United States vs. Ghana 2010 World Cup: A Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)
T-180 minutes to kickoff: So here we are at the knockout stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It's the business end of things and it's every player for himself.
Who among the 16 will earn their place among the pantheon of footballing nations, or renew their status?
The USA are longshots to be that team, indeed, but that means all the pressure is off them. However, they have payback on their minds.
Four years ago, they were eliminated from group play for showing a lack of speed and reactivity against the Black Stars of Ghana. Today, they look to make amends for their transgressions against the Black Stars in the same venue where they began their campaign: the good ol' Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.
T-170: Ghana's speed lies in their swingman, Asamoah Gyan. He packs a scoring punch for the Black Stars. Richard Kingston is a stud at keeper, and the States need to pepper the net and test him early and often.
T-160: Lineups.
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T-150: For the Ghanaians, this means a lot to them.
"It means a lot to repeat what we did in 2006, when we were the only African team to qualify for the last 16,” said Ghana veteran Stephen Appiah. “And I think we can do better. As we are the only African team left in the competition, we are going to get all the support in the stadium, as we have done Africa proud."
T-120: “We’ve always said get out of our group and we’d go from there,” Landon Donovan said on Thursday regarding the contest. “Now we feel like we can compete and beat any team in the world. Saturday happens to be Ghana. We’re going to throw everything we can at them.”
T-90: In other action, Luis Suarez's brace helped pace Uruguay to a 2-1 victory over South Korea with goals in the eighth and 80th minutes. Las Charrúas face the winner of this contest.
T-60: One hour to kickoff down in Rustenberg. The USA, as far as I see it, need to take a page out of the German playbook. Integrate Joachem Loew's style of plays into theirs, and a winning formula to knock Africa out of South Africa may be in the works.
I will see this campaign to be nothing more than a modest failure if this USA side don't learn their lesson from four years ago.
T-30: From the Galaxy's web site:
"It’s a tired cliché that African teams are fast, but it’s true for Ghana. The difference is that the Black Stars are also smart with their speed. They don’t over-pursue and they overlap well, while maintaining a good wall in midfield.
"This game won’t necessarily evolve into a track meet, but it will certainly be much more of a tactical battle than people realize: two athletic, quick sides that love to counterattack, but have glaring weaknesses for teams to exploit.
"Both teams have nothing to lose, and they’ve both got that little thing called destiny in their respective corners. This may be the most fun US game we’ve seen yet."
True, true.
FIRST HALF START: 11:30 A.M. PT
1' - We are off.
2' - The Black Stars will look to amp up the pace.
4' - Ghana has proven to be dangerous on the attack, and they are striking early with Samuel Inkoom.
5' - Richard Kingson with the save on Clint Dempsey.
6' - GOAL! Ghana 23 Kevin Prince Boateng
This is simply unacceptable. Giving up the transition again, USA? I thought you had learned from this. That was an unforgivable gift given up in the attacking half.
This is going to put the States behind the eight ball. Solid finish from Boateng; he was not going to be denied.
7' - Yellow Card 13 Ricardo Clark
United States
8' - So now the USA will need to play on the toes yet again. Something needs to be done about the terrible defending, or else Bob Bradley is gone.
9' - Here is Hans Sarpei. An excellent facilitator, he will look to add to Ghana's early fortunes tonight.
11' - That was dangerous right there. Kevin Prince Boateng wanted to get his brace on that shot.
12' - Now what kind of a shot was that from Jozy Altidore?
13' - The USA cannot afford to play defense. They need to attack ASAP. Sarpei with the throw-in.
14' - It looks like the "thumbs-up" is a common salute to say, "good idea." Commonplace now.
15' - Landon Donovan looks to set something up.
16' - No foul on the challenge; play on, says Viktor Kassai. Goal kick for Richard Kingson.
17' - This was a disgraceful early go for the States. Too long a pass for Robbie Findley.
18' - Yellow card 6 Steve Cherundolo
United States
That was a harsh challenge. I do think that Kassai is pandering to the Africans here. Great save by Tim Howard on the set piece.
19' - How many more fouls will Viktor Kassai call against the States? That's the big money question as Howard makes that save.
20' - No fouls called on the Ghanaian challenge. I really think Kassai is becoming too much of a Africaphile today.
21' - A little bit better; now there's a challenge on Clint Dempsey called against Ghana. Another foul called on Boateng for the challenge.
22' - Time for a set piece. Solid defending. And that chance by Michael Bradley was so predictable, a high school keeper could save that. Goal kick for Kingson.
23' - Here's Samuel Inkoom.
24' - And now here's Andre Ayew, intent of moving the ball around.
25' - Back come the Black Stars after the USA gain some touches. Corner for the Black Stars.
26' - Tim Howard with the rising save.
27' - That was almost 2-0 Ghana. Why wasn't the USA set defensively on the counter-attack? Are these guys looking like a bunch of mummies today? This is South Africa, not Egypt!
28' - Richard Kingson resets things for the States.
29' - Excellent ball-handling ability from the Ghanaians. Boateng with another chance.
30' - Offsides, Altidore. Here come the Black Stars.
31' - Substitution United States
IN 19 Maurice Edu
OUT 13 Ricardo Clark
Terrible 30 minutes for Ricardo Clark, and a yellow to account for it. What a waste.
32' - Not a lot of England supporters. They thought that they would be the ones facing Ghana. Not so. They will be facing Germany instead.
33' - Great read by the defensive back line of Ghana. Read the pass well.
34' - Too long a shot for Ghana.
35' - Richard Kingson with a solid save. Findley did not put enough mustard on that hot dog. I'm not saying this because I follow the Galaxy here on the View or on B/R, but Edson Buddle would have done better here.
36' - As a matter of fact, if the USA go on to lose this match, I will point out that Buddle was underutilized, leading to their demise.
37' - Another great save by Tim Howard. And it looks like Kwadwo Asamoah is shaken up. The trainers go off to stretch his legs.
38' - Set piece for Landon Donovan.
39' - Jonathan Mensah with the stop as Asamoah gets back on the pitch. Goal kick for Kingson, with a solid save.
40' - Now it's Tim Howard to set things up. A weak delivery from Michael Bradley. Has to make you scratch your head. Where the heck was he passing that to?
41' - These Ghanaians know how to mark down pat.
42' - Horrid show from Kwadwo Asamoah. Boateng with the chaleira.
43' - Corner for the States. Another horrid set piece. Out of position.
44' - As it stands, we are looking at a 1-0 Ghana lead heading into the break.
45' - Let's see how many minutes of stoppage time. Only one minute. That's a drag.
45' + 1' - All right, it's halftime, and Bob Bradley...your job is on the line now. Get your boys to recover, or I fear that your time may be up as our national team manager. And I know it when I say this: It will be up.
SECOND HALF START 12:30 P.M. PT
46' - The second half begins, and let's see if the adjustments will be made this time around.
Substitution United States
IN 22 Benny Feilhaber
OUT 20 Robbie Findley
47' - Agony! How do you blow apart the chance, Benny Feilhaber? He and Jozy Altidore did not click on the communication.
48' - Goal kick Kingson.
49' - Here's John Pantsil, setting the ball in play for the Black Stars, who are leading 1-0.
50' - The States still cannot figure out how to counter right.
51' - Another chance for Boateng goes wide.
52' - For Ghana, they need to consolidate on this lead. Shut off any remaining confidence they will have at this point with the second goal.
53' - A wide shot for Asamoah Gyan goes left of the net. Kingson with the save on Jonathan Bornstein.
54' - Donovan and Dempsey could not connect on the shot. This is the epitome of how the night has been.
55' - John Mensah was lucky to not get carded.
56' - Corner. Too forward, too soon. Pantsil conceding a free kick following the challenge on Altidore.
57' - The Stars and Stripes must play with some urgency right now.
58' - Nearly an hour in, and it's 1-0 Ghana.
59' - Great defending from Ghana. Jonathan Mensah again. They're not the only remaining team in Ghana for nothing.
61' - Yellow Card 8 Jonathan Mensah
Ghana
And this might be the break the States need: it's a penalty! No surprise as to who will take this one. It's you-know-who.
62' - GOAL! United States 10 Landon Donovan (pen)
Cool as you like, the man from Redlands equalizes. It's 1-1, ladies and gentlemen. Cue the urgency for the States to take over the match.
63' - That set piece was not going to go anywhere for Ghana.
65' - The Black Stars must be feeling the momentum shifting a little. What will they do in response. Stay tuned.
66' - We are 66 minutes into the contest and it is 1-1.
67' - Another save from Richard Kingson. That looked like a penalty as per DOGSO rule.
68' - Yellow Card 3 Carlos Bocanegra
United States
A solid save from Tim Howard.
69' - All right, we confess: Sir Mick Jagger was in attendance at Rustenberg. So, yes, there are supporters from England, taking stock in the proceedings.
70' - Too long a pass down the middle. Maurice Edu was not going to get to that one, no sir.
71' - So this match is about 20 and change away from extra time, unless someone scores. Here's Michael Bradley. His free kick and follow through resulted in no dice, as his shots were deflected.
72' - Substitution Ghana
IN 19 Lee Addy
OUT 2 Hans Sarpei
73' - John Harkes is arguing that any contest involving the USA should start in the second half. As per the laws of the game, though, that's not possible.
75' - Ambitious looper from Gyan. Too high.
76' - Michael Bradley's bad luck continues. Great distribution, but Richard Kingson knew where that was going a country kilometer away.
77' - Kevin Prince Boateng looks a bit shaken up, hamstring pull, it seems.
Substitution Ghana
IN 10 Stephen Appiah
OUT 23 Kevin Prince Boateng
78' - Now Appiah proved to be a thorn in the USA's side four years ago. Will he break American hearts again?
79' - John Pantsil again, resetting for the Black Stars, who go back on the attack.
80' - Unacceptable chance wasted from Jozy Altidore. This has been the story of the match for the States. Wasted finishing.
81' - Harsh challenge over the back by Jonathan Mensah.
82' - Set piece for Clint Dempsey. Too low. Goal kick Kingson.
83' - Too wide for Gyan. Wide right. Goal kick Howard.
84' - Back come the Ghanaians. Good marking by John Mensah on Jozy Altidore.
85' - Offsides, Samuel Inkoom.
86' - Kingson calms the troops down with the goal kick, but it goes to Tim Howard instead. End to end action.
87' - The States need to reset things as we head into stoppage time and a foul on Asamoah.
89' - Throw-in for the States.
90' - A solid stop from Jay DeMerit. And Asamoah Gyan is down. Mr. Gyan, say hello to Mr. DeMerit's studs. He'll feel that one in the morning.
90' + 1' - Three minutes of regulation stoppage time on the way.
Yellow card 13 Andre Ayew
Ghana
90' + 3' - One more minute of stoppage time on the way, and Ghana are on the attack. A corner, and everyone is on their feet. Cleared.
FIRST ET PERIOD START: 1:25 P.M. PT
91' - Here we go with extra time.
Substitution United States
IN 9 Herculez Gomez
OUT 17 Jozy Altidore
And Stephen Appiah nearly set up the ball for Asamoah Gyan nicely.
92' - Offsides, Inkoom.
93' - GOAL! Ghana 3 Asamoah Gyan
Unbelievable. How do you let this happen AGAIN? Terrible defending by the USA back line. Shameful.
95' - Slow defensive reactions are what causes managers to lose their jobs. That is a fact.
96' - Horrid stanza by the USA. Corner.
97' - Andre Ayew is shaken up.
98' - That goes off Maurice Edu for a goal kick. This is the same score as four years ago. Doesn't look like anything has changed since.
101' - Too long a delivery by Stephen Appiah.
103' - Collective running and chasing will need to be key here for the States as they head into what most likely will be their last extra-time period of the campaign, unless something miraculous occurs. Dreadful goals given up.
105' - And that takes care of the first period of extra time.
SECOND ET PERIOD START: 1:40 P.M. PT
106' - The second period of extra time begins, and it's nervous time for the States.
109' - Bornstein's jersey is yanked. Corner for the USA. Cleared by Richard Kingson.
110' - Offsides, Ghana. The Black Stars will have to do some bunkerball.
113' - Substitition Ghana
IN 11 Sulley Muntari
OUT 7 Samuel Inkoom
114' - Corner for the States, and THAT is deflected.
115' - Another save for Kingson. It's all candy now.
117' - Ghana will be scrapping and sweating this out. It looks to be deja vu all over again.
119' - Another wasted chance for the States. Side netting.
120' - Corner for the States. Three minutes to go.
120' + 1' - Horrid overhead kick by Jay DeMerit.
120' + 3' - They have shot themselves in the foot with every miss they made. A disgusting performance. And this better be Bob Bradley's last game as US National Team Manager.
Well, you probably have a good feeling that my take on this contest on The View and on Bleacher Report ain't gonna be a pretty one. Stay tuned.
