REVIEW: USA vs Ghana – John Brooks’ Header Gives U.S. The Win

Day 5 of the World Cup could not close off in a more dramatic note as John Brooks finished Graham Zusi’s corner kick with a header in the 86th minute to give USA the 2-1 victory. In a match that saw Ghana barrage the U.S with shots after shots, the Stars and Stripes held on for the win and earn the much needed three points.

Jun 16, 2014; Natal, BRAZIL; USA defender John Brooks is mobbed by teammates after scoring a goal in the second half against Ghana during the 2014 World Cup at Estadio das Dunas. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Stars and stripes opened up the scoring 31 seconds into the match when Clint Dempsey ran the ball from the left off Jermaine Jones’ pass, evaded john Boye and drilled a shot to the low right with his left foot. It was the fastest goal recorded in U.S.A. World Cup history.

USA almost doubled their lead in the 18th minute when Altidore received a low cross from Alejandro Bedoya and took a sweeping shot; however, two defenders were in front of the ball and it deflected into the keeper’s hands.

Several minutes later, Altidore collapsed on the pitch while running the ball on the wing and clutched onto his hamstring. He was carried out of the field and was replaced by Aron Johannsson.

Jun 16, 2014; Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, BRAZIL; United States midfielder Alejandro Bedoya (11) reacts to a goal by teammate forward Clint Dempsey (8) during the first half of their 2014 World Cup game at Estadio das Dunas. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Ghana almost equalized in the 32nd minute when Asamoah Gyan took a right-footed shot outside the box from the left, but Tim Howard flashed his brilliant reflexes as he dove to the right for the save.

Gyan saw another golden chance go to waste 10 minutes into the second half when he was found unmarked in the box, but his header went above the post.

Finally in the 82nd minute, Gyan made his well-earned contribution by delivering a back heel pass in the box to Andre Ayew who dribbled through his defenders and blasted the ball into the net.

Ghana dominated possession throughout the match, controlling the ball for 62% of the time, while the USA only held the ball for 38%. Moreover, Ghana outshot the U.S 21 to 8 and completed 378 passes while the Americans only made 201. Regardless, Ghana were unlucky with their multitude of chances while the Americans made the most of their opportunities for the hard earned win.

Jun 16, 2014; Natal, BRAZIL; USA midfielder Jermaine Jones (13) controls the ball against Ghana midfielder Michael Essien (5) in the second half during the 2014 World Cup at Estadio das Dunas. USA defeated Ghana 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Man of the Match

In the string of emotion, it’s tempting to give John Brooks the award due to his clutch header, but upon further analysis Jermaine Jones surprisingly earns the nod. Jermaine Jones imposed his will throughout the match with his physical strength and pace, making major contributions on the offensive and defensive end.

In a match where key playmaker Michael Bradley was nowhere to be found, Jones stepped it up big time to help the Americans take control. He made timely challenges to win the ball and mobilized the ball to the final third of the pitch. If Jones didn’t step up, there would have been no hope in the USA counter attack.

Tweets of the Match

"Player Ratings for USAHoward 8.0 – Made timely saves to keep USA afloat. Couldn’t do anything on Ayew’s goal, but did prevent every shot that was preventable.Beasley 6.5 – Worked hard on the defensive end despite his suspect abilities. His speed and attack down the flanks did give USA life on the counter attackJohnson 7.5 – Unheralded hero of the match. Despite making some lackadaisical decisions on the defensive end, he cause plenty of trouble on the offense.Besler 7.0 – Shame he had to leave the pitch after the first half due to hamstring since he was cool and collected in the midst of Ghana’s attacks.Cameron 7.5 – Did a solid job in containing Ghana’s attacks. Threw his body in front the ball at key moments to protect USA’s lead.Beckerman 7.0 – Provided must needed timely defense despite looking lost at certain times.Jones 8.0 – Brought on a performance most fans did not expect from the oft-struggling midfielder.Bedoya 7.5 – Made some good moves on the offensive end, but his contributions on defending the flanks were major.Bradley 5.5 – Looked decent in the opening minutes and then completely disappeared for the rest of the match. How USA won the match despite his disappearance is nothing short of a miracle.Dempsey 7.5 – After an amazing strike in the first 32 seconds of the match, he became extremely quiet after playing further up top due to Altidore’s injury.Altidore 6.5 – Looked dangerous on the attack until the injury.SubstitutesJohannsson 5.5 – invisible throughout the match. Perhaps a poacher like Wondolowski should have stepped in instead.Brooks 8.0 – looked nervous in the beginning of the first half, but improved on the defensive end throwing his body in front of the ball and scoring the game-winning goal that will be remembered for ages to come.Zusi 7.5 – Instant impact despite short time with that amazing cornerPlayer Ratings for GhanaKwarasey 5.5 – Hardly tested, but when he was, he failed to deliver.Mensah 6.0 – Not much to do given that USA hardly attackedOpare 6.0 – Same as aboveBoye 5.0 – His failure to defend Dempsey in the first minute is haunting him as we speakAsamoah 5.0 – Exposed by Bedoya and Johnson quite often.Muntari 5.0 – His shot-taking was poor as were his passes and crosses. No accuracy whatsoever.Rabiu 5.0 – Quiet performance. Ghana could have used his offense tonight.Atsu 6.0 – Came close to scoring the equalizer in the match. Often lacked quality in the final third of the pitch.Andre Ayew 6.0 – scored the much-deserved goal for Ghana.Jordan Ayew 5.5 – Looked lively in the first half but disappeared as the game went on.SubstituteBoateng 6.5 – His appearance gave Ghana a much-needed creative spark in the second half. Ghana looked more dangerous when he stepped on the pitch.Essien 6.0 – Essien gave Ghana a major morale boost just by standing on the pitch. Made some decent passes, but did not make a major impact on the ball."