June 22, 2006
COMING-OUT PARTY
Ghana nips U.S. to advance to second round

By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor

Nuremberg, Germany -- The second round was there for the Americans’ taking.

Italy played its part, defeating the Czech Republic in its final Group E game, 2-0.

But when push came to shove for the U.S. to hold up its end of the bargain, the Americans just didn’t have enough goals or weapons in their arsenal to make a difference against Ghana.

Translated: the U.S. is going home, having been eliminated from the World Cup, losing to the Africans, 2-1, at Franken-Stadion on Thursday.

The results meant that Italy and Ghana advanced to the round of 16, while a disappointed American side and Czech team will go home empty-handed.

The elimination came four years after the Americans’ impressive quarterfinal finish at the 2002 World Cup.

Referee Markus Merk, a no-nonsense game official voted the best referee in the world the past two seasons, called a tight match, unafraid to blow his whistle on fouls or pull out a card or two.

He awarded Ghana star midfielder Michael Essien a yellow card for upending U.S. captain Claudio Reyna in the midfield in the fifth minute. Only three minutes later, he carded midfielder Eddie Lewis for a midfield handball.

The Americans finally forced an opposing goalkeeper to make a save on Clint Dempsey's soft header off Claudio Reyna's corner kick to goalkeeper Richard Kingson in the 17th minute.

Their worst fears, however, occurred in the 22nd minute when Ghana found the back of the net. The goal came off an unusual play. Reyna took a backup from a teammate on the left side of the U.S. defensive third. An onrushing Haminu Draman, playing in his very first World Cup match, striped the ball from Reyna while kicking the U.S. skipper in the process.

As Reyna fell to the ground in pain, Draman raced in alone on goalkeeper Kasey Keller and fired a low shot to the far right post for 1-0 Ghana lead.

Reyna eventually was replaced by Ben Olsen in the 40th minute.

However, only three minutes later, the U.S. equalized on a bang-bang play by DaMarcus Beasley and Clint Dempsey.

Beasley, who had been benched as a starter in the Italy draw, stole the ball from Derek Boateng on the left side and sent a low drive across the penalty area that Dempsey immediately rocketed into the net for a 1-1 deadlock. The goal was the first scored by an American -- other than an own goal -- in the World Cup in 338 minutes, dating back to the U.S.'s 2-0 victory over Mexico in the second-round in 2002.

The U.S., however, found itself facing yet another one-goal deficit entering the locker room at halftime as Merk called a questionable penalty kick on Oguchi Onyewu for taking down Razak Pimpong in the penalty area two minutes into stoppage time. Playmaking midfielder Stephen Appiah converted the enusing PK into the middle of the goal as Keller dived to his right.

As the teams walked off the field toward the locker room at halftime, U.S. assistant coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick had to restrain an angry Keller from giving his two cents to Merk.

In an attempt to add more speed and oomph to the attack, U.S. coach Bruce Arena inserted Eddie Johnson into the lineup for defender Steve Cherundolo in the 61st minute.

Midfielder Bobby Convey was brought on for Lewis in the 74th minute.

Neither player made an appreciable difference.

Ghana
Richard Kingston; John Mensah, Illiasu Shilla, Habib Mohamed, John Pantsil; Michael Essien, Derek Boateng (Otto Addo-45), Stephen Appiah, Haminu Draman (Alex Tachie-Mensah-79); Matthew Amoah (Eric Addo-58), Razek Pimpong.

United States
Kasey Keller; Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo (Eddie Johnson-60), Eddie Lewis (Bobby Convey-73), Oguchi Onyewu; Clint Dempsey, Claudio Reyna (Ben Olsen-39), DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan; Brian McBride.

Goals
Ghana -- Haminu Draman 22
United States -- Clint Dempsey 43
Ghana -- Stephen Appiah (penalty kick) 47+

Discipline
Ghana -- Michael Essien (yellow card) 5
United States -- Eddie Lewis (yellow card) 7
Ghana -- Illiasu Shilla (yellow card) 32
Ghana -- John Mensah (yellow card) 81
Ghana -- Stephen Appiah (yellow card) 91+

Attendance -- 41,000