At the risk of completely missing the global consensus on this one: the USA were unlucky not to get through here. They created a host more chances than the-last-remaining-African-country-in-the-first-African-World-Cup, particularly in the second half, and should have got more from this game. They at least deserved a crack at penalties.
So no, sorry: I don't buy into this 'there needs to be an African team left in the tournament'. Not if they're not good enough there doesn't. If it's so important to have all continents represented in the later stages, FIFA should change the way teams are seeded (see North Korea 0-3 Ivory Coast entry), not just patronise a footballing community that they seemingly ignored and exploited for decades.
Unfortunately, this is a tone that has also been adopted by broadcasters. Both the BBC and ITV have, at times, been guilty of treating this World Cup like Comic Relief.
Don't even get me started on 'the bus'.
Although I wasn't particularly rooting for Ghana, I do think that both they and the USA are pretty decent sides, with some good individual performers. I've got a lot of time for Michael Bradley - a midfielder currently holding his own in the Bundesliga - and Asamoah Gyan, despite being given the left back's shirt (number 3), took his goal like an Alan Shearer-style centre forward.
Ghana also have Kevin Prince Boateng, who is challenging Landon Donavon as most irritating player of the tournament: a battle that proved an interesting sideshow here.
There's just something a bit creepy about KPB. Plus: he's not actually that good, is he? Always annoying when players you don't rate keep scoring goals. Look at Darren Bent.
And will the Ghana team please stop dancing. If it didn't feel like an audition for a soft drinks commercial it might be endearing. But it's not 1990 and their star player is not called Roger.
Although, interestingly enough, he is called Kevin:
THE STORY SO FAR
Match of the tournament: Slovakia 3-2 Italy
Player of the tournament: Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Goal of the tournament: Tshabalala (South Africa v Mexico)
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