USA clinches a 2-1 THRILLER over Ghana

Ghana                    1-2             USA 
Andre Ayew (82')                   Clint Dempsey (1')                                                                                                 John Brooks Jr. (86')

The second fixture of Group G between Ghana and USA was all set for kickoff at the Estadio Das Dunas in the beautiful city of Natal. Yet again there was a heavy downpour, however, it didn't seem to dent the mood of the players and fans alike. Both teams named a strong squad realising the importance of a victory, in order the survive the Group. Last years quarter finalists had quite a few similar names including the likes of Asamoah Gyan and the Ayew brothers.

First Half: 0-1

The match got off to a flyer with Clint Dempsey scoring in the very first minute of the game. At 29 seconds his is the fifth fastest goal in World Cup history. USA dominated most of the half with Asamoah Gyan failing to connect with the few balls that were delivered into the box. Sunderland forward, Jozy Altidore had an unfortunate pull in the hamstring that could see him miss the rest of the World Cup. Suddenly, dropping Donovan seemed to be a wrong decision. It was a forgettable first half for the Black Stars, as they moved into the dressing room hoping for some pep talk from coach, Akwasi Appiah.

Second Half:1-1

With the advent of the second half, Ghana continued to dominate possession, however, failing to convert in the final third. Christian Atsu missed out on a golden opportunity to equalise in the 52'. Ghana substituted in Kevin Prince Boateng to improve the tempo of their game. As the game entered its final third, Ghana started creating some good opportunities, while USA seemed content with trying to soak up the pressure and wait for a chance to counter. Andre Ayew provided a sublime finish  in the 82' to provide an equaliser for the Black stars. The error however, seemed to be that of John Brooks. However minutes later, dramatically, Brooks himself managed to provide the winner via a header off a set piece. Despite the 5 added minutes, USA managed to hold on to their lead and now see themselves placed second only to Germany.

With Portugal losing by a huge margin and missing out on a couple of defenders for the next fixture, USA would fancy their chances of making it to the knockout stage. Ghana on the other hand would have to provide an upset to fancy any chance of qualifying.