U.S. vs. Ghana: World Cup Soccer
Your co-workers will bolt from work early today. Bars will make a killing. And even the most indifferent of your friends will feign a slight interest in the World Cup.
For today, the United States begins its Brazil adventure when it goes toe to toe with its nemesis, Ghana.
The Black Stars of Ghana haven’t been kind to America’s World Cup soccer aspirations. They knocked out the U.S. from the group stage in 2006 with a 2-1 win. In 2010, the Americans gave them a run for the money. But alas, an extra-time goal from Ghana — in the 93rd minute — sent the U.S. packing once again, 2-1.
Seven players from the 2010 Ghanaian team are back Monday, including the lightning-fast Asamoah Gyan, the team captain.
They’re unpredictable. And the U.S. will have to be ready for anything.
I will be rooting for the US to send Ghana, my second favorite country, packing.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 16, 2014 at 12:57 pm
Bugger Bongo (with apologies to Bognor and some random King).
Clint and the boys will be revving it up tonight and send the Black Stars (yea right, stars, whatever) back to Paga-Burkina for a date with a couple of unfriendly underfed Crocs. TheyCrocs enjoy chicken, Gyan will fit right in with their diet.
The Germans are hammering Ronnie and his unfocused Portugal team and generously the idiot Pepe got sent off and will not appear against the USA . Birgit is probably whacking down a couple of beers and enjoying a wonderful performance.
Four years have passed, History is meaningless and its time for the World Cup to start for the USA. I will be driving at breakneck speed, shooting through subdivisions and hopefully in front of my TV when they kick off at 6.00 pm EST.
Not too fired up…..USA USA
June 16, 2014 at 1:03 pm
My Dear Hedley,
Give Ghana its due-they have been the African team which has gone the furthest in World Cup competition, twice at the expense of the USA. The game will be on all over Ghana (where there might be TV’s but mostly on the radio) at 10 PM. I will be here rooting for the US. You are right: history is meaningless.
Be careful driving home!
June 16, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Absolutely not. I don’t care if they are gathering around a transistor in Accra or a black and white TV in Zinga, this is all about Tim Howard and Altidore and Bradley and Dempsey. I hope that Ghana’s team has been enjoying a nice vacation in Brazil
We do, of course, have a German Coach, who once played for Tottenham Hotspur, as did Clint Dempsey…
Lets get it done tonight and them whack Ronnie and his friends…USA USA
June 16, 2014 at 1:23 pm
MDH,
I will give Ghana its due for the last two WC’s, but not in this one! I know PC volunteers are gathering to watch the match at sub-offices. They will be torn but the US will hold sway just as it does with me.
Little Ghana will be on the offensive.
Accra exists, but no Zinga.
June 16, 2014 at 6:04 pm
CLINT !!!!! USA USA
June 16, 2014 at 6:14 pm
MDH,
I yelled and applauded!
June 16, 2014 at 6:31 pm
So exciting
June 16, 2014 at 6:43 pm
MDH,
And frustrating! I want more than a 1 goal lead!
June 16, 2014 at 7:50 pm
MDH,
That was quite the goal!!
June 16, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Too late for me to watch I’m afraid. African football are usually fun to watch but today the USA is my team. But it’s just the beginning, both teams can go on with a bit of luck.
Have a great day!
Christer.
June 16, 2014 at 2:23 pm
Christer,
In Ghana the game is on late as well, but that won’t stop the Ghanaians from watching.
The US appreciates all its fans from anywhere!
June 16, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Bunch of loose ends for me to comment on today…
Wow…I woulda bet you would be rooting for Ghana…at least for old times sake. You surprised me!
I was not near a computer yesterday…that photo of your dad was priceless!
In your honor I am torn as to who I will root for today – – and I’ve never been to Ghana! LOL!
Thanks for your little tribute to Casey Kasem, who was one of my idols…did you listen to him when you were overseas?…you can listen to old AT40 shows in full via iheartradio.com.
Have a great day!
Coleen
June 16, 2014 at 2:27 pm
Hi Coleen,
I do have a soft spot for the Ghanaian team but against the USA my choice is to go with my home team.
Thanks on the photo-my sister always thinks that picture makes him look a bit like Bogart.
Ghana is a great country, and they love their football!
When I was overseas, there wasn’t any way to get US stations. I did listen to Voice of America. That’s where I heard them describe the moon landing. TV’s were non-existent where I was. IT was so long ago. Now there are TV’s, even in lots of homes.
I couldn’t let the day go without a tribute to Casey Kasem.
You also have a great day. Enjoy the game!
June 16, 2014 at 6:08 pm
Back home now, just in time for USA : Ghana.
The Folk Club offered Portugal : Germany on a lage screen in a small pub and afterwards Sammy Vomáčka, an excellent guitar player and funny entertainer. Of course we couldn’t resist.
Btw, it looked like we had Flag Day today, just inofficial soccer flag day, but 🙂 🙂 🙂
GHANA ! GHANA ! Just for this game. OK ?
(I’ll read and listen the rest of KTCC later…)
June 16, 2014 at 6:12 pm
oops, should be “large screen”. Don’t drink and write 😉
June 16, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Birgit,
I actually didn’t notice that!
June 16, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Birgit,
Did you see the goal?
I suppose just for this game, but I really don’t want to see them beat the US again.
That sounds like a great evening, especially the large screen.
Have fun!
Go USA! (I had to)
June 16, 2014 at 6:35 pm
Dirty Ghana, tried to break Clint’s nose…Croc time for this lot
June 16, 2014 at 6:42 pm
MDH,
That was quite the kick to the nose. I’ll vote for the croc!
June 16, 2014 at 8:06 pm
Congratulations! Exciting game. We’ll meet Ghana on Saturday.
June 16, 2014 at 8:20 pm
Fabulous game…Birgit’s Germany will see Ghana at 3.00 pm on Saturday and the USA will meet Portugal on Sunday night at 6.00 pm.
A huge win and enormous effort by the team….USA USA
(croc pool for Ghana)
June 16, 2014 at 8:31 pm
Birgit,
That was so exciting. A couple of times I forgot to breathe.
June 16, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Hedley, the croc pool has to wait, we’ll need at least 11 Ghanaian players to play with. But on the other hand, it’s easier to win when Boateng doesn’t play 😉
June 16, 2014 at 8:33 pm
MDH,
I watched those last 20 minutes so intently and cheered loudly at the second goal. Well done USA!!!
June 16, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Birgit,
The crocs prefer chickens but I suspect they’d not turn up their long snouts at soccer players. They can certainly wait until after The German-Ghana game.
June 16, 2014 at 8:46 pm
Birgit
There will be too many Botangs in the Ghana and Germany match. Of course, Kevin once played for Spurs and was very erratic.
Ghana’s team should jump in the Croc pool as a matter of honor. Won’t matter as the Crocs are “so friendly”
June 16, 2014 at 9:11 pm
Wow, Ghana mids and strikers were really good on the ball. And they could shoot. Defense a bit iffy, but the Americanskis weren’t on the Ghana end all that often. But today the soccer gods smiled on the USA.
June 16, 2014 at 9:17 pm
Spaceman,
Yes, they did and it was a broad smile.
Ghanaians start playing soccer when they are really young, and it is really the national sport so they have some talent.
No, the USA team spent much of the second half on their own end. I got a bit fearful but was relieved when the second goal was scored o close to the end of the game.
June 16, 2014 at 10:22 pm
It will be interesting to see Ghana v. Germany & Portugal. They (Ghana) have a good team.
June 17, 2014 at 10:10 am
Spaceman,
They were a frustrated team last night, and I totally understood why as they thought third time’s a charm. Portugal had a rough start.
Ghanaians love their soccer!
June 17, 2014 at 12:59 am
I’m one of the hundreds (millions?) of Americans who couldn’t give a flying fig about the World Cup. Sorry, all. If you dig soccer, God bless! Ten weeks to the first NFL game!!
June 17, 2014 at 10:08 am
Jay Bird,
I am not a soccer or World Cup fan either, but I still watched and cheered for the US even though the Red Sox were playing, and I almost never miss watching them.
I am not a big football fan, but I always watch the Pats. I am a home team cheerer no matter the sport.
June 17, 2014 at 3:47 am
At last! Americans getting passionate about the World’s favourite sport. Your team played well last night against a talented Ghana side that looked more like a bunch of individuals than a team: the one major thing Klinsmann has brought to the USA team is a sense of collectivity and shared responsibility and that’s what won the game for you. Pity Scotland aren’t there…..
June 17, 2014 at 10:05 am
Greenockian,
The US still has a long way to go in supporting soccer, but I know that TV’s all over the country were tuned to last night’s game. I went to pick up dinner, and the place had 3 TV’s on showing the World Cup even though the Red Sox were also playing.
I had been a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana for 27 months, but I cheered the US all the way. I was glad to see them finally defeat Ghana.
June 17, 2014 at 11:10 am
Hi Kat,
US won, I see. Hooray! And that was quite a goal even to my untrained eyes.
All I know about American soccer is Alexi Lalas. You can see my information is quite old. 🙂
I could hear my neighbor yelling at his TV the other day. He was cheering for Italy. I don’t know how they did.
Now that a couple of decades have passed of American kids playing soccer in school, I suspect there will be more spectators for it here.
Enjoy the rest of the games.
June 17, 2014 at 11:25 am
Hi Caryn,
I didn’t know anything about US soccer so I went hunting and found out enough.
I agree about more spectators. My high school did have a soccer team so I went to the games to be a loyal fan, but it was more social than anything.
Lots of kids do play soccer. My nephew’s son in on a club team. He’s just turning 8. His dad got a full scholarship to Oregon State to play. Colorado has been a soccer place for along time. It is still just catching on here.
Thanks!