US faces nemesis Ghana in opener

Notions of righting wrongs and exacting revenge will add an extra pinch of spice when Ghana takes on the United States on Monday in a World Cup Group G match that looks like a must-win for both teams.

With encounters against Germany and Portugal to come for the sides in arguably the toughest first-round group, anything less than the full three points at the Dunas arena could be fatal to their hopes of a spot in the last 16.

Ghana lit up the last World Cup in South Africa when it came within one missed penalty of becoming the first African team to reach the last four after Luis Suarez's infamous handball in the quarterfinal against Uruguay.