I'll Try Not To Sound Bitter

The U.S. match with Ghana in the final match of Group Stage in Group E had the home team still in the hunt for advancement to the Round of 16. The scenario called for a U.S. win and an Italy win over the Czech Republic to send the Red, White & Blue through.

The karma was not be be, though, for a variety of reasons.

On the very play the American team's heart-and-soul midfield playmaker, Claudio Reyna, knocked knees and went down on a play for a 50-50 ball, the Ghana side took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute on a goal by Haminu Draman. The photo shows how close Kasey Keller was to making a spectacular one v. one save on the play.

With Reyna unable to continue effectively, the captain's armband was, it now seems, permanently passed, to Landon Donovan. The U.S. side fought and scrapped its way back into the flow of play and a great second-effort strip and cross by DeMarcus Beasley found Clint Dempsey running backside where he one-timed a powerful blast to level the match.

Playing four minutes of add-on time at the end of the first half, due in part to Ghana's histrionics on every hard tackle, the German referee made a crucial, and very dubious, penalty call in the 47th minute of play. American defender Oguchi 'Gooch' Onyewu made a clean play clearing a ball but Ghana forward Razak Pimpong's dive was rewarded with a spot kick for a 2-1 Ghana lead at half.

The talk at half was that perhaps FIFA now stands for Fix It For Africa, ensuring a team from that continent, and Ghana was the last hope this time around, would advance to the Round of 16. The 2010 World Cup, is, after all, in South Africa, and that continent should appear worthy.

In the second half, an obvious handball by a Ghana defender in the box was ignored, making three of the past four U.S. World Cup matches such an oversight by the referees has plagued the home side. Brian McBride pinged the post on a header that would have evened the match, and what do you think? Was McBride being held on the subsequent corner kick? Could that have also been a penalty?

Sorry, didn't manage to come off as not being bitter. It's a shame the players and the Laws of the Game cannot truly determine such critical outcomes.

By the way, Italy beat the Czech Republic.

The referee was on my train afterwards, exiting, along with his three BundesPolizei escorts, at Wurzberg. Hope he slept well.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.