(Photo Credit: Ricardo Mazalan, Associated Press)
One Nation. One Team.
Todays United States-Ghana matchup was a wild roller coaster of sorts to say the least. I saw some positive things from Clint Dempsey’s early goal to John Brooks late gem. I also saw some things, which have me a bit worried moving forward. The injury to Jozy Altidore first and foremost is a huge blow on the offensive side of the ball. Secondly, the United States’ inability to keep possession of the ball could present bigger problems against the stronger teams. However, despite their mishaps, the U.S. (thankfully) came out a winner and earned a crucial three points.
Dempsey gave the United States a quick 1-0 lead scoring in the opening minutes of the game. The goal was the fastest ever recorded by the United States national team in a World Cup match at 29 seconds and was exactly what they needed to dictate the tempo for the remainder of the game.
However, from there not much clicked for the Americans. An injury to Jozy Altidore in the 23rd minute sent a panic into the hearts and minds of fans across the U.S. Altidore, who had just been getting back into form, was now being carted off the field with an apparent hamstring injury.
The United States seemed to have been shaken up a bit by the loss of their star striker and Ghana took advantage as they picked up the pace and went on the offensive. Despite the push from Ghana, the U.S. was able to contain the threat and held a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Coming out of the break the United States showed more of the same, struggling to generate any sort of offense and failed to put quality shots on goal. Despite the victory the U.S. were out shot 21-8 for the match, possessing the ball just 41 percent of the time.
Lack of possession was especially apparent late in the game when it looked as if the United States was trying to defend their one goal lead rather than push the attack. And when you play conservative late, bad things happen. In the 82nd minute a beautiful pass from Asamoah Gyan to Andre Ayew finally gave Ghana the equalizer they’d been searching for, triggering flashbacks of the past two World Cups. After all the build up, was the United States really about to succumb their Cup dreams to the hands of Ghana once more?
NO!
Only minutes later, with substitute Graham Zusi lining up for the corner kick, a nation sat on the edge of their seat, waiting for an answer. Answer they did. Brooks split from his defender and connected with the ball, sending it flying into the back of the net to give the United States a 2-1 lead with just under five minutes left in regulation.
Soccer aficionado or not, we can all agree, that goal was spectacular. Though that goal did much more than secure three points in the group stage. It extinguished the Ghana curse and gave hope to a team and a nation that was written off before they even made it to Brazil.
In the so-called “Group of Death” the United States now has a legitimate shot to make it out of the group stage. Yet, with the match against Portugal a little under a week a way, the U.S. has to make some changes.
We’ll find out more about the status of striker Jozy Altidore following MRI’s tomorrow and what it could mean for the team moving forward. The team will also have to work on holding possession and creating more scoring opportunities as Portugal presents a much greater threat than that of Ghana. Although Portugal will be without defensive back Pepé after he was sent off in the match against Germany, they still have one of the best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo.
Come Sunday you can bet I will be glued to the television, dressed in red white and blue watching the United States take on Portugal. I Believe That We Will Win. Do you?
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1 comment
Not so fast…Ghana can still come back to bite us indirectly if the US loses to Germany and Ghana wins vs. Portugal (both very likely, and at least one of which may have multiple goals to cancel out the goal difference).
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