In one of the vital thrilling soccer matches in U.S. historical past, the People defeated Ghana, 2-1, on a late headed objective by John Brooks. It was one for the ages, and John Godfrey has extra right here.
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BY
John Godfrey
Posted
June 16, 2014
8:06 PM
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NATAL, Brazil—Vitality pulsated inside Enviornment das Dunas a strong hour earlier than the USA started its 2014 World Cup marketing campaign. Because the opening whistle drew nearer, the followers began chanting, “I believe that we will win!” time and again, drowning out the vastly outnumbered Ghana followers.
The U.S. beginning lineup bulletins took the decibel degree even greater. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was ear-splittingly loud.
After which, precisely 29 seconds after the opening whistle, the stadium really erupted.
That is when United States captain Clint Dempsey took it upon himself to place his crew in entrance, reducing down the left flank, dribbling previous defenders along with his proper foot, and sending a left-footed shot off the far upright and into the again of the web.
United States 1, Ghana 0. And simply 89 minutes and 31 seconds left to go.
“We didn’t play our best game,” Dempsey stated afterward, “but we ground out a result. We showed a lot of character.”
In a tense wrestle that featured end-to-end motion, a number of momentum shifts, and drama to spare, the U.S. finally prevailed when substitute John Brooks nodded dwelling a Graham Zusi nook kick to present the People a hard-fought—and oh so essential—victory.
Dempsey’s lightning-quick strike was the primary of many explosive moments in a fierce battle between two groups which have squared off in three successive World Cups. Within the first half alone there have been violent clashes, pulled muscular tissues, kicks to the top, blood, and unwell will.
From the second minute on, nevertheless, neither crew created any significant scoring possibilities within the first half. However that does not imply it was a uninteresting sport. Fairly the opposite.
The sport took an enormous flip within the twenty third minute when Jozy Altidore grabbed his left hamstring after a future down the left flank and needed to be stretchered off. U.S. soccer officers later known as it a strained hamstring. Aron Johannsson got here on to exchange the 24-year-old Altidore, who was wincing in ache as he left the sphere.
And if that wasn’t sufficient, roughly 10 minutes later it appeared as if Dempsey must come off when Ghana’s John Boye went up for a problem and kicked the U.S. objective scorer within the nostril, drawing blood. Dempsey stayed on the bottom for a couple of minutes whereas trainers attended to him, however he gutted it out and stayed within the match.
Defending in numbers very similar to they did in its World Cup warmup in opposition to Nigeria, the U.S. again 4 performed a strong 45 minutes and seemed practically impenetrable. Ghana pushed ahead in spurts, however was known as offside a number of occasions, negating any ahead momentum.
The second half start with an unplanned substitution that added to the stress amongst American supporters: U.S. defender Matt Besler, a sturdy and dependable veteran, got here off in favor of 21-year-old John Brooks. Besler had clutched his hamstring late within the first half.
Brooks was examined quickly after arriving, as Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan confronted him down in a one vs. one confrontation contained in the penalty space. The Hertha Berlin central defender held his floor effectively, and Gyan was known as for a foul that erased the menace.
Halfway via the second half Ghana practically scored on back-to-back possibilities lower than a minute aside. Within the first, an extended vary shot curled simply huge of objective.
Simply after that, a streaking Gyan acquired on the top of a fantastically weighted cross from the left flank and, completely unmarked, headed it over the crossbar. One other header from Gyan just some minutes after that, flew huge of a sprawling Tim Howard.
By the one-hour mark, it was plain to see: Ghana was on its entrance foot, and the U.S. was reeling. With out Altidore’s holdup play and vertical menace, a resilient Ghana flooded the midfield and managed possession. The U.S. could not preserve possession within the enemy half, Ghana managed the midfield play, and it appeared prefer it was solely a matter of time earlier than the Black Stars evened the rating.
Across the seventieth minute, the Black Stars practically did. Gyan had one more probability in entrance of objective, however U.S. defender Geoff Cameron deflected the shot away from the goalmouth and out of hazard.
Within the 82nd minute, nevertheless, Ghana tied issues up. It was a lovely strike created by—you guessed it—Gyan. He despatched a slick back-heel move to a charging Andre Ayew, who struck the ball with the surface of his left foot to beat Howard on the close to put up.
Sport tied. Eight minutes left. It was anyone’s guess as to what would occur subsequent.
After which Brooks put the sport away for the People.
The six-foot-four broke free from his marker within the six-yard field and nodded Zusi’s cross down and into the again of the web. The gang went completely bananas, and the Ghanaian gamers seemed completely dejected.
Neither crew deserved to lose this one, however Ghana did and is now holding Portugal firm on the backside of Group G. The U.S., in the meantime, grabbed three factors and is now even with Germany.
It was a sport each groups wanted to win, and the Yanks pulled it off.
What did you consider the match? The Feedback part awaits you and your sturdy take. John Godfrey is the founder and editor in chief of American Soccer Now.
