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LiveBlog: Ghana-USA
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Ghana win 2-1 with a slightly dodgy penalty. USA out, Ghana through. Good effort from the Americans, but their tactics were maybe a little too timid. Ghana are the only African team to go through.
Final: Ghana 2-1 United States
Full-time It’s finished 2-1 to Ghana. USA are out, Ghana go through with Italy. I go and drown my sorrows. Thanks to everyone for stopping by, and for all the comments.
90+4 Arena looking very down on the touchline.
90+2 Donovan challenges Mensah for theball. Mensah rolls around like he’s on fire. Everyone knows Donovan can’t hurt you.
90:31 McBride nods down for Olsen to shoot, but it’s blocked.
89:31 Donovan squares to Olsen who swings his leg at thin air. On the break, Essien shoots wide. 5 minutes of stoppage time to come.
88:00 kingson teases Donovan, waiting for him to come before picking up the ball. Italy – Czech Republic has finished 2-0 to Italy.
85:44 Donovan’s corner cleared, Convey plays it back in but it’s over the bar.
84:30 Looks like Pimpong has stitch. Never seen that in a World Cup before.
83:30 Convey with a decent cross, Bocanegra heads it over, but did well to get there. Pimpong down again. He’s not my favourite player.
83:00 Dave O’Brien says “someone has to go on a mad run here.” He is a tactical genius.
82:00 McBride holds it up well then lays it out to Convey with a back heel, but Convey’s cross is too long.
81:21 Italy now winning 2-0. What might have been.
81:00 Donovan’s cross is awful. Goes too high and deep.
80:00 Convey taken down as he tries to burst down the left. Mensah booked.
79:30 Tachie-Mensah replaces Draman.
78:00 Dempsey with a high cross for McBride. Kingson gets there first. Kingson stays down injured. Ghana players seem to bruise easier than pears (or is it peaches?)
77:25 Onyewu holds off Pimpong. No foul this time.
76:00 Draman leaves on a stretcher.
75:27 Draman down injured, crowd whistling. Losing fans are so unsympathetic, he looks injured to me.
73:00 Onyewu gets the call this time, as a Ghana player is hacking at him in the US box. Convey coming on for Eddie Lewis. Fresh legs on the left. Lewis has done pretty well, I’m giving him a round of applause as soon as this sentence is finished.
72:15 Conrad blocks an Appiah shot. One more for Ghana would kill the USA off altogether.
71:26 Johnosn with a great turn and run, but well defended. DMb fould one of the Addo’s in Ghana’s half. At least he’s battling for the ball.
71:00 Italy still winning 1-0.
70:11 DMB wins the ball, dribbles and tries to play EJ through. Nice try. Times Square looking a bit busier.
69:31 Lewis offside now. Ghana playing a very high defensive line.
68:45 Johnson offside from a flick on. Time is ticking.
66:33 Bocanegra shot deflected onto top of the goal. Corner taken by Donovan, Onyewu heads it only just over. Close again.
65:14 Lewis beat his man down the left and crossed, McBride’s diving header hit the post! So very close.
63:42 US seem to be playing a lot of high balls, hoping for McBride & Johnson to win headers. Not smart. Play on the floor.
62:40 Draman was all alone wide left. That’s the danger with a 3-5-2. His cross is blocked by Ben Olsen.
60:00 Johnson on for Cherundolo. That says 3-5-2 to me.
59:30 Someone told him. Johnson is apparently getting ready.
58:22 The other Addo (Eric) replaces Amoah. Does Arena know he can makes subs as well? Some one tell him.
56:30 Still 1-0 to Italy in the other game. Come on! Dempsey beats the full back and crosses, Kingson catches.
54:00 Short corner, and Donovan slips DMB through with a slide pass. His shot is blocked and Ghana break. Amoah’s shot saved well by Keller. End to end.
52:00 Pantsil clears with a bike, but his feet are high. Free kick from wide area to US. Pantsil clears Donovan’s cross for a corner. Draman down injured.
50:30 Eddie Johnson must be frustrated. Maybe Arena is trying to wind him up? Wait till he’s a raging bull then send him on. I’m clutching at straws already.
49:20 Donovan with what looked like a great ball for DaMarcus Beasley, but DMB did a good impression of Ronaldo by not moving.
46:51 Bocanegra nailed Essien, who’s still down. No foul called, but probably should have been.
45:53 Ghana have brought on Otto Addo for Boateng.
45:00 Second half underway. Come on!
-Finally, the penalty on ESPN. No shock, as they agree it was no pen. Pimpong just collapsed, Onyewu’s eyes were on the ball at all times, he even headed it away.
-ESPN are usually so biased it hurts, but for some reason they’re scared of debating that penalty. What’s happening here?
-Just seen the replay on Univision, and still convinced Onyewu did nothing wrong. Am tempted to label Pimpong a diver.
-ESPN not showing the Onyewu “foul” till after the game. Erm, why? I’m off to Univision.
-Czech Republic have had a man sent off against Italy, Polak got two yellow cards.
Half-time Want to see that penalty incident again.
45+2 GOAL! Appiah blasts the penalty into the roof of the net. I’m shell-shocked. Kingson does a forward roll to celebrate.
45+1 PENALTY! Ref says Onyewu fouled Pimpong in the box. I know I’m biased, but he didn’t.
42:40 GOOOAAALLLL!!! Dempsey. DMB dispossessed a Ghana defender and broke through, then played a superb ball across the box to the onrushing Dempsey. Dempsey buried it, and then did a little dance to celebrate.
41:00 Celo Balboa of ESPN says “Ghana won’t know about Ben Olsen.” It’s not as if he’s Wayne Rooney though is it? Olsen’s first act is to foul Essien on the edge of the box. Now they know.
40:00 Reyna has given up and is replaced by Olsen. Fair play to him for trying, but would have preferred either John O’Brien, or even a reshuffle to get Johnson involved.
38:30 DMB with a perfect ball behins Ghana’s defence for Eddie Lewis, whose low cross wasn’t quite good enough. USA have woken up though.
37:38 Dempsey and Donovan with a great passing move, but DMB inexplicably slows it down. Ends with a failed cross.
36:00 Lewis crossed dangerously, Kingson got there first.
35:40 Free kick from the right after Cherundolo was fouled.
34:00 McBride heads it down for Donovan to shoot, but it’s over. That’s what they call route one football.
33:20 Bring on Edward Johnson!
31:50 Dempsey has taken a wack to the side of the head, contesting a header with Shillah. Shillah sees yellow, while Dempsey sees stars.
30:00 Can the US score twice? Dempsey’s header was only their second attempt on target in three games.
28:00 DMB dribbles, lays off to Reyna who loses possession again. Pimpong breaks but shoots (only just) wide. Feel for Reyna but he needs to get himself sorted.
26:30 Some good news. It’s Italy 1-0 Czech Republic. Goal by Materazzi. Reyna back on for the US.
25:11 McBride with a lame shot from the edge of the box. Kingston down injured now, he looks in bad shape, the stretcher is coming for him too.
23:23 Reyna leaving on a stretcher. Great tackle from Draman, doesn’t look like he fouled Reyna at all.
21:40 GOAL! Ghana. Reyna disposesses by Draman who dribbles on Keller and sidefoots home. Reyna caught trying to dribble at the back. He’s still down.
19:50 Reyna doing a decent Pablo Mastroeni impression in defensive midfield. Conrad gets across to make a good defensive header and concede a corner. Corner goes nowhere.
18:00 Onyewu roughs up Pimpong. Free kick goes straight to Keller. It’s a minor miracle that Onyewu made it through the Italy game with just a yellow card.
16:31 Dempset gets his head to a Donovan corner, but it’s straight at Kingston in the Ghana goal. Lewis back on after some ER treatment.
15:25 Eddie Lewis has a cut over his eye after contesting a header with Pantsil. If the World Cup was awarded on bleeding, this US team would be Brazil.
14:19 DaMarcus Beasley looking a little lost in central midfield. Quite surprised to see him playing there but guessing it’s for his pace.
13:22 Boateng fouls Eddie Lewis, who doesn’t look too happy about it.
12:30 “Ghana known as the black stars becuase of the black star on their flag.” Where would we be without Dave O’Brien?
11:00 US midfield is packed in tighter than cars on an LA freeway. Fine for now, but they’ll have to open up at some point.
8:00 Conrad fouls just outside the corner of the box. Ghana square the freekick, but Essien’s shot is wide. Very wide.
6:47 Referee Merk shows Lewis a yellow after an accidental hand ball. Very unnecessary. That’s two acrds in the first few minutes. Is Markus Merk actually Jorge Larrionda in disguise?
4:30 Yellow for Essien after he floored old man Reyna with a sturdy tackle. He’ll miss the next game, if Ghana go through.
3:00 Pimpong crosses but no one there. Disappointing crowd in Times Square. Looked like about 30 people.
2:00 Another cross from Cherundolo, Lewis heads it back across goal. Dempsey fouls the Ghanaian keeper.
0:37 First mention of the sponsor. Good work Dave O’Brien. Cherundolo’s attack down the right blocked by Mohamed. Second cross goes straight to the kepper.
0:00 We’re off!
Both teams in a huddle. Seperate ones obviously.
US national anthem. Gooch looking intense, Reyna not singing as usual.
Ghanaian national anthem. Either there aren’t any words, or the Ghana players aren’t big on karaoke
Teams are coming out, holding hands with children as usual. Good job little Steve Cherundolo’s wearing a USA jersey or we wouldn’t know who was the child and who was the international footballer.
Just over 10 minutes till kick off. The situation for the US is this:
“The United States needs a win over Ghana and a Czech Republic loss to Italy to advance. If the Czechs draw with Italy, the USA must win and make up the goal difference with the Czechs (currently +1 for the Czechs and -3 for USA). If the Czechs beat Italy and the USA beats Ghana, the Americans must make up the goal difference with Italy (currently +2 for Italy).”
For Ghana:
“Ghana will advance with a win over the United States and if there is a winner between Italy and the Czech Republic. They can also advance with a draw against the USA and a Czech Republic loss to Italy. Ghana will win the group if the Czechs and Italy draw and Ghana wins or if the Czechs win and Ghana wins and Ghana finish with a better goal difference. (Czechs +1, Ghana 0).”
Keep an eye on the Czech Republic vs Italy LiveBlog, which Bob is manning. Bad news from there (for USA anyway, probably good news for Ghana) is that both those teams have chosen to go one up front.
Eric Wynalda not happy with USA’s one up front formation, but Eric Wynalda is never happy. I’m OK with it as a starting formation, things can change as the game does if necessary. Would love to see Eddie Johnson at some point.
No Pope, no Mastroeni for USA, no Muntari, no Gyan for Ghana, all through suspension.
ESPN programming begins, 30 minutes before kick off! This must be an important game.
30 minutes till kick off. Have to be honest, I’m pulling for USA so this cold be a slightly partizan LiveBlog. Ghana go through with a win, here’s what the USA need:
“The United States needs a win over Ghana and a Czech Republic loss to Italy to advance. If the Czechs draw with Italy, the USA must win and make up the goal difference with the Czechs (currently +1 for the Czechs and -3 for USA). If the Czechs beat Italy and the USA beats Ghana, the Americans must make up the goal difference with Italy (currently +2 for Italy).”
Ghana’s first eleven:
22 Kingston
5 Mensah
7 Shillah
13 Mohamed
15 Pantsil
8 Essien
9 Boateng
10 Appiah
23 Draman
14 Amoah
19 Pimpong
The line up is official, here’s what it looks like:
USA Line Up:
18 Keller
6 Cherundolo
3 Bocanegra
22 Onyewu
13 Conrad
8 Dempsey
7 Lewis
10 Reyna
17 Beasley
21 Donovan
20 McBride
American fans before the game in Nuremburg.
Pregame: Wow, what a huge game. Who’s going to win?
Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 600 comments.
Read the rest of the comments
Simply because an African team beat the us is not reason enough to make us angry. We all know Ghana has a great soccer tradition, even the big boys in Europe knew that before hand. But, what what made angry is the way the commentators underrate the Africans as if they can’t play the game. That is really, compare to most, well almost all the countries in Africa we lack behind, because they have the tradition and the passion for the game. Where as we just started it, and we reached this far “not bad” but to act as we are superior to those nations, that is pure ignorance and arrogance. Bruce did a great job with the kids, lets face it this is their ability, they can’t do better than that. Maybe in years to come, but now as Reyna said it and quiete rightlt “we are a small footballing nation” compare say to Ghana.
Posted from 
United States
I think Reyena’s comment was comparing the US vis-a-vis European countries.
great! Go, Ghana, go for Gold!
Posted from 
Germany
Look, it doesn’t matter the continent of origin of a team. We simply got whupped. We got whupped by an African team that last Saturday beat a European team and made them look like amateurs. Remember, the European team made the US look like amateurs. So…should we really be that surprised that we lost and looked less than stellar doing so (regardless of how we played against Italy)?
Posted from United States
That wasn’t a whupping… It was a loss, but not a whupping. The Czech game was a whupping. This was a standard issue badly played game by both sides.
By the way, I personally think that the African nations play a pretty exciting style of soccer. Its not as defensive minded as how some of the European countries play. It lacks the finesse of some of the South American countries. If you saw any of the Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) games, you saw a lot of chances created with a lot of 1 v 1 play. Ghana plays the same way. Remember also that Ghana played without 2 of their offensive starters due to yellow cards. Yes, the USA was supposed to be deeper so our replacements were considered a non-issue.
On another note, I have seen no evidence that the US has a strong enough player that can attack 1 v 1 against a defender. Landon Donovan did it once against Italy but that was all.
Posted from United States
Cal –
I like the fast style of play as well, but this game wasn’t played like that. It was kick and chase from both sides.
Wynalda in 2010!
Anybody else think Dempsey’s goal was offside? Hard to tell from the TV angles I saw, but it looked like his chest might’ve been closer than the last defender.
ghana will win the world cup ths year if u want to know why http://www.viewghana.com/forum_talksports.htm fill free to add ur comment
Tiem to contract a world-class coach, like my countryman Guus Hiddink, who once again has proven to have the Midas touch with Australia.
Arena should have replaced both Beasley, and Donovan, who believe they are big stars, but rather looked like very lazy rookies.
I will take Marco Van Basten anytime; he at least ditched the lazy players with “diva attitudes”.
Robert Cohn, Ajax Amsterdam, and Oranje fan
Posted from United States
Ghana ye ye buei!! Obiaa nye obiaa!! Bravo Ghana! I’m happy to see you guys make to the end!! OLE OLE!
Posted from 
Canada
Time to contract a world-class coach, like my countryman Guus Hiddink, who once again has proven to have the Midas touch with Australia.
Arena should have replaced both Beasley, and Donovan, who believe they are big stars, but rather looked like very lazy rookies.
I will take Marco Van Basten anytime; he at least ditched the lazy players with “diva attitudes”.
Congratrulations are in order for Ghana; very refreshing to see how they play.
Robert Cohn, Ajax Amsterdam, and Oranje fan
Posted from United States
USA 5th according to FIFA…come on guys!!!! Who can believe in that number? The true is you are watching other world cup. This is my first World Cup outside my native country and the commentators really suck. They are completely lost in the space. However, consider yourself lucky to be part of this fabulous tournament. After reading all the comments you made I have reach to one conclusion: you American guys suffer of OGS- Olympic game syndrome. Unlike the Olympic Games, in which the Gross Domestic Product is not a good predictor, the Soccer arena is completely different. Here, no matter how rich you country is you will find poor countries with great teams. Think in Brazil, Argentina, to name a few examples. Those future stars begin playing the cheapest of the sports at an early age, on the streets, and many times barefooted. If they had luck, somebody in the entire neighborhood had a real balloon; otherwise they substituted it with a balloon made of old socks. What the US fans expected? Come on. Forget the 1994 World Cup. That was the worst of all world cups I ever seen. It was a good try to introduce the soccer in the US market, but it did not blossomed: lack of passion on the side of the fans. Consider yourself enough lucky to watch your team in a World Cup. Honestly, you do not deserve it. Look at the CONCACAF. Those are the countries you played with to gain a slot in the Cup. Come on. There are a lot of better teams just a bit south of that CONCACAF. Those are by far better soccer teams that the US team. Unfortunately, those teams were not able to attend Germany 2006 due to a lack of slots. Uruguay, Colombia, Chile and Peru would have loved to play this Cup. Wake Up. Argentina tu papa. Grande Maradona.!!!!
Posted from United States
Vittorio-
The angles I saw had dempsey behind the last defender, but EVEN with the ball. If you’re even with the ball, you’re not in offside position.
Maradona -
To wit: Brazil and Argentina are considered medium-income countries by most transnational organizations.
It’s an interesting point you’re trying to make, but then why doesn’t Venezuela (heil hugo), the Dominican Republic, or Cuba have a stronger team? Oh yeah, they play beisbol, and they play it well. In many cases they start playing it with balls of socks and a table leg. Their best athletes come to the states to ply their trade. They don’t go to Old Trafford, they go to Yankee Stadium.
This is similar to the problem the US has. Young players pick up the game at an early age, but the best focus on other sports that can pay (including scholar ship sports). You want the US’s a poo’ man’s leauge? I direct you to look at the NBA.
1) No one likes a diver…
2) Ghana’s play was disappointing with wasted time, I felt like they were weak…
3) USA’s play was okay, but still disappointing…namely Donovan’s refusal to slip the ball in with his left foot.
4) The PK call was absurd.
5) Great athletes are developed through the sports they decide to play early on…
6) The US soccer talent pool gets better all the time. I’m always impressed with our youth.
7) The US youth talent loves the game, and you can bet they will continue to strive to be better regardless if they think they will have tons of fans.
Posted from United States
While I do support Ghana as one of the underdogs
in this cup, and the fact that have many good players
in top European clubs, I have to give my fair opinion
that the match last night should have been won by
the USA, at least 1-0. The USA played extremely good
and professional football in this game.
Haminu Draman’s goal should not have been allowed,
and indeed he should have received a yellow card
for his foul on Claudio Reyna.
And Stephen Appiah’s penalty was quite dubious and
indeed ridiculous – it was a fact there was totally no
foul by Oguchi Onyewu on Razak Pimpong.
There’s a lot of talk in my office that the German referee must
have had a big betting stake on Ghana. This way well be pure
speculation or just allegations of course, but even to the
neutral observer, it is quite obvious that Markus Merk
was completely out of order in this game.
The staff in my office are also commenting that Ghana’s team
play like ….. hooligans. I have to agree with this to at least some
extent. Ghana has players of great individual talent, but their
whole team plays more like rugby players, at least in this game.
As for me, it’s unfortunate that Fifa is basically a useless (and biased) body – they keep belting out disciplinary action on players
all the time – but they never discipline (a more appropriate
action should be to remove from their roster rather) their own referees for faulted (and biased) decisions, which is particularly disastrous for games of this level.
It is indeed unfortunate too that a team which I have good respect
for has to win and advance to the next stage in such a dubious
and disgraceful manner.
A good writeup by The Guardian on this game :
http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/matchreport/0,,1804059,00.html
Posted from 
Malaysia
Mason,
Quiete frankly I sense racism in your comments. When I said Ghana is a better footballing nation like many Afrivcan countries I meant, because that is the reality whether you like it or not. You are not just angry because we lost I sense you are angry because we lost to Africans. You denial of this fact and insisting on saying that reyna meant the Eauropean nations is absurd and an indicator of your true self. Wake up man, don’t jusge people because they are poor. To ad insult to injury a guy from malaysia of all places is critisizing Africans “Tham” what a pity. I am not African, I am of a Serrbian origins, but some comments that I read in this blog lack wisdome and accuracy and are 100% biased. I’ll say it again we are a small footballing nation, not only compare to African nation, but also to Asian nations. We should not deny these facts. We have the money and the facilities to catch up. Lets work onthat instead of whining and refusing to give credit where credit is due.
Posted from United States
Ok, so from the first game I saw that the USA’s offense sucks and that we did not deserve to advance past the 1st round. I can accept, and very much expected defeat.
But the refs were either incompetant or purposefully trying to put the USA at every disadvantage, starting with the Italy game. Everyone knows the Italians are famous for taking dives, but the ref ignored that. Instead of penalizing the Italians for feigning injury, he handed out reds to the USA for tackles that warranted only a warning or a yellow at most.
He had no choice but to give a red to the Italian who drew blood, and then it seemed like he said “oh shit, I better do something to even things up or a USA loss is not ’soldi nella tasca’ (money in the bag), 100% guaranteed”. That’s right, the other thing the Italians are known for is bribery. But there’s one thing you can’t bribe… —>
IT’S TIME TO IMPLEMENT VIDEO REPLAY FOR MAJOR, GAME ALTERING EVENTS LIKE A CONTROVERSIAL RED CARD OR GOAL!
Posted from United States
Ok, I was wrong, everything that Ghana needed was a tie. Just too many games and too much heat here, don’t sue me.
Posted from 
Spain
I was proud of the US. They weren’t the best out there but they were one of the 16. How would Engkand or France or Spain fair in the US’s group. Don’t tell me it’s just coincidence that it was the hardest group. How would these same teams do down a man againsta team like Italy? No better most likely worst. How would these same teams do when teh other team was basically given a goal on a horrendous penalty call? They would lose.
If this had happened to any of the elite European teams thee would be a major controversy and FIFA would do soemthing to appease. England, France or Spain would not have advanced if they had to overcome what the US did.
Also, I am especially proud that the US doesn’t dive. It’s tiem to sart pulling the yellow card out for diving. The game is turning into a theatrical performance versus an athletic one.
Posted from United States
The only sadness I have from this game is that we lost a great player in the form of Caludio Reyna. A player of high quality with great work ethics and understanding for the game; a player that I held and still hold the utmost respect for.
It really sadens me to see some ignorant section of our fans blaming him for the loss. The defender who passed the ball to him should have known better not to pass the ball to a player in that situation and should’ve opted to kick the ball out for a throw. By doing so he put Reyna in unnecessary pressure without support. Dramman who was too quick and he was on top of Reyna before he even raised his head. The challenge was legal and whitin the means of the game, it was strong but nothing cynical, “fair play”. Of course the penalty was questionable, but again I doubt if that would’ve mad any difference. The African teams play strong physical football, so are the Europeans. Watch out for the Samba boys and their theatrics, I will not be surprised if I see few red cards because of that. We all expect Brazil to win that game and with good reason, but I still think this African team is more than capable to pull the surprise of the tournament. But, it’ll all come down to the refreeing as we all saw in this tournament already. Many teams have suffered already because of it including us, why Ghana should be different. The way the WC draw was made it is so clear that it favours the Europeans against teams from other continents. Why? because the tournament is played in Europe and it is not desierable for others to win it as the tradition dictates. Unless of course someone else has other ideas!!
Posted from United States
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Posted from United States
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