This appears on philstar.com
Avengers Assembled: the USA stuns
Ghana with a late Brooks header
by rick olivares
It began with a stone cold stunner and it ended with
an even more stone cold stunner.
The much-anticipated match between Ghana and the United
States in the 2014 World Cup ended with the red, white, and German-Americans of
Jurgen Klinsmann in their Captain America-type kits, finally exorcised the
ghosts of Ghana past with a remarkable 2-1 win at the Estadio das Dunas in
Natal, Brazil.
Clint Dempsey took a pass from Jermaine Jones up the
left side and ditched defender John Boye with a feint and he found himself with
acres of space to advance with nary a Ghanaian defender in sight. He dribbled
once then fired with his left foot towards the far right way past the extended
arms of keeper Adam Kwarasey. The goal, scored in the 29th second
and the fifth fastest goal ever scored in a World Cup match, put the Americans
ahead.
The Americans looked to build on their lead with a
few counters but not soon after, the Black Stars got their bearing and began to
control the match.
With supreme control of the midfield, the Black Stars
began to make raids deep in American territory. Noted American killer Asamoah
Gyan and Sulley Muntari fired scorchers at American keeper Tim Howard who held fast.
Ghana’s efforts paid off in the 72nd minute when midfielder Andre
Ayew took a sumptuous back heel pass from Gyan and like Dempsey in the opening
minute, blasted one from close range that Howard was unable to keep out.
Looking for the kill, Ghana pressed forward.
With his players dropping from exhaustion and injury,
US coach Jurgen Klinsmann sent in John Anthony Brooks for Matt Besler (46th
minute) who felt tightness in his right hamstring and Graham Zusi for Alejandro
Bedoya (in the 77th minute) and the two conspired for the magical
match-winner.
With four minutes left in regulation, Zusi’s
inswinger from the right corner dropped towards Brooks who won the aerial
battle against Michael Essien and Boye for a stunning header and an improbable
2-1 lead.
It was stunning reversal that rescued the US put them
in a prime position to steal the three full points and stay in step with
Germany that earlier crushed Portugal, 4-0.
That fact that two of Klinsmann’s new players were
involved will help bolster support for his bold new direction for American
soccer.
And maybe it should be given considering that
Germany’s current form have the former Die Nationalmannschaft striker’s
imprints. Klinsmann famously took charge of Germany’s 2006 World Cup team and
changed their style of play and fitness and conditioning program. That was also
the first World Cup where players of different ethnicity suited up for the
national team. That team had David Odonkor and Gerald Asamoah both who are
German-born Ghanaians and Polish-Germans Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose.
He led them to a third place finish in that World Cup
and went on to manager Bayern Munich but left after a dispute with management.
“It was a grind but a wonderful win at the end of the
day. There are undoubtedly things we need to improve on. The US team always has
great spirit,” marveled Klinsmann who has come under fire for submitting a very
young lineup with a lot of foreign-born Americans from Germany in Jermaine
Jones, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, John Brooks, and Julian Green and
Norwegian-American Mikkel Diskerud and Icelander-American Aron Johannsson.
In 2010, it was Ghana that struck early when Kevin
Prince Boateng scored in the fifth minute. Landon Donovan equalized in the 62nd
minute on a penalty kick won by Dempsey. Then in the 93rd minute, it
was Andrew Ayew who fed Gyan with a long ball in the 93rd minute for
the match-winning goal. Ayew outraced defenders Carlos Bocanegra and Jay
Demerit for the ball; took a bump from the latter but had the strength to fire
the match winner past Howard.
During the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Ghana also
dispatched the US in the group stages with a 2-1 win with the marginal goal
scored by Ghana legend Stephen Appiah off a penalty during extra time of the
first half.
It was perfect symmetry as the all the results ended
in a 2-1 scoreline. In the three matches between the USA and Ghana, the Black
Stars’ Gyan and Muntari were present.
Essien played in 2006 but was unable to participate in 2010 due to injury.
The victory, however, came at a price. Forward Jozy
Altidore, one of the few five World Cup veterans left on the squad (that
includes Dempsey, Howard, and midfielders Michael Bradley and DaMarcus Beasley)
went down in the 23rd minute and is possibly out of the tournament
with a hamstring injury. Besler and Bedoya also went out hobbled while Dempsey
took a shot in the nose from an errant John Boye overhead kick.
The Americans, who have made a habit of scoring late
goals (see the 2010 World Cup where they scored late goals against Algeria and
Slovenia), will next face a wounded Portugal who took it on the chin against
powerhouse Germany and will be missing mainstays Pepe who will be suspended for
the next match on a straight red card and possibly Fabio Coentrao who
over-extended his leg while trying to keep the ball in play.
If the Germans’ domination of Portugal was stunning
none was more so than the Americans’ gritty win over Ghana where they were
pounded and on the ropes for much of the game but displayed verve in the
endgame that Portugal would do well to note.
“We fight to the last second,” emphasized a relieved
and happy Jurgen Klinsmann as his team dodged a bullet and managed to make a
statement at the same time.
Klinsi’s Avengers do all right.
And what a stone cold stunner to start their World
Cup campaign.
Johnny Futbol FTW!
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