Ghana take aim at South Africa after big Cup win

Ghana take aim at South Africa after big Cup win - Ghana's Black Stars are keeping their feet on the ground ahead of Tuesday's decisive Africa Cup of Nations Group C clash against South Africa after a dramatic win over Algeria.

On Friday, skipper Asamoah Gyan returned from a bout of malaria to sink tournament favourites Algeria in stoppage time in Mongomo as the Black Stars bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Senegal with a 1-0 success against the continent's best team.

Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan (L) scores a goal past Algeria defender Carl Medjani during the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations group C match in Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea on January 23, 2015 (AFP Photo/Carl De Souza) 

A win over South Africa on Tuesday will guarantee the four-time African champions passage to the last-eight of the competition, while a draw and Algeria failing to beat Senegal on the same night could also get them past the group stage.

However, Ghana coach Avram Grant said his "new generation" of Black Stars aim to do the business against a South African team who have impressed him.

"Nothing has been decided yet in this group," insisted former Chelsea manager Grant.

"Yes, we may have beaten the number one team in Africa, but we now face South Africa, who qualified for this tournament ahead of a big team like Nigeria.

"They played very well in their first game even though they eventually lost (3-1) to Algeria. They are a fantastic team.

"We are a young team who have shown we do not give up and so we will come into any game to win it."

The returning Gyan proved to be Ghana's hero despite admitting to having "some physical problems", and now the striker is looking ahead to the next game.

"South Africa have shown they are a very good side right from the qualifiers and so we do not expect an easy match against them," he said.

"It was a team effort against Algeria, everybody working for everybody, and we will count on this again against South Africa."

Meanwhile, Marseille star Andre Ayew declared that Ghana should not be written off as genuine contenders at this Cup of Nations despite not yet finding their best form.

"This is not the best Ghana, many of us like Gyan and I are not 100 percent fit, but we can do a lot more," he said.

"Even after the win against Algeria, we cannot afford to get over-confident. We're happy, but won't take anything for granted. Algeria is past and next is South Africa. It will be a very tough battle on Tuesday.”

He added: "Expectations back at home must now have risen, but Ghana have always dealt with the pressure even though it could be difficult."

The Black Stars last won the Cup of Nations in 1982, although they have reached the last four of the previous four editions, even losing in the final to Egypt in 2010 in Angola. ( AFP )

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Team USA weathers storm, Group of Death to advance to knockout round

Team USA weathers storm, Group of Death to advance to knockout round– By dawn's early light, this was going to be a horror show. 

"It was like a hurricane," Matt Besler said upon surveying the deluge of rain and flooded streets that overwhelmed this beach town on Thursday. 

That was just the beginning. The conditions were awful for a soccer game, but the game was worse. Germany whipped through with a near perfect storm of an effort, completely dominating the Americans, who finished with just one on target shot, perhaps just a couple real scoring chances and eventually a 1-0 loss. 

Whether athletically or meteorologically this was a disaster, yet there is one truism with all tempests … they pass. 

Late in this humbling, near hopeless game, the rain suddenly let up. Besler, from his position in the center of the defense, caught goalkeeper coach Chris Woods on the sidelines trying to flash the score of the concurrently played game between Ghana and Portugal to Tim Howard. 

Woods held up two fingers and then one, but Besler didn't know which score represented which team. His heart paused for a second. If it was to Ghana's advantage, the U.S. was in huge trouble, the inevitable loss to Germany might mean elimination. 

Besler swung around to look back at Howard to see if he knew which was which. The goalkeeper just returned with a shrug. So they both stared back at Woods, until he gave them a thumbs-up: 2-1 Portugal, the same as it would end a little later, putting the Americans through to the knockout round despite a sound defeat to Germany.

Michael Bradley, right, congratulates Jermaine Jones after the U.S. qualified for the knockout round. (AP)

This is what the day was here, weathering whatever came at you – from waist-deep puddles to a Thomas Mueller bomb that was the decisive goal to the fortunes of flaky and unpredictable Ghana, which just that morning booted two veteran stars, one because he reportedly chased a team official around with a broken bottle in a dispute over tournament pay, which itself was remedied by a plane with $3 million in cash onboard being flown to Brazil. 

The emotional swings were everywhere, the realization that the U.S. couldn't beat Germany one instant, the terror that Ghana could take Portugal no matter its dysfunction the next. 

"Group of Death," said U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati, who watched the U.S. live and Ghana-Portugal on TV in his box. "I died up there a couple times." 

So it was that as the clouds lightened and the rain weakened and the game ended, the United States, thoroughly defeated, was standing in one corner of the stadium cheering along with its rain-soaked yet still delirious fans. 

Through it all, they'd survived. Somehow. So they celebrated. 

"It's a bit of an odd feeling," Gulati said, "we lost the last game." 

"Feels nice as a player," Jermaine Jones offered. 

Team USA's lone goal of group play was to advance, so they went with the broader picture, not the narrow one of the day. They'll play Tuesday against Belgium in Salvador, the positive that as good as Belgium is, it isn't likely as strong as Germany. 

"Tremendous achievement," coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "We can put this behind us, the whole group phase. Once the group is done, another tournament starts." 

Klinsmann himself was constantly aware of the Ghana-Portugal score, which wasn't comforting. As long as the game was 1-1, he knew his World Cup hung on whether Ghana banged home another goal. When word finally came that Cristiano Ronaldo had put Portugal up, and all but assured US advancement, he tried to breathe. 

"It kind of calmed me down the last five minutes," Klinsmann said. "Except for a couple calls I disagreed with." 

The Americans were already talking about how anything can happen now. It's one and done, 11 on a side, and why shouldn't they maybe make a run? Klinsmann, who won a World Cup as a player in 1994, and finished third as a coach in 2006, said knockout play is liberating, just one opponent to worry about, no confusion about what's needed. 

"It is very different because there is a very clear picture in front of you, you have to win the game," Klinsmann said. "No matter how. So you have to win it in extra time, you have to win it in penalty shootout. So this is now …" 

The U.S. team will face Belgium on Tuesday. (Getty Images)Maybe being pleased after a defeat doesn't make sense, but nothing has made sense down here. Not today, not ever.

"The last game's tie felt like a loss," Omar Gonzalez said of giving up a 94th minute goal that allowed Portugal to draw even. "And today's loss felt like a win." 

It's soccer. It's the World Cup. 

"Do you want to reverse the order of matches? [Then] we would've qualified on John Brooks' diving header in the 86th minute," Gulati said of the dramatic opening game victory over Ghana. "All I know [is that] we are playing in the round of 16." 

There's work to be done. Weaknesses were exposed against Germany, the kind of elite opponent that is unavoidable now. Klinsmann made no excuses. His team was intimidated early and let Germany control everything for 25 minutes, and then was mostly outclassed the rest of the way. 

"We have to become calmer on the ball and stay composed and just move the ball around and make the opponent run," he said. "They made us run more today." 

Still, the coach was smiling, beaming, clapping. He believes in his crew. Always. 

"We are growing," Klinsmann said. "We are just learning every game. We take so much good stuff with us … Whoever we face now, we are going to take it to them." 

Two storms weathered here in Recife. It's blue skies ahead. There's life after the Group of Death and the Americans will apologize for none of it. ( sports.yahoo.com )

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Ghana ready for World Cup rematch against US

Ghana's Jordan Ayew celebrates after an international friendly soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2014 against South Korea. Ghana won 4-0. ( AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Ghana ready for World Cup rematch against US — In its final exhibition before facing the United States in the World Cup, Ghana practiced celebrating.

Captain Asamoah Gyan scored a breakaway goal against South Korea and then launched into the azonto, a two-step dance popular in Ghana. Soon he was joined in the corner of the field by a cluster of teammates, their hands, hips and feet moving in impressive synchronicity.

Past World Cup matches against the United States have given Ghana plenty to celebrate. The rivalry will be renewed Monday in Brazil, and the Black Stars want to be ready.

"The United States are a very, very good team," coach James Appiah said. "It's not going to be easy. We have to make sure our players are playing their roles well. We hope to give them a very good game."

The Ghanaians have every reason to be optimistic, because they eliminated the United States from the past two World Cups. So they'll have the azonto cued up, and other dances ready as well.

"We've got different styles — three or four," Appiah said with a smile. "The players have to decide which one they want to use, but we hope to showcase one of them during the World Cup."

Team officials help Majeed Waris (18) off the field during the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2014 against South Korea. ( AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Ghana defeated the United States in group play in 2006, and in the round of 16 in 2010. A 4-0 victory against South Korea in Miami on Monday suggested Ghana will again be a handful.

"Bring them on, bring them on — the United States," a reporter from Ghana shouted with a grin in the press box at halftime of the exhibition. "America, we are coming."

The victory over the U.S. team four years ago sent Ghana into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. Ghana was embraced as "Africa's Team" in the first World Cup on the continent and came within inches of becoming the first African squad to reach the semifinals, but lost to Uruguay in a shootout after Gyan hit the crossbar on a late penalty kick that would have won the game.

FIFA rankings suggest Ghana is the underdog in talent-laden Group G, which also includes the No. 13-ranked United States, No. 2 Germany and No. 4 Portugal. But no one is likely to take the Black Stars lightly.

"They are a very good team, young, very good mentality," former U.S. national team coach Bora Milutinovic said after watching Ghana beat South Korea. "It will be a big challenge for all teams in this group. Everybody is very strong. It is like a small World Cup between four teams."

Soccer fans cheer for the Ghana National team as it plays South Korea during the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2014. ( AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

There's been some turnover on the Black Stars' roster since they last faced the United States. Only six starters from the game against the Americans in 2010 are on this year's squad, which includes 16 World Cup newcomers. Ghana is the youngest team in the tournament with an average age of 25 years, 6 months.

Ghana may be without striker Majeed Waris, who hurt his left thigh early in Monday's friendly. An MRI exam revealed a tear.

The team doctor said Tuesday he hopes Waris can return "pretty soon," but added the striker might be left off the roster, which must be submitted by Sunday.

The squad will include Gyan and midfielder Sulley Muntari, both playing in their third World Cup, and star midfielder Michael Essien of AC Milan. Defender Jonathan Mensah and forward Kevin-Prince Boateng are also World Cup veterans.

"We've got experienced players. We've got youthful players," Appiah said. "The experienced players want to leave a name before they go, and the younger ones want to make a mark."

Rising stars include 22-year-old Jordan Ayew, whose father, Abedi Pele, is considered Ghana's greatest player. Ayew scored three times Monday against South Korea after entering the game as an injury replacement.

When asked after the match to select two players likely to emerge as stars in Brazil, Appiah demurred.

"It's really difficult to pick two of my players who I think can make an impact in the World Cup," he said. "I'll choose 11 for you."  ( Associated Press )

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John Brooks to remain on U.S. bench despite scoring winning goal vs. Ghana

John Brooks to remain on U.S. bench despite scoring winning goal vs. Ghana – New United States soccer hero John Brooks will be rewarded for his game-winning goal-scoring exploits by … being sent back to the substitutes bench. 

Brooks, whose vital header in the 86th minute handed the U.S. a 2-1 victory over Ghana in Natal on Monday, will return to a backup role after first-choice central defender Matt Besler's hamstring injury turned out to not be serious. 

Besler came off at halftime as a precautionary move by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who sent Brooks on as a replacement. The 21-year-old acquitted himself well with a solid defensive display and that famous goal. 

"Matt is no problem," Klinsmann said of Besler, who underwent an MRI after the team's return to Sao Paulo on Tuesday. "He is fine for the next game." 

Besler has established himself as one of the U.S.'s most dependable defenders and is one of only a handful of players guaranteed to start whenever fit. However, Brooks, who is second on the depth chart at left-sided center back, did himself no harm by holding his nerve against Ghana in his World Cup debut. 

"I will be ready for anything," Brooks said about his future role. 

Virtually unknown to the American sporting public before the tournament, Brooks was the subject of front-page newspaper headlines across the country on Tuesday morning, including the classic "Johnny Futbol." 

Even so, Klinsmann will feel reassured that Besler is healthy enough to start against Portugal, especially with a series of injuries creeping up on the team. Against Ghana, Jozy Altidore suffered a hamstring strain that could keep him out of the lineup, and Clint Dempsey broke his nose but will play Sunday. 

"I don't think his injury is too bad at all," Graham Zusi said of Besler, his Sporting Kansas City teammate and best friend. "It was more of a precaution to keep him out of the second half. We fully expect him to be back with the guys." 

Despite some nervous moments, the U.S. backline, the most inexperienced part of Klinsmann's roster, performed a key role in the Americans' strong start to the tournament. 

"They did extremely well with the unexpected changes," Zusi said. "Cam [Geoff Cameron] was an absolute monster for us. [Besler] while he was in there was as solid as ever. Brooks did his part and got the game-winner." ( sports.yahoo.com )

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No surprises in the Ghana team

Gallo Images

2014 World Cup squads: No surprises in the Ghana team - Head coach Kwesi Appiah has announced the roster that will try to build on Ghana's past two successful World Cup campaigns.

Ghana national team beach coach Kwesi Appiah has announced his initial 26 man roster ahead of this summer's World Cup in Brazil. This is Ghana's third straight appearances in the finals, and the first time they'll be coached by an African born manager.

Ghana are an experienced squad, led by Schalke midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, along veterans Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari. The roster also features young talents like Kwadwo Asamoah from Juventus, and Christian Atsu.

Appiah will reduce his roster to 23 after friendly against the Netherlands on May 31st. Ghana begins World Cup group play on June 16th against the United States.

Here is the full squad:

Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey (Strømsgodset IF), Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars).

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Platanias F.C.), Daniel Opare (Standard Liège), Harrison (Espérance Sportive de Tunis), Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester City), John Boye (Stade Rennais ), Jonathan Mensah (Evian), Jerry Akaminko (Eskişehirspor), Rashid Sumalia (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Midfielders: Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus), Michael Essien (AC Milan), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan), Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar), Emmanuel Ageymang (Udinese), Badu Afriyie Acquah (Parma), Christian Atsu (Chelsea), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough), André Auew (Marseille), Wakaso Mubarak (Rubin Kazan), David Titi Accam (Helsingborg).

Attackers: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke 04), Majeed Waris (Valenciennes), Jordan Ayew (Marseille). // ( sbnation.com )

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