USA vs Ghana highlights
United States fans enjoy the atmosphere prior to kickoff during their team's opening 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group G match against Ghana.
All photos taken at Estadio das Dunas on June 16, 2014 in Natal, Brazil.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana fans cheer prior to the game. The Ghanaian team had knocked the U.S. out of the last two World Cups in a row.
USA vs. Ghana
U.S. players pose before the match: (Back row, left to right) forward Clint Dempsey, midfielder Jermaine Jones, midfielder Michael Bradley, goalkeeper Tim Howard, defender Geoff Cameron and defender Matt Besler; (bottom row, left to right) defender Fabian Johnson, defender DaMarcus Beasley, midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, forward Jozy Altidore and midfielder Kyle Beckerman.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana's players pose before the match.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana and the U.S. players listen to their national anthems before their game.
USA vs. Ghana
Clint Dempsey gets the U.S. off to a rollicking start, decleating a Ghanaian defender and slamming the ball off the post and into the net just 35 seconds into the match, for the quickest World Cup goal in U.S. team history.
USA vs. Ghana
Dempsey, the U.S. captain, celebrates giving his team a very early lead in a game U.S. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann had dubbed the Americans' "final" and a must-win.
USA vs. Ghana
Daniel Opare of Ghana and Jermaine Jones of the United States battle for the ball.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana's midfielder Mohammed Rabiu (L) and Ghana's midfielder Andre Ayew (R) vie with U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley for the ball.
Ghana quickly recovered from its opening debacle and constantly attacked the Americans for most of the rest of the first half.
USA vs. Ghana
Jozy Altidore of the United States pulls up injured after making a run down the left flank.
USA vs. Ghana
U.S. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann (R) comforts forward Jozy Altidore after he injured his hamstring. The extent of Altidore’s injury is unclear for now. He was immediately replaced in the game by young Icelandic American forward Aron Johannson. Altidore had been expected to play a big part in Klinsmann’s aggressive style before the World Cup.
USA vs. Ghana
Sulley Muntari of Ghana and Alejandro Bedoya of the United States battle for the ball. The U.S. midfielders struggled to keep up with their counterparts for most of the game.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana's goalkeeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey (L) dives for the ball during one of only a handful of shots the U.S. team was able to get near the Ghanaian goal.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana's defender John Boye (L) kicks Clint Dempsey in the face as the two go up for a ball near midfield in the first half.
USA vs. Ghana
Clint Dempsey bleeds from what ended up being a broken nose after he was kicked in the face by Ghana's John Boye, who did not receive a card for the foul.
USA vs. Ghana
U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard (L) jumps for the ball behind Ghana's forward Jordan Ayew (C) to clear a ball.
USA vs. Ghana
Sulley Muntari of Ghana reacts angrily after a challenge by U.S. midfielder Jermaine Jones. The two later hugged and made up.
USA vs. Ghana
Kyle Beckerman of the United States tackles Kevin-Prince Boateng of Ghana.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana's defender Jonathan Mensah (R) heads the ball in front of U.S. defender Fabian Johnson.
USA vs. Ghana
Asamoah Gyan of Ghana competes for the ball with Geoff Cameron of the United States. Ghana's attack kept the U.S. defense on its heels for much of the night.
USA vs. Ghana
Ghana's midfielder Andre Ayew (C) scores against U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard (R) in the 82nd minute. Few observers were surprised when Ghana eventually broke through after several near-misses.
USA vs. Ghana
Andre Ayew of Ghana celebrates after scoring his team's first and only goal so far in the 2014 World Cup.
USA vs. Ghana
Kwadwo Asamoah of Ghana challenges Michael Bradley of the United States. After Ghana's goal, the U.S. showed a sense of urgency and got better with its possession and attacking.
USA vs. Ghana
Aron Johannsson of the United States is challenged by Sulley Muntari (L) and Michael Essien of Ghana.
USA vs. Ghana
U.S. defender John Brooks (2L) heads the ball for a score on a corner kick from midfielder Graham Zusi in the 86th minute. Brooks was a halftime substitute for defender Matt Besler, who was taken off due to an injury.
USA vs. Ghana
Brooks, seen here third form left as his headed ball slips through Ghana's defense for America's second goal of the game, is one of several players on the American team who is the son of an American serviceman dad and a German mother. He is just 21 years old, and could have played for Germany until he debuted in the Ghana game and wrote himself into the American record books.
USA vs. Ghana
Brooks told reporters after the game he had envisioned scoring the winning goal with a header, even though he was not projected to play until Besler was hurt.
USA vs. Ghana
Substitutes of the United States celebrate their team's second goal.
USA vs. Ghana
Jurgen Klinsmann of the United States smiles after the victory with his team. The U.S. next plays Portugal on June 22.