Match Preview: USA vs. Ghana

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By Mitchell Kahalley

International relations between the United States and Ghana are generally friendly. Ghana was the first nation the United States sent the Peace Corps volunteers. Ghanaian ambassador to the United States Ernest Quarm gifted president Gerald Ford a ceremonial sword made of iron. With the exception of a few years late in the administration of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, U.S-Ghana relations have been friendly since the country became the first sub-Saharan country to gain independence. According to a 2013 BBC World Service Poll, 82% of Ghanaian’s view U. S influence positively. That’s not to say that the two countries don’t have points of contention, mainly the United State’s refusal to join the International Cocoa Agreement, and soccer. If you read this blog, you probably already know that Ghana has knocked the United States out of the last two World Cups.You also know that both teams have been drawn in group G and will kick off their 2014 World Cup campaign against each other this evening.

It’s a cliche, but football is a way of life in Ghana. After the country gained its independence, the sport was used by Nkrumah as a way to express their freedom from the colonial rule, and as a platform to spread his doctrine of pan-Africanism. With the sport being so ingrained in the culture, it’s no surprise that the Black Stars are one of the most successful teams in Africa, winning the African Cup of Nations four times. They were one penalty away from being the first African side to make the semifinals in World Cup 2010.

The Black Stars come to Brazil with the most talented African side in the World Cup. They lost only one match in the group stages of World Cup qualifying and thrashed Bob Bradley’s Egypt side 7-3 in the two-legged playoff to make it to Brazil. This Ghanaian side will succeed if Asamoah Gyan scores goals. He plays for Al-Ain in the UAE and scored 59 goals in 47 appearances. The man knows how to put the ball in the back of the net. In a 4-3-3 formation he will be flanked on either side by Majeed Waris and one of the Ayew brothers, either Andre or Jordan. All three of these players are pacy wingers who can change a game with their speed. The Ghanaians have few other goal scoring options beside Gyan. This is why Waris will be this team’s X-factor. Waris looks as if he’ll be ready to play against the Yanks after an injury scare during the run up to the World Cup. Waris scored 9 goals in 16 Ligue 1 appearances while on loan at Valenciennes this season. Although he might not start, he could come on the pitch late in the match and give Ghana the spark they need.

The Ghanaian midfield is made up of veterans Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Kwado Asamoah and Kevin-Prince Boateng. These four will try to dominate the midfield with their physicality, but in a group with four teams who will play physically their influenced could be nullified. Not to mention that Kwado and Essien are coming into the tournament after poor seasons with their club teams. The Ghanian defense is just as young and inexperienced as the United States which could cause problems in this group. The most experienced defender is right-back Samuel Inkoom with only 45 appearances for the Black Stars

Needless to say the game against the United States is a must win for the Ghanaian’s. Being forced to sit back and defend against the Portuguese and Germans could prove to be a disaster for this team, which could be the downfall at this World Cup.

USA Projected Starting Lineup

Tim Howard

Fabian Johnson – Geoff Cameron – Matt Besler – DeMarcus Beasley

Kyle Beckerman – Jermaine Jones

Alejandro Bedyoa – Michael Bradley – Clint Dempsey

Jozy Altidore

The United States comes into this match with lots of questions. Will the inexperienced back four be able to perform at the international level? Will Jones and Beckerman play defending midfield roles? Will Jozy Altidore be able to score? The three friendlies that the Stars and Stripes played in the run up to the World Cup point to yes. Howard is one of the top ten, maybe top five, keepers in the world. He knows how to manage the back line. Geoff Cameron plays week in and week out in the Premier League for Stoke City. He has faced quality opposition and fares well against them. Besler is a disciplined young player who made his debut for the USMNT against Mexico in the Azteca during World Cup qualifying. If two were able to come to an understanding of how to play with each other in camp, I like our chances, especially against Ghana. If they can shut down Gyan, the Black Stars will have to find goals from somewhere else, which will be a challenge.

The “dreaded two” of Beckerman and Jones in a defensive holding role adds that bit of insurance to the back line. Both players are able to handle the physicality of the Ghanaian midfield, and hopefully will be able to prevent them from feeding the ball to Gyan or either of the Ghanaian wingers. We’re big Jermaine Jones doubters here at the Desert Island. If he begins to wander forward too much or gets too physical and ends up with a card, the States could be in a bit of trouble. Still having Beckerman next to him allows Jones to play a little more freely which benefits the whole team.

The three midfield players going forward feature some of the best talent the United States has ever produced. Michael Bradley is on the road to being the greatest American player of all time. He will be able to float in the midfield, showing up where he is most needed. I assume Bradley will try and boss the center of the pitch, take the ball through the defense and send the ball wide allowing for him and Jozy to make runs into the box. Or he could try and take the entire defense one on one. I’d be cool with that too. If he wanted to just lie down in the middle of the pitch and chill a bit I wouldn’t be worried. That’s how much I trust Michael Bradley. I hope Dempsey plays on the left side of midfield. I’ve always found that this is his best position. Instead of having him in the center of the pitch, let him go wide and take the defenders one on one, or send a cross in. He can also cut inside if necessary. The last member of the midfield will be either Zusi or Bedoya. Klinsy seems to prefer Bedoya while I prefer Zusi,. This player, regardless of who it is, has to perform for the United States. If he’s not up to scratch the Ghanian defense will use it to their advantage. To be successful, the midfield needs to push forward and put pressure on the Black Stars young defense early and often.

Jozy Altidore has finally scored. After only producing one goal in the Premier League this year, Sunderland fans bestowed the young American with the nickname “Dozy Anti-Score.” Still, Jozy had an outstanding 2013 for the USA and comes into the World Cup with two goals under his belt for the USMNT in 2014, both scored in the final friendly before the World Cup against Nigeria. If Jozy gets the service from midfield, he will score in Brazil. Besides, if Jozy is having a rough night out Klinsmann will surely bring on Mobile-born Aron Johannsson to be the spark that the United States need.

Noted earlier, this a must win for both teams. If they don’t get three points from this match, group G will be an uphill climb for them. Young, inexperienced defenses could lead to lots of goals in this match which would continue the precedent set by every other match of this World Cup. Neither team will take their lead for granted though, in five of the eleven matches already played in this World Cup, the team that has scored first has gone on to lose the match. I doubt this will be a cagey affair, both teams are gladly going to take it to the other, which is great from an entertainment standpoint, but not for my heart.

Final Score Prediction: 3-2 to the United States

The Desert Island All-Time Top 5… Songs written for the World Cup

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The World Cup, like much of soccer, is an extremely traditional thing. The Cup comes around every four years, a timeless, rhythmic competition that causes the world to grind to a halt with all the metered regularity of a school bell. But it’s not as if the Cup suddenly appears, unannounced, every fourth June. The cycle itself is marked with a number of traditions: the Euros, qualifiers, the Hex, strange stories about stadium construction, the Confederations Cup, 30-man rosters, 23-man rosters, stories about whether or not teams will partaking in the sexual relations, friendlies, even stranger stories from the French National Team, allegations of FIFA corruption and the most joyful, amazing tradition of them all – the World Cup songs. The World Cup songs, official and unofficial, are probably the truest representation of the fans on the world stage. The songs are written by supporters, for supporters; paeans to a nation’s very particular character, ability, resolve and obviously impending championship. They’re one of the few truly innocent, simple and commendable aspects of world sport. And so, without further Adu – er, ado – we present…

The Desert Island All-Time Top 5… Songs Written for the World Cup

DON’T TREAD – Clint Dempsey feat. XO and Big Hawk

STYLIZED ALL-CAPS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. DON’T TREAD ON ME

I literally just remembered this was written for a World Cup so this is completely extemporaneous. But Clint Dempsey’s rap feature with XO and the late Big Hawk (RIP) is the musical embodiment of the brashness and swagger that makes Captain Deuce the forward he is. The song was released before the 2006 World Cup, when Deuce had just burst on the American soccer scene. Dempsey was the only American to score in that debacle of a World Cup. 8 years later, number 8 will be more vital than ever, the leader and most prolific goal-scorer on this national team. This song, among other things, shows Deuce is up for the challenge. DON’T TREAD ON THIS.

Wavin’ Flag – K’naan

SB Nation has already made this case pretty well.  I won’t add much to that, except to say that this is one of the few songs that has ever been able to capture just what the World Cup and sport as a whole can mean to a people. The World Cup in South Africa was special for so many reasons, and with all of the issues present in the game today – racism, corruption, match-fixing, etc. – it’s important that we don’t forget that.

Mundial 82 – Placido Domingo

The best soccer songs are those with a sense of occasion and the lyrics to “Mundial 82” provide just that. No other soccer song has described the feeling the World Cup brings every four years. The last verse roughly translates to:

“At last, everything is silent/ And left are the great teams/ The love of a thousand screams are in the wind/ With a view to their favorites/ Everyone standing hears the hymns/ Those tense faces of glory/ Nervously chosen/ They are dreaming of victory.”

The grandiose vocal performance of Spanish tenor Placido Domingo adds to the sense of occasion that the World Cup deserves. “Mundial 82” isn’t just a World Cup song, it’s a World Cup anthem.

World In Motion – New Order

British pop music was in an odd scene in 1990. New wave and synth pop had left it’s mark, and the Britpop craze wouldn’t hit for a few more years. The British musical landscape was dominated by indie rock dance music coming out of Manchester. The house music influenced genre known as “Madchester” had rubbed off on New Order, a band who had been a part of the Manchester scene since the late seventies, and the biggest band in England at the time.

The song, originally to be called “E for England,” is a reflection of the Madchester sound. Made up of house keys, drum machines and lyrics chock-full of drug references, the song became New Order’s only number one hit on the UK Singles Chart.

The song goes from great World Cup song to Greatest World Cup song around the 2:50 mark when England winger John Barnes delivers the greatest rap ever rapped by an Englishman.

“World in Motion” is a reflection of England in 1990 and served as the soundtrack to England’s run the the semifinals in Italy. They’ve been looking to trying to capture  same magic ever since.

Hot Hot Hot – Arrow

“Hot Hot Hot” is the perfectly appropriated World Cup song. The calypso hit by Arrow was used as the anthem for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. While football is never explicitly mentioned the chorus of “Olè, Olè Olè Olè” can’t help but invoke images of the beautiful game. Also, I’m pretty sure the lyrics “My mind’s on fire, my soul’s on fire, feeling hot hot hot,” crossed my mind when Donavan scored the 90th minute winner against Algeria. The best thing about “Hot Hot Hot” is that Arrow is from Montserrat. Montserrat is a small island in the Caribbean, and their national football team is a member of the Caribbean Football Union, which is a member of CONCACAF. The Montserrat national team was ranked last in the FIFA rankings. On the day of the 2002 World Cup final, they played the second lowest ranked team, Bhutan, in a friendly. They lost 4-0. In 2013, the team reached 174 in the FIFA rankings. They still play “Hot Hot Hot” at every home match. Just another reason why I wake up every morning and thank God I was born in CONCACAF.

“Don’t Tread” and “Wavin’ Flag” by Sean Landry. “Mundial 82,” “World in Motion” and “Hot Hot Hot” by Mitchell Kahalley. Introduction by Sean Landry

The Desert Island All Time Top 5… Storylines for MLS 2014

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Major League Soccer kicked off its 19th season this past weekend. It seems like only yesterday we saw Sporting Kansas City crowned MLS Cup champions after knocking off Real Salt Lake in a penalty shootout in a match up of the league’s two worst team names. In a World Cup year with a USMNT whose core is made up of a group MLS-ers, the American public and casual soccer fans will pay closer attention to the league than usual. So, here’s our guide to the story lines to keep an eye on for fans new to the league.

Welcome to MLS. It All Starts Here

A Farewell to Chivas USA

Chivas USA will go down in as one of the great curiosities of American soccer history. The Los Angeles based club joined the league in 2004 as an extension of Chivas Guadalajara, sharing owners, colors and a badge. After experiencing various degrees of success, the club missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, and went through four coaches starting in 2010. In 2012, two non-Latino youth coaches sued the club for discrimination, claiming owner Jorge Vergara was going to release all non-Spanish-speaking staff. In February of 2014, Major League Soccer bought Chivas USA with the intent to sell and rebrand at the end of the season. Chivas USA never found its own identity. They could never come out of the shadow of LA’s other, more successful franchise, the Galaxy. Still, after watching Chivas this weekend I find myself starting to get nostalgic for the bizarre Latin American hybrid club that let MLS down for 10 seasons.

The CBA

2015 will be a watershed moment for MLS. 2014 will be the final season played under the current collective bargaining agreement between MLS and the MLS Players Union, signed in 2010 after a short players strike. This season, Major League Soccer raised the salary cap to 3.1 million dollars, up from 2.9 million last season. MLS also allows for three “designated players” to be paid wages that won’t be counted to the salary cap.The leagues 28 highest paid player account for 37% of all of the leagues salaries. As the league continues to grow, income inequality between the leagues average players and the leagues superstars continues to grow. With the addition of two new franchises in 2015, New York City FC and Orlando City SC, who both will be looking to bring in big name DP’s, the salary cap is going to have to be adjusted to benefit all MLSers and allow the league to take the next step to being one of the top sports leagues in the world.

Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference
In the NBA, this debate is easy. If you live in the Eastern United States, and not in Miami or Indiana, you’re bad at basketball. If you’re in the Western United States, you’re probably pretty good at basketball, but maybe not the best. At any rate, the Western Conference is winning this battle. In MLS, this decision is a little more difficult. For one, the East holds the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup, in New York and Kansas City. The West, on the other hand, is home to the prohibitive favorites for both of these trophies: The Portland Timbers. Those same Timbers play what is probably the best team soccer in the US, with passing and movement reminiscent of Arsenal and Liverpool. The best Americans, for the most part, play in the West (more on that anon). The East, however, hosts possibly the best goalscorer to ever play in this league in Thierry Henry, and a team with its own fearsome core of attackers in the Philadelphia Union. The anti-soccer mentality of Sporting Kansas City and the general shit-ness of D.C United is mirrored in San Jose and Chivas, respectively. On the field, after Matchday 1, the West has dominated thus far, but the East will get another shot next week, with 4 inter-conference matches. This narrative is just getting started.

And speaking of the Timbers…

The Rebirth and Continued Dominance of the Portland Timbers
When first I fell in love with Portland, the club was really only notable for one thing: the Timbers Army. And the fact that they were complete shit. Portland has by far the most vibrant soccer culture in the United States, and it was the Army more than anything that probably pulled me toward this club. Timbers Owner Merritt Paulson made it clear during that first season in MLS that he wanted to build a team worthy of the supporters.
Fast forward only a few years, and the Timbers front office is responsible for some of the great signings in the league. They’ve got the kind of creative personnel that other clubs salivate over, and the kind of players in Darlington Nagbe and Gaston Fernandez that European elitists say don’t play in MLS. Caleb Porter has the team playing the most exciting soccer in MLS, and scoring buckets of goals. From Will Johnson to Pa Modou Kah, they’re an incredibly diverse team that a supporter just Can’t Help Falling in Love with. They fell just short of the Cup last year, and even just-shorter of the Supporters Shield – but nobody could have predicted that season, which felt like something out of a dream anyway. Along the way, Paulson has turned himself into one of the most important people in American soccer, having just been appointed to the U.S Soccer Board of Directors. Most important of all, it’s good for the league when Portland is good. If clubs like Portland and Seattle and other well-supported teams can become the face of the league, it will become much harder to deny the growth of the game for critics both foreign and domestic.

The Return of the USMNT
For years, American soccer fans have heard/said that for the US Men’s National Team to make it on the global stage, the best US players needed to play in Europe. And worringly, Americans continue to struggle when they go to Europe. Clint Dempsey did nothing of note in his loan stint with Fulham, and Jozy Altidore’s season for Fulham has been anything but impressive. This summer has seen the prodigal sons of the US return to American shores, and an increased appearance of Major League Soccer players in a national team that has become the dominant one in their region.
Let’s be clear: This is probably a good thing for the league and USMNT. Ever since World Cup 1994, the objective has been to get American players known by Americans, and help use that branding to market the league. Even casual American soccer fans know Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley. Many teams have designated players that are US Internationals, and many clubs will rely on American internationals as their go to players. Eddie Johnson, for example, is the marquee player in one of MLS’ most storied clubs, and moved to get out of the shadow of a USMNT teammate. Now both Clint and EJ will be called upon to carry a club, which should go a long way to helping their form in the World Cup.
At any rate, a stronger domestic league will almost always result in a stronger National team. A better league means better player development, and better relations between US Soccer and MLS. A huge part of MLS existence is to support the USMNT. If Americans want to be taken seriously, they’ve got to stop keeping MLS down. It’s possible to understand that the league has far to go without begrudging it that progress.

Over There begins at home.

Sport, Culture, Music and Film from the minds of 2 hopeless addicts