FIFA World Cup 2014: Ghana 1-2 USA - As it happened....

USA open up their World Cup campaign with a match against Ghana, which given the strength of opposition in their group is one they can ill-afford to lose.

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Zee Media Bureau/Rajdeep Saha Welcome to our live coverage of the World Cup Group G game between USA and Ghana at the Estadio das Dunas. USA, Ghana open up their World Cup campaign which is regarded to be an intense clash. OUR FULL COVERAGE ON WORLD CUP 2014» Ghana`s Team Profile» USA's`s Team Profile» ==================================================================================== Well time for US to celebrate for now but they will rue the injury to Altidore. Important to see who will replace the Sunderland forward in the USA team. Final Score: Ghana 1-2 USA. After the Germans thrashed Portugal 4-0, USA got off the mark with a crucial win. Ghana need to pick themselves up as they face Germany next. For Ghana they never seemed to recover from that early shock completely, though they looked better and better as the match progressed. But Brooks will lead the headlines of the newspapers in the US. 90+6'- Full time. Its Ghana 1-2 USA. What a match we have had and well US get their revenge in style and as they say revenge is a dish best served cold. Four years since the 2010 World Cup and a perfect opener for USA. Vital three points. 90+5'- Bradley powers forward, looking like he's heading for the corner, but ends up putting the ball into the keeper's hands. 90+4'- Ghana attack a weary USA side again but Ayew's little flick on the edge of the box goes to a red short and Johnson gets the ball forward. 90+3'- Johansson runs into traffic on the edge of the Ghana box. Ghana attack and Brooks steers it clear in the box. Finally Muntari's shot from distance flies high and wide. 90+2'- Another free kick for the USA eats up precious seconds as Muntari swings at Dempsey. He picks up a yellow card. 90'- Its five minutes of added time. Crucial final moments for Ghana. They need to score to share the points. 88'- Brooks almost looked more in distress than delighted after he'd scored. He looked utterly overwhelmed. At the other end Boateng's backheel in the USA box gives them a corner. For once it's a decent one, but Essien's header bounces off the back of Brooks. 87'- Goal Its Ghana 1-2 USA! Perfect corner by substitute Zusi. Perfect header downwards by another sub John Brooks from seven yards! The USA may have taken this game away once again. Superb goal and similar reaction. Brilliant! 86'- Bradley tries to sprint forward but is dispossessed and Beckerman is forced into one, then another lunging retrieving tackles on the edge of the box. US might want to put a foot on the ball here. Johnson's tired ball across the box is headed clear. 82'- We have got a match here and can Ghana comeback and win this match? Perfectly set for Ghana here they have been the better side in the second half. 81'- Goal Ayew! It's Ghana 1-1 USA. The No.10 scores beautifully after a backheel from Gyan sees Ayew score. Well its game on from here. 79'- Finally we see the attacking threat of Fabian Johnson as he gets forward down the right and cuts inside looking for the shot. The ball breaks to Dempsey on the edge of the box, and his shot is on target but comfortably saved. Close from Dempsey and the ball reaches safely to the Ghana keeper. Well its still USA who leads. 75'- Substitution for USA Graham Zusi replaces Bedoya. Also Albert Adomah comes in for Atsu for Ghana. 74'- Looks like Bedoya has got injured and may be replaced very soon. Meanwhile, USA dropping deeper and deeper now. 73'- Corner for Ghana which is seen off by the US defence. Ghana on the front foot. 70'- Substitution for Ghana Michael Essien in for Rabiu. Its still Ghana 0-1 USA. 68'- Corner for USA. They have hardly done anything in attack in the second half. Johannsson's corner doesn't meet anyone and its goal kick. 67'- Boateng, shapes for a shot from distance, but it's spectacularly high and wide. 66'- Midway stage in the second half as Ghana still trail USA by that Dempsey beauty. Meanwhile another shot from distance by Asamoah that has Howard dropping to his knees to save comfortably. 63'- Boateng delivers a perfect ball for Gyan from the right and the latter's shot is defended by Cameron. 62'- Game really opening up now and this time Gyan goes much closer with a beautiful flicked header at the near post, that Howard just gets his fingers too. Immediately Ghana try to up the pressure from the corner as they bring on Prince-Boateng for Jordan Ayew. 60'- An hour has gone and USA still lead Ghana by a solitary goal. Lets see what Boateng has to offer. Still no sign of Essien. 58'- Substitution for Ghana Kevin Prince Boateng in for Jordan Ayew. 57'- Game really opening up now and this time Gyan goes much closer with a beautiful flicked header at the near post, that Howard just gets his fingers too. 55'- Brilliant ball in for Gyan by Muntari. The latter delivers a perfect cross for Gyan who heads the ball just above the cross bar. Close shave! Gyan really should have scored that. 53'- Bradley sitting very deep this evening by the way. Meanwhile Dempsey has scored the sixth fastest goal. The fastest was scored by Davor Suker (11 secs). 52'- Atsu takes a shot from the right hand side with his left foot after cutting in but it is a rather ambitious effort as the ball flies wide. 50'- A very young Ghana team has been selected for the World Cup. Tussle between Gyan and Brooks and the latter has come good to stop Gyan making any advances. 48'- Gyan goes down immediately under pressure from Bedoya and Ghana have a free kick inside the USA half, to the left. Another poor delivery from Muntari and now the USA can break. Poor ball from Bedoya though and for an instant the counter is on. But Howard gets to the attempted high ball over the top for Gyan. Now the USA have a throw deep into Ghana territory. This time Beasley's deep throw can't find anyone. 46'- And we are underway with the second half. Substitution for USA. John Brooks comes in for Besler. Clint Dempsey has been the star and USA need to come out after the break with a similar approach. Ghana will hope to get something out of their game after the halftime. They have looked to find some rythm after letting in the goal early on. But poor crosses and a chance begging down for Ayew has seen them trail. 45+5'- So its halftime here as the referee blows the whistle. 45+4'- Atsu runs in on the right to find Ayew who misses a chance right in front of goal. What a let off for the USA. Very bad defending and equally poor shot. 45+1'- Muntari tackles and sends Jones on the ground. Lucky to get away as the referee decides to not award a card. 45'- Five minutes of additional time. 44'- Bedoya takes the free kick and its a good shot which is parried away to safety for a corner from the Ghana goalkeeper, Kwarasey. 43'- Opare plays a foul and USA have a free kick outside the Ghana box on the left side. 42'- 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. 40'- Ghana getting forward and USA defence are standing up to the task. 38'- Atsu finds space wide right as that US diamond midfield shows some of its problems in dealing 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. 36'- Ghana has enjoyed 60% of the possession so far but still trail USA. Score reads Ghana 0-1 USA. Dempsey's wonderful strike separates the two sides. Ghana get a free kick and the shot is 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. 32'- Clint Dempsey has gone down after a fight for the ball with Boye. Boye's shin gets straight in the way at Dempsey's nose and he is undergoing treatement. Dempsey is good enough to carry on as the player looks petrified with the challenge. 31'- 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 attacks from the edge of the box, and Howard has to get down very well to parry the ball firmly away out of danger. 29'- Yellow Card Beckerman gets clattered in the air by Rabiu, who picks up a yellow for his troubles. 28'- Gyan cuts inside on the edge of the box and is fouled by Beckerman, but when the referee plays the advantage, as Atsu takes a shot and it goes above the cross bar. The Chelsea youngster has looked the best player for Ghana on the pitch so far. 26'- Ambitious effort from USA's No.11, Bedoya who takes a shot only to shoot above and side of the bar. Meanwhile, 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. 25'- Ghana getting back into the game. Its looking pretty even right now. 24'- 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. 23'- Substitution for USA. Aron Johannsson replaces Alltidore. 21'- Altidore is being carried out on a stretcher. Sympathy for the striker who will now take exit from the showpiece in Brazil. Huge blow for USA. 20'- USA on the counter and well it looks like Altidore has pulled his hamstring. Its both pain and disappointment for Altidore. Looks like his World Cup campaign may just be over. 19'- Boyd defends his skin out to deny USA forward Altidore take a shot at goal. 16'- Ghana's Atsu puts a nice through pass for Gyan but Everton and USA goalkeeper Tim Howard dives on time to parry the threat away. Ghana getting into the match slowly. 13'- Ghana seeing a bit of possession here. Their crosses from the flanks have been poor to mention. 12'- Essien and Boateng have both been left out on the bench. Wonder when they will get a chance to play. Ghana's passing the ball has been poor. 10'- Bradley drops deep to pick up the ball and sprays the ball forward for Johnson going forward down the right. He can't get to it though and Ghana will have a goal kick. First 10 minutes and USA still lead. 8'- 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'- Terrible defence by Ghana led to the goal. They need to settle their nerves. 5'- Dempsey has scored the fifth fastest goal in World Cup history. 4'- 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. 3'- Klinsmann looked shocked there. Must have gotten ecstatic by now on the sideline there, at that emphatic start by the USA. 2'- Ghana rocked early on by Dempsey. Will they respond quickly? 1'- Goal USA 1-0 Ghana. Clint Dempsey scores the fastest goal in this year's World Cup. 32 seconds it took for the former Tottenham and Fulham player. Beasley and Jones with some nice 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. We're nearly ready for kick off and may the best team win. The teams have come out from the tunnel as the national anthems are being sung. We are in for a treat. Team News: 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 Referee: Jonas Eriksson (SWE) USA and Ghana open their World Cup campaign and given the strength of opposition in their group is one they can ill-afford to lose. With Germany having beaten Portugal 4-0 earlier, both teams will look for a win to keep themselves in for the running. This could very well be the hardest group in the competition alongside Group D and both sides know the importance of the result. Ghana have an experienced squad, with Gyan, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Kwadwo Asamoah and Michael Essien all at his disposal. They will look to negotiate their way out of a devilish group. Meanwhile USA manager Jurgen Klinsmann has shown he is not afraid to make the hard decisions omitting Landon Donovan in favour of younger, more mobile options. The US be looking for Clint Dempsey to lead the way with hopes of a breakout performance from AZ Alkmaar forward Aron Johannsson. Interestingly both these sides have faced each other in the last two World Cups in 2006 and 2010 respectively. On both occasions Ghana turned out to be the superior side winning both the matches 2-1. On paper Ghana looks a much better team but don`t rule USA out as they can spring a favourable result for themselves.