World Cup Group G updates - live from Natal
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6.58pm ET
Half-time thoughts
So the USA got off to a dream start catching Ghana off guard from the kick off and seeing Clint Dempsey becoming the first American to score in three World Cups. After that, the anticipated onus on them to try and dominate in the first 20 minutes, was understandably altered, and Ghana grew steadily into the match, finding particular joy through Christian Atsu running down the right past Jermaine Jones and towards DaMarcus Beasley.
6.52pm ET
45 mins +6: Half decent chance there, as Atsu, the Ghana danger man from the first half, wriggles into the box and slips a ball to his left for Jordan Ayew, but he can't get a clean shot off and that will be that for the half.
6.51pm ET
Half time thoughts in a minute...
6.50pm ET
45 mins +5: The USA are ending this half in the ascendancy. Jones checks to his right and slides a ball forward towards Bradley, who's been quiet in this half. Bradley steps over it anticipating a runner, but nobody had followed in behind him and Ghana get the ball back.
Now USA have a corner to defend after Beasley takes no chances on a deep cross to the back post, and heads it over the byline. Again the corner doesn't clear the near post.
6.48pm ET
45 mins +3: Ball still bobbling around in the Ghana final third for a moment, which will please Klinsmann. Eventually a frustrated Muntari goes in late on Jones, who shares his feelings on the matter. The referee steps in quickly to cool things down before Jones or Muntari can pull a Pepe-lite.
6.46pm ET
45 mins +1: Now then...USA earn a free kick wide left when Jones is fouled. The center backs jog forward. Bedoya swings it in, but Kwarasey is able to punch it clear. Corner though. We'll have 5 minutes to add on after Altidore's injury. The corner comes to naught as Ghana read Bradley's attempted dummy off the ball in the box.
6.44pm ET
44 mins: Half time approaches and with it a gift of brief respite for the USA as Boye's ball floats aimlessly forward into the USA box, where it's gathered by Howard.
That #GHAUSA @GuardianUS live blog (@KidWeil http://t.co/wMa86rlnY7) Clint Dempsey broken nose in full pic.twitter.com/Y37O8KS8Vf
6.43pm ET
42 mins: More bad news for the USA as now Besler is clutching his hamstring. He's playing on, but that's a worry.
Nice move for the USA as Bedoya does well to turn a defensive header into an attack, and finds Johannsson ahead of him. The striker holds up well and finds Bedoya racing forward again in a lot of space on the right. His cross is headed clear, but only as far as Johannsson on the edge of the box. His shot is weak, but that was better from the US and Bedoya in particular, who's been their best player so far.
6.41pm ET
40 mins: Opare down clutching his head after an aerial clash with Johannsson but now he's up and joining another Ghana attack. This one ends with an interception and a lob forward to Johannsson, who runs into traffic on the left. Still USA 1-0 Ghana.
6.39pm ET
38 mins: Dempsey's goal unofficially timed at 32 seconds by the way. Seems a long time ago now. When US fans were young and full of optimism.
Atsu finds space wide right as that US diamond midfield shows some of its problematic inflexibility when faced with crossfield balls. Now Atsu picks up the ball again and sends an inswinger towards the penalty spot where Gyan's glancing header flies up and over.
6.37pm ET
36 mins: Dempsey jogs back on to a big cheer after his treatment. Straight away he has defending to do as Ghana have a free kick wide left. Curled towards Boye again, but again he can't do any damage this time the ball just glances harmlessly off his head near the penalty spot.
6.35pm ET
34 mins: Nasty...Dempsey is the latest US player on the ground, bleeding from his nose after a high boot from Boye catches him in the face. We'll take the opportunity to check in with Stephen Davenport:
"Writing as an English person living in the USA, I would aver that The Star Spangled Banner is superior to God Save the Queen in two very important
respects: it does not bang on about either God or the Queen every two seconds; and the tune is an old Anglo-German drinking song. The pace and jauntiness with which I tend to try sing it in whatever company. Although I haven't met the President yet"
6.33pm ET
32 mins: A little bit of a lull now, as Ghana regroup for another attack. Muntaro tries to thread the needle with a pass up the middle towards Gyan, but it runs straight through to Howard. A second later he has to be rather more engaged as Gyan lets fly from the edge of the box, and Howard has to get down very well to parry the ball firmly away out of danger.
6.31pm ET
30 mins: The anthem issue is not going away judging by my inbox. Meanwhile in less important matters, Gyan cuts inside on the edge of the box and is fouled by Beckerman, but when the referee plays the advantage, Atsu sends a tame shot over. A minute later Beckerman gets clattered in the air by Rabiu, who picks up a yellow for his troubles. Still USA 1-0 Ghana
6.30pm ET
Live from Guardian World Cup party central
Crowd goes deep at the #GdnWorldCup party at @Terminal5NYC! Where are you watching #GHAUSA? http://t.co/Mghx4F6y9v pic.twitter.com/zfTmBrUD6e
6.28pm ET
28 mins: Another Ghana corner after a Besler block, but yet again it's not a great one, and doesn't get beyond the near post. Meanwhile USA fans on witter sounding understandably anxious.
@KidWeil Oh man, I really wanted Jozy Altidore to have a good tournament to shut up all the haters.
6.27pm ET
26 mins: Now it's Beckerman sprawling on the turf as Jordan Ayew crunches him with a striker's tackle. He's fine, but that was a clumsy challenge, and maybe could have been a booking.
How will the USA handle the loss of Altidore in these next few moments? Encouraging sign there, as Bedoya steps wide then shapes for a shot from distance. Confident. But it flies over.
6.25pm ET
24 mins: Whatever the problems with Altidore up front, he was still the USA's main hope up front coming into the tournament.
Ghana have a croner and again Boye gets a header, this time at the back post, but again he heads it down and harmlessly wide.
6.23pm ET
22 mins: Uh-oh, if you're a USA fan. Bradley just lobbed a long ball forward for Altidore down the left flank and the big attacker pulled up sharpply grabbing his hamstring. This looks bad for him...
Aron Johannsson coming on, as Altidore is carried off. Only his 9th cap.
6.20pm ET
20 mins: Jordan Ayew is penalized on the edge of the USA box and now the US go on the attack. Bedoya gets his head up and sees Johnson galloping forward on the right. His low cutback is behind Bradley, but retrieved by Altidore. He turns and gets something like a shot off, but Ghana had just about got men between him and the goal and it's blocked. Similar move to the USA's goal against Nigeria last time out though. Still USA 1-0 Ghana
6.18pm ET
18 mins: On the touchline, Klinsmann's gone from looking delighted to looking his more familiar pitch-side pensive, as he leans on the dugout roof like a worried knitwear model. He could have a long evening if this pattern of the game remains.
Ghana inching their possession ever further up the field, and now Opare floats in another cross to the back post, but it's over Gyan's head.
6.16pm ET
16 mins: Ghana ambling forward when suddenly Atsu changes pace to send a dangerous low ball between Beasley and Besler towards the onrushing Gyan. Howard's out smartly to block though, and kicks the ball clear at the second attempt.
6.14pm ET
14 mins: Brian Cook is gloomy about Geoff Cameron:
"America's/Stoke's answer Pepe, he has all the psychosis of the Portuguese but even less subtlety. Will be culpable for at least a goal here."
6.13pm ET
That goal in full
WATCH: What a move, what a goal from Dempsey. A dream start for the #USMNT. Who is writing this stuff?! #GHAvsUSA http://t.co/hcy8Nidztl
6.12pm ET
12 mins: More anthem demographics:
@HadleyFreeman @KidWeil And as a Brit, I can confirm the theme tune to 'Fresh Prince' can be sung by more people than our national anthem.
6.10pm ET
10 mins: Bradley drops deep to pick up the ball and sprays the ball forward for Johnson bombing forward down the right. He can't get to it though and Ghana will have a goal kick.
Vine of the goal here by the way
6.08pm ET
8 mins: USA throw midway inside the Ghana half on the left now. It's worked wide right where Bedoya swings in a cross that Altidore gets his head to, but he can't direct it on target. All USA at the moment, but now Gyan gets forward down the right and sends a teasing cross towards Ayew in the box, but Howard comes out to claim comfortably.
6.06pm ET
6 mins: The anthem debate rumbles on, while the rest of the world ponders Ghana's terrible defense of the throw that led to the goal.
@KidWeil Basically, the US national anthem is 3 long convoluted sentences that are recited by rote w/ no thought as to their meaning.
6.04pm ET
Never mind Obama
.@clint_dempsey for President. #WorldCup
6.04pm ET
4 mins: Klinsmann looked something resembling delighted on the sideline there, at that emphatic start by the USA. Ghana get on the ball and try to settle down after that stunning start now, but there's a lot of space among their lines. jones scampers forward wide left and tries to square a ball to Bradley. A better pass could have given the US another chance. It wasn't a better pass.
6.02pm ET
Lordy! Beasley and Jones with some neat interaction down the left, then it's slid into the box for Dempsey, who strokes the ball in off the far post! That'll be that good start then.
6.01pm ET
Peep! Ghana get us underway!
6.00pm ET
USA win toss...
...and choose the word "soccer".
5.58pm ET
Well-timed music criticism
Julia Kite knows there's a game on, but really, she can't let this go:
5.56pm ET
Teams coming out
This means that children all over the world are catching sight of Kyle Beckerman for the first time. His hair looks magnificently unruly in the breeze, as the anthems play.
@KidWeil as a young american i can confirm "Juicy" by The Notorious BIG can be sung word for word by more people than the national anthem.
5.54pm ET
Ghana: Kwarasey; Opare, Asamoah, Mensah, Boye; Mohammed, Atsu, Muntari, A Ayew; J Ayew, Gyan,
USA: Howard; Beasley, Besler, Cameron, Johnson; Jones, Beckerman, Bedoya; Dempsey, Bradley; Altidore
5.53pm ET
More email
We like nothing more than to reward those who never look up from their screens. Hence this contribution from Daniel Stauss:
In my bid to be published in 3 MBM's in one day, here are my top three biggest pre-match freak-outs, in reverse order: Will the US backline fold like a cheap suit under Ghanaian pressure? Will Jozy Altidore show up to play? Will Jermaine Jones go full-on de Jong and actually kill a man on the pitch today? Of the three, Jermaine Jones is my biggest dread. The man is a walking red card.
5.50pm ET
Midfield
This is my final bid to salvage some kind of credibility...
(Alexi) Lalas, a fellow American traveller to Italian football, concurs. Michaels 10 times the player I ever was, but I benefited so much from playing in Serie A, because of the way they think about the game the tactical discipline and devotion and passion and love for the tactics of the game. And I think when he got to Italy he found he was immersed in a culture that thought like him to a certain extent. And he grew as a person, as a player, being in that culture, because thats the way he thinks about the game. He has the tools to implement that on a consistent basis.
Such incremental edges will be crucial to the USAs hopes in Brazil, where they can expect to play a lot of their three group games, against Ghana, Portugal and Germany, on the back foot hoping to take advantage of rare opportunities. To those without confidence, its the sort of game dynamic that can breed timidity. For Bradley, who relishes the well-timed counterpunch and who in a recent interview called possession the most overrated stat, fighting on the defensive suits him fine.
5.48pm ET
More innovations
@KidWeil I've insisted for years that the US should change its anthem to the Magnificent Seven theme.
5.47pm ET
Guardian viewing party
If you're in New York by the way, and want something other than my droning on for company, you could do worse than head to the Guardian World Cup viewing party at Terminal Five (that's the name of the venue don't go to the airport). We'll hopefully have some updates from Kayla Epstein, who's there, working, and definitely not just sneaking out of the office early.
5.42pm ET
More singing
Our man on the spot, Paolo Bandini, just posted this Vine of the Ghana players looking not terribly concerned:
#Gha players' singing, dancing, drumming arrival into the stadium. Wonderful. https://t.co/TTdxGRwCEd (via @TSBible)
5.40pm ET
Sunderland strikers
It will doubtless be a source of endless reassurance to all concerned that both teams fortunes in this group of death may be determined by the form of Sunderland strikers, past and present, in the form of Asamoah Gyan and Jozy Altidore. Heres the Guardians North East football correspondent Louise Taylor on the fortunes of the latter
5.36pm ET
Anthems (part two)
And yes, the USA are singing too. Heres Tim Booth of James, whose most recent album was called La Petite Mort. Of course had he known in advance of his particular role in this World Cup, James could have called the album The Group of La Petite Mort:
Its a decent melody, actually quite rousing. Like most anthems its intended to create unity in the face of adversity, coming from a time when America was a new country trying to forge its identity. Its certainly better than God Save the Queen, because its less sturgy and ploddy, but my theory is that anthems should be changed quite frequently so they reflect the times we live in, in a language we understand. Oer the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming what does it mean? Its a martial national anthem and maybe in peacetime, or something close to it, we should be having more forward-thinking anthems, with lyrics that inspire us to be more inclusive of races and genders.
I think in Britain were aware that our country has seen better days, and were a bit more cynical about the flag-waving thing. Americas a younger country, with more naivety and innocence to it, and they believe they were born into the best country on earth. They do what humans do when theyre extremely fortunate, which is to say God gave it to them, or that they earned it in some way, when in fact theres a lot of luck involved, and these things are always cyclical.
5.31pm ET
Anthems
Almost forgot. Yes, yes, events on the field, best start to a World Cup ever, blah, blah, blah. What about the anthems, man?!
Apparently, this was adopted to take over from God save the Queen when Ghana stopped being a British colony in 1957. Ironically, youd be hard pushed to find anything more British. Sounds like it was rescued from Elgars recycling bin. Im struggling to understand why they couldnt come up with something a little more independent sounding to celebrate their Independence. That said, it contains all the elements required to stir the loins: a glorious and triumphant opening string and brass salvo, followed by a regal and stately middle section (to the manor born), building to a rabble rousing climax. Classic stuff. Looking forward to hearing Michael Essien belt this one out.
5.27pm ET
Rabble rousing
This is just irresponsible...
President Obama's got a message for the @USSoccer team https://t.co/A0gNdpIbj2 #GoTeamUSA #USAvGHA #WorldCup #USMNT
5.24pm ET
Some Ghana team news
So much for Waris then... A report on the Ghana FAs website is suggesting that Waris is indeed out of the Ghana attack, and that Ghana have gone with Jordan alongside Gyan up front with no Prince-Boateng or Essien. Truly a changing of the guard if true (though both had been injury doubts in the lead up, as well)
GH line up v USA: Kwarasey, Boye, Mensah, K Asamoah, Opare, Rabiu, Muntari, Atsu, Jordan, Dede, Gyan.
5.20pm ET
Some USA team news
The #USMNT lineup for #USAvGHA. @J_Klinsmann's #USA starting XI! pic.twitter.com/25LPFNnKTG
5.14pm ET
Ghana
Before the World Cup started, the Guardian assembled a network of experts to break down the tactical prospects of the competing teams. Heres Godfred Akoto Boafo on Ghana:
The Black stars manager, Kwesi Appiah, has a disdain for systems. According to him players should be allowed to play free of tactical restraints to get the best out of them. He also believes in sticking with what works and is not known for experimentation.
In qualification for the World Cup, he stuck to the same group of players in a rigid 4-4-2; for so long Ghana have been masterful proponents of the 4-5-1. Appiah discovered the best way to get more out of his team during qualification was to give his captain and striker Asamoah Gyan some support. That came in the form of the diminutive striker Abdul Majeed Waris, whose willingness to run at defenders and take them out of position opened up space for Gyan. Nine goals were scored between the pair in qualification.
5.11pm ET
A pundit tweets
I am completely, totally & utterly convinced that #USMNT are going to stuff Ghana. In other news, I need to start following some Ghanaians.
5.11pm ET
The bomb pop
Scott Bassett emails:
5.06pm ET
Paolo Bandini is embedded
Hes traveled to Brazil with the USA supporters group, the American Outlaws. Heres his report from Natal in advance of the game , presumably typed while repeatedly pushing back a fresh-from-the-packet stars and stripes bandana out of his eyeline (Bandini is Method):
5.04pm ET
Other Graham Parkers are available
Yes, my name is Graham Parker. No its not a rumour. Somewhere in England there are 100 40-something monkeys with typewriters cranking out puns by the barrel load, while listening to Squeezing out Sparks, if the emails currently being forwarded to me by Jacob Steinberg (in some kind of gleeful revenge for being made to watch Iran vs Nigeria) are anything to go by.
5.02pm ET
Twitter awakes
@ussoccer I hope their pre-Natal care was up to the standard my wife received at @PiedmontHealth @KidWeil
4.54pm ET
Group of Death
Nigeria and Iran finished 0-0. Sorry to all the children watching their first World Cup who didn't know such a thing could happen.
4.41pm ET
Afternoon all
Welcome to our coverage of USA vs Ghana though frankly Im surprised to see you here so early. Shouldnt you be over following Jacob Steinbergs liveblog of Nigeria v Iran?
4.31pm ET
Hello
Graham will be here shortly. In the meantime you can read his preview of this evening's game, while waiting for your face-paint to dry:
While Portugal taking on Germany is Group Gs undoubted marquee game, the USAs match against Ghana is what the US coach, Jürgen Klinsmann, has called a final of sorts.
You can see his point. This is a game that both teams need to take something out of to have a realistic chance of progressing, given what follows for both. Klinsmann may like to point to World Cup history and note that nobody will panic if the USA do not get a win against Ghana, since they have already beaten Portugal in a World Cup finals in 2002, but theres a flipside to that sort of logic. If we are looking at World Cup history, Ghana have been the USAs nemesis in the last two tournaments.
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