Landon Donovan’s dramatic goal in injury time against Algeria put the US through to the round of 16. This Saturday (June 25), the US plays Ghana. It’s an elimination game, so if the score is tied after 90 minutes, the teams will play extra time. If that doesn’t resolve things, they will go the penalty kicks.
Landon Donovan’s goal has been called the biggest goal in the history of USA soccer (and it may very well be, considering how many Americans seem to be interested in the World Cup right now). However, team USA has actually been deeper in the World Cup tournament than they are right now. In the 2002 tournament (co-hosted by Japan and South Korea), the US made it all the way to the round of 8 (also known as the quarterfinals) before they were knocked out by Germany.
Things didn’t go nearly as well for the US in the 2006 World Cup tournament (hosted by Germany). The US failed to win a single game and was eliminated in the group stage. The US actually managed a very gritty tie against the eventual champions, Italy, but lost to the Czech Republic and was knocked out of the tournament by none other than Ghana.
That’s right. Ghana. The “Black Stars.” It’s payback time.
So how do the two teams stack up? The US finished first in Group C with 5 points. Ghana finished second (behind Germany) in Group D with 4 points. Ghana is the only African nation to advance to the Round of 16, despite the fact that many people expected the African teams to flourish in a tournament on their “home soil.”
The match will take place in Royal Bafokeng, where the US tied England 1-1. Here are the projected lineups:
USA
———————-Howard———————
Cherundolo–Onyewu–DeMerit–Bocanegra
Dempsey—–Clark—–Bradley—–Donovan
————-Findley———Altidore————
Ghana
—————-Kingston————–
Sarpei–Mensah–Mensah–Pantsil
Boateng——Annan———-Gyan
——–Tagoe———Asamoah—–
—————–Ayew—————–
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