NATAL, BRAZIL —
Substitute John Brooks headed an 86th-minute winner as the United States beat Ghana 2-1 in a World Cup Group G clash on Monday, just as the Africans thought they had snatched a draw.
U.S. captain Clint Dempsey scored after 32 seconds, the fifth-fastest goal in World Cup history, and that began to look enough as Ghana repeatedly failed to turn their dominant possession into clear chances.
The Africans did finally equalize after 82 minutes, though, when a clever flick by Asamoah Gyan set up Andre Ayew for a neat finish, only for Brooks to thump home the winner four minutes later.
Ghana knocked the U.S. out in the round of 16 four years ago and effectively did so in 2006 when they beat them in their final group game, but now look long shots to progress again from a group containing Germany and Portugal, who met earlier on Monday with Germans winning 4-0.
U.S. captain Clint Dempsey scored after 32 seconds, the fifth-fastest goal in World Cup history, and that began to look enough as Ghana repeatedly failed to turn their dominant possession into clear chances.
The Africans did finally equalize after 82 minutes, though, when a clever flick by Asamoah Gyan set up Andre Ayew for a neat finish, only for Brooks to thump home the winner four minutes later.
Ghana knocked the U.S. out in the round of 16 four years ago and effectively did so in 2006 when they beat them in their final group game, but now look long shots to progress again from a group containing Germany and Portugal, who met earlier on Monday with Germans winning 4-0.