U.S. Gets Revenge on Ghana With 2-1 Win
Clint Dempsey scored a goal 30 seconds into the match and John Brooks added the winning goal late as the United States shocked Ghana 2-1 Monday night in the first match of Group G play.
The United States came on with a lightning fast pace as Dempsey scored the fifth fastest goal in World Cup history to put the American side up early. The lead would last for over 80 minutes of game play as Ghana missed on several opportunities throughout the second half. With the U.S. starting to show some fatigue late in the game Ghana scored on an Andre Ayew goal in the 82nd minute.
The goal tied the game for the Ghana side and it appeared that the game would end in a draw earning both teams one point. The tie only lasted four minutes though. In the 86th minute the United States’ Graham Zusi fired a corner kick off the head of 20 year old new comer John Brooks to give the U.S. the lead again. This time they would hold onto it for good.
“I told my teammates that I had a dream two days before that I scored. My dream came true,” Brooks said.
Brooks and Zusi were both substitutes that U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsman made at the half, making Brooks the first substitute to score a goal for the United States in the history of the soccer program.
The win served as a revenge game for the United States as it was the same Ghana team that knocked the Americans out of both the 2006 and 2010 World Cup’s including the heartbreaking defeat 4 years ago in extra time in the second round.
The win did not come without some loss though. The team might have lost Jozy Altidore for the remainder of the group stage after he pulled up with what appeared to be a left hamstring injury in the 21st minute. He had to be carried off on a stretcher and will undergo further evaluations over the next several days.
Next up for the United States will be a match up with Christiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in Manaus. Portugal was routed by Germany 4-0 earlier in the day leaving the Germans at the top of the table with the Americans.
About Dan Hauser
Golf and Sports enthusiast, Hurricanes supporter, Reds fan, UCF alum & writer for Country Clubs in Florida specializing on golf in South East Florida for Waterfront Properties.
