NATAL, Brazil
After 90 brutal minutes of end-to-end action, the Americans emerged with a thrilling 2-1 win over Ghana.
“It was a grind, but it was a wonderful win at the end of the day,” U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said.
U.S. fans were screaming for revenge Monday after the Black Stars eliminated the Americans from the last two Cups.
They got it. At a price.
Clint Dempsey scored a shocking goal 36 seconds in, but the U.S. couldn’t make it stand up. Andre Ayew tied the score in the 82nd minute after a brilliant back-heel pass from Asamoah Gyan, who had eliminated the U.S. four years ago.
And then, just four minutes later, 21-year-old John Brooks rose to head in Graham Zusi’s corner kick from 8 yards – the first substitute to ever score for the United States in 30 World Cup games over 84 years. The defender, an unexpected addition to the American roster, was so overcome he fell to the field and was unable to move even after teammates climbed off the dog pile. He had made his national team debut only last August, and Brooks hadn’t scored in four appearances.
U.S. players ran onto the field to celebrate at the final whistle. Now they’re in good position in Group G, where Germany opened with a 4-0 rout of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.
After the game, Vice President Joe Biden visited the victorious Americans in their locker room.
“We got the three points that we badly wanted,” Klinsmann said.
He had predicted this would be like a final. Jozy Altidore is hoping it wasn’t his finale.
The forward was carried off on a stretcher after his left hamstring gave out in the 21st minute when he tried to control a long ball. He awaits tests that will determine whether he can return for this World Cup.
Dempsey went down, too, on a balmy late-autumn night, but he stayed in the game. The U.S. captain ended the first half with a tissue up his nose, which he said was probably broken, to stop the bleeding after John Boye’s kick to his face during a battle for a header in the 31st minute.
“I just had trouble breathing,” Dempsey said afterward, his nose swollen and cut. “I was coughing up blood a little bit. Hopefully I’ll be able to breathe through my nose again before the next game.”
Tim Howard made big save after big save, as Ghana outshot the U.S. 21-8.
Matt Besler came out at the start of the second half after feeling tightness in his right hamstring. It was his replacement, Brooks, who scored the winning goal. Zusi also was a sub, coming on for the hobbling Alejandro Bedoya in the second half.
By the time of the final whistle, the U.S. lineup had Brooks in central defense and a virtually invisible 23-year-old Aron Johannsson at forward.
Now the odds favor advancement. But that might depend on which players are able to make it on the field for Sunday’s game against Portugal in the hot and humid Amazon rain forest capital of Manaus.
“This win means nothing unless we’re able to build upon it the next two games,” Dempsey said.
German machine rolls; Iran and Nigeria tie
SALVADOR, Brazil – Thomas Mueller scored a hat trick, as Germany turned on its style and power to rout 10-man Portugal 4-0 in their World Cup Group G opener Monday.
Mueller, who led the 2010 World Cup with five goals, was ruthless against a weak Portugal team that was clearly outplayed despite the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
With Chancellor Angela Merkel supporting in the stands, the German team celebrated its 100th World Cup match with a rousing victory that was virtually assured by halftime.
“After 20 minutes, we looked up at the clock and thought it was going to be a long day,” Mueller said.
What must be worrying for Germany’s opponents is the apparent ease with which Joachim Loew’s lineup disposed of the fourth-ranked team in the world. Germany next faces Ghana on June 21.
Mueller scored both sides of Mats Hummels’ headed goal, as Germany took a 3-0 lead at the break and added his third goal in the 81st.
Ronaldo started at Arena Fonte Nova after overcoming a knee injury. He faded after threatening early in the match, including a shot from a break that Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer could only block, but there was nobody from Portugal to pounce on the rebound.
Portugal already was down 2-0 before Pepe was red carded in the 37th minute for apparently head-butting Mueller when the German player was sitting on the ground. Pepe had stuck his hand into Mueller’s face, and the German went down.
It was Mueller who opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Mario Goetze had been pulled down by Joao Pereira in the box, coolly slotting the penalty kick into the right corner.
Hummels had risen above Pepe to double Germany’s lead with a well-timed header from a corner in the 32nd, and Mueller extended the buffer just before the break when he stripped the ball from Bruno Alves and drilled in a low shot.
Iran 0, Nigeria 0
CURITIBA, Brazil – Iran and Nigeria delivered the first draw of the World Cup on Monday, as they ground out a scrappy stalemate.
The draw at the Arena da Baixada in the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba followed 12 mostly high scoring and attacking games.
After a first half in which Nigeria failed to capitalize on its dominance, chances were few and far between in the second.
In the early passages of play, Nigeria had shown menace, with much of its attacking thrust coming down the left with Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses combining to cause problems for the defensively-minded Iran side.
Nigeria came closest to scoring in the seventh minute, when an Ahmed Musa goal was disallowed after John Obi Mikel was judged to have fouled Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi at a corner.
Iran grew more confident as the game progressed and came close to scoring in the 34th when a Reza Ghoochannejhad header required a sharp save from Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.
In the second half, both sides were guilty of sloppy passages of play, to the growing annoyance of the mainly Brazilian crowd. Players from both sides snatched at chances, and neither goalkeeper was troubled despite some frantic late pressure in the final minutes.
