Missteps and Misfires

USA-GHANA REPORT CARD

By Ridge Mahoney in Nuremberg

The bounces, the calls, and the fates smote the Americans once again in their Group E finale against Ghana, and battle though they did, recovery and redemption eluded them.

An egregious error by sure-footed captain Claudio Reyna, an Oguchi Onyewu ôfoulö better described as a bump, a Brian McBride header off the post, and Reyna hobbling off with a suspected ACL tear pushed the match just out of their reach.

The USA received the assistance it needed from Italy, which beat the Czech Republic, 2-0, to win the group, but GhanaÆs 2-1 victory landed the Africans in second and the Americans in last place with record of 0-2-1.

Haminu Draman plucked the ball away and sailed in alone to score after Reyna uncharacteristically got the ball caught at his feet. Clint Dempsey smashed home an equalizer from a DaMarcus Beasley steal and feed, but in the second minute of stoppage time Razak Pimpong toppled under OnyewuÆs challenge for a high ball and Stephen Appiah drilled home the penalty kick.

With the one-goal lead, Ghana defended with eight players and relied on counters. U.S. goalie Kasey Keller flew high to his left and tipped away one of four shots Ghana put on the frame, and aside from the two critical mistakes, the back line held firm.

Ben Olsen replaced Reyna five minutes before halftime, and Bobby Convey and Eddie Johnson were summoned to spark the attack but couldnÆt.

The U.S. opened with a 4-5-1 formation. Lone striker Brian McBride was supported by a triangle of Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley backed by Reyna, with Eddie Lewis wide left and Dempsey on the right. At times, McBride knockdowns were scooped up by Beasley or Donovan for them to run at defenders, and both Dempsey and Lewis received a few balls out wide.

But the attack seldom clicked. Donovan shied away from a few 1-v-1 situations and his poor touches squelched others. Lewis, Dempsey and right back Steve Cherundolo launched some good crosses that were repelled or snagged by keeper Richard Kingson.

A clever reverse move got Lewis to the end line to drive a low cross McBride drilled against the near post from a tight angle.

When GhanaÆs players werenÆt committing one of their 32 fouls, they were repeatedly lying on the ground killing time. These antics frustrated the U.S., yet they had sufficient possession to get back in the game if their final passes and shots had not betrayed them yet again.

The story of this match, and this tournament, will be one of missteps and misfires plaguing a good team not good enough to knock out tough opposition when dealt a few bad breaks.

SOCCER AMERICA REPORT CARD

(1=low; 5=average; 10=high)

RATING PLAYER (CLUB/CAPS)

STARTERS:

6 Kasey Keller (Borussia MÆGladbach/GER, 36/96)

5 Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96/GER, 27/ 38)

5 Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege/BEL, 24/17)

6 Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards, 29/17)

5 Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham/ENG, 27/42)

6 Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution, 23/23)

5 Eddie Lewis (Leeds/ENG, 32/72)

4 Claudio Reyna (Man. City/ENG, 32/113)

5 DaMarcus Beasley (PSV/NED, 24/61)

3 Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy, 24/84)

4 Brian McBride (Fulham/ENG, 34/95)

SUBS:

5 Ben Olsen (Kansas City Wizards, 29/35)

5 Bobby Convey (Reading/ENG, 23/42)

3 Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards, 22/20)

GAME REPORT

June 22 in Nuremberg

Ghana 2 USA 1. Goals: Draman 22, Appiah pen. 45; Dempsey 43.

Ghana — Kingson, Pantsil, Mensah, Mohamed, Shilla, Essien, Boateng (O.Addo, 46), Appiah, Draman (Tachie-Mensah, 80), Amoah (E.Addo, 59), Pimpong.

USA — Keller, Cherundolo (Johnson, 61), Onyewu, Pope, Bocanegra, Dempsey, Reyna (Olsen, 40), Lewis (Convey, 74), Beasley, Donovan, McBride.

Yellow cards: Ghana — Essien 5, Shilla 32, Mensah 81, Appiah 90; USA — Lewis 7.

Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).

Att.: 41,000.

STATISTICS

Shots: Ghana 9, USA 7.

Fouls: Ghana 32, USA 16.

Corner Kicks: Ghana 2, USA 7.

Offsides: Ghana 8, USA 6.

FINAL STANDINGS

1. *Italy 7 points (5-1)

2. *Ghana 6 points (4-3)

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3. Czech Republic 3 points (3-4)

4. USA 1 point (2-6)

*Advances to second round.