinsmann makes his second substitution and replaced Besler with Hertha BSC Berlin defender Brooks.

Halftime Summary:
Team USA had a dream start, but then didn't continue to play offensively! Klinsmann's team scored in the very first minute and subsequently focused on defending their lead and waiting for counter opportunities. Though Ghana took over control right after Dempsey's goal, they couldn't make something out of their great ball possession (62:38%). At the middle of the first half, the Yanks also lost their key striker Altidore due to a hamstring injury. In the following Ghana created some good chances but weren't able to convert, while the USA had some efforts in the last ten minutes. Who whill be able to score next?

Is this unsportsmanlike conduct? Muntari and Jones get entangled and while falling the former Schalke 04 midfielder's feet hit his opponent's neck. Though Jones has made similar bad moves in his career, it's hard to judge really since no one knows if this happens intentionally or not.

Again it's Jóhansson dashing over the right hand side and passes back to Bedoya. But his cross for Dempsey is intercepted, Ghana's defense looks quite vigilant right now.

More and more the USA are playing more offensively instead of camping inside their own half. This way the Black Stars' pressure decreases significantly.

Is this the next injury for Team USA? Boye unintentionally hits Dempsey's nose with his foot while both a trying to make a header.

Mohammed Rabiu (Ghana) is shown a yellow card
Ouch, he should really be more careful! He rushes into Beckermann with full speed and the victim is lucky not be suffer an injury from this.

The Black Stars continue to find a gap between the opposition's defenders. This time Opare crosses it from the right wing and into the box, but Besler can clear the ball for a corner kick, which comes to nothing.

No, that's it for Jozy! The striker is put on a barrow and carried off pitch. Jóhannsson will replace him in a jiffy.

Altidore has a chance! But the striker who had a horrific season (scoring only one goal in 31 games) can't convert, his shot from about eight metres is blocked.

Team USA seems quite content with their lead, not even trying to be more dominant. Instead they concentrate on defending and wait for opportunities to counterattack.

Ghana are trying to gain control of the game and the do managed to keep the ball in their possession. But so far they aren't able to create a scoring chance.

Goooal for USA, 0:1 by Clint Dempsey
Wow, what a quick start for the United States, it takes them only 30 seconds to score the lead! Beasley passes the ball onto the left, where Jones immediately forwards it to Dempsey. The 31-year-old dribbles into the box and isn't properly attacked by the Black Stars' defensive line. This way the American forward can finish with a precise left-footed low shot into the rear corner of the goal.

Both teams faced each other only two times in their history. At the 2006 WC in Germany, Ghana won 2-1 in the group stage. Four years later the Black Stars were victorious again as mentioned before.

The most famous players on Ghana's side would be Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah, the brothers André (Olympique de Marseille) and Jordan Ayew (FC Sochaux-Montbéliard), Kevin-Prince Boateng (FC Schalke 04), Michael Essien (AC Milan) and the Black Star's record goal scorer Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain FC). However, Boateng and Essien are sitting on the bench tonight, instead AC Milan's Sulley Muntary finds himself in the starting lineup.

In the past few days Jürgen Klinsmann not only received much criticism, but also caused a big shitstorm in the Internet. The former German striker and current team manager of the USA had stated: "We cannot win this World Cup, because we are not at that level yet. For us, we have to play the game of our lives seven times to win the tournament. Realistically, it is not possible.”

In this year the Stars and Stripes played six friendly matches and in almost every one of them the USA scored two goals. After beating South Korea (2-0), the American players weren't able to get their names on the score sheet against Ukraine (0-2). However, they stayed without a loss in the following four games against Mexico (2:2), Azerbaijan (2:0), Turkey (2:1) and Nigeria (2:1).

Ghana came first in their qualifying group, winning five out of six games. Subsequently they managed to beat Egypt 6-1 in the third qualifying round, so that their following 1-2 loss in Cairo didn't have any impact at all. In 2014, the Black Stars lost two out of three of their recent friendlies with 0-1 (against Montenegro and the Netherlands), but achieved a reassuring 4-0 win over South Korea.