NUREMBERG, Germany - They were confident. They were hyped. They promised that
the world's game had arrived in the United States ¡ª and that the world best
beware.
Instead of building on their World Cup glory of 2002, much less matching it,
the Americans crashed out in the first round just like in 1998, overmatched by
superior opponents and their own expectations.
They were unable to take shots, much less score goals. They were outmuscled
and outsmarted. And, after a tournament-ending 2-1 loss to Ghana on Thursday
that turned on a disputed penalty call, they were reluctant to blame themselves.
"The guys did everything and fought to the end to get a win," U.S. captain
Claudio Reyna said after his last World Cup game. "The expectations have
changed."
Those expectations were the product of both canny image crafting and the
surprise quarterfinals success that had the Americans thinking big.
Thursday's loss was that much more galling because despite frequent sloppy
play, the United States would have advanced with a win thanks to Italy's 2-0
victory over the Czech Republic in a game played simultaneously.
Ghana is a country with a fine soccer pedigree, but it is a World Cup
newcomer. Now it joins Italy in the tournament's single-elimination second
round, its reward a Tuesday match against defending champion Brazil.
After the final whistle, U.S. coach Bruce Arena waved an arm at the officials
in disgust and stalked off the field. Instead of congratulating Ghana's coach in
plain view, he did it outside the dressing rooms.
Arena came into the 32-nation tournament as the longest-tenured coach, the
architect of a team ranked No. 5 in the world by FIFA. Now, his future is
unclear.
Early in the tournament, he called out his players for their lackluster play.
After the Ghana game, he called out German referee Markus Merk.
The referee whistled 32 fouls against Ghana and 16 against the U.S., but only
one really mattered.
"I think we'd all agree it wasn't a good call," Arena said of the penalty.
"We had control of the game and we go in at halftime down a goal. But those
things happen, and they happen a lot to our team."
It happened in first-half injury time, just after a rare flash of offense had
let the Americans tie it 1-1.
Defender Oguchi Onyewu, the tallest U.S. player at 6-foot-4, was jostling
with 5-foot-8 Razak Pimpong for a header at the edge of the penalty area.
Pimpong fell. Convinced the contact was slight, U.S. players angrily argued
the awarding of a penalty kick by one of the world's top-rated officials.
On the shot, goalkeeper Kasey Keller dived to his left. Ghana captain Stephen
Appiah booted the ball high to the goalkeeper's right.
It was the second time the U.S. fell a goal down. But this time, Ghana was up
for good.
Haminu Draman first put the Black Stars ahead in the 22nd minute. Colliding
knee to knee with Reyna, Draman stole the ball and then beat Keller on the
breakaway.
Reyna was carried off the field on a stretcher, a knee ligament sprained,
though he did return briefly before being replaced near the end of the first
half.
Soon after, Clint Dempsey tied it in the 43rd minute with a 10-yard volley
off a cross from DaMarcus Beasley. But Dempsey's funky dance and the American
joy that followed was short lived, crushed by the penalty.
Not everyone wanted to discuss the call. Onyewu ignored reporters, Ghana
coach Ratomir Dujkovic wouldn't discuss it and Merk couldn't be contacted
through FIFA.
Four years ago in South Korea, the Americans were praised for their attacking
play, a turnaround from their last-place finish in 1998. They advanced to the
quarterfinals before outplaying Germany in a 1-0 loss.
They entered this World Cup without ever having won a point in a World Cup
played in Europe. They left with one point from Saturday's 1-1 tie against
Italy.
They also left with just four shots on goal over three games ¡ª the lowest
total of any nation at this World Cup. And two of those hit the post.
Attacking midfielder Landon Donovan, a startling success when he scored twice
in 2002 at age 20, was perhaps the biggest of the U.S. underachievers.
He sputtered during the Americans' opening 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic.
The Ghana game was a chance for redemption, but he finished the tournament with
just one shot, none on net, and showed little enthusiasm for challenging
defenders. His streak of scoreless games with the national team stretches back
nearly a year.
"He didn't have one of his better days, that's for sure," Arena said.
When Reyna exited, Donovan took the captain's arm band. It is a role he
appears likely to assume permanently, with Reyna, Brian McBride and Eddie Pope
expected to retire from the national team before the 2010 tournament. Keller
hopes to return, but will be 40 by then.
Donovan was promoted heavily this spring along with teammates, with huge
billboards proclaiming: "THE WORLD NO LONGER WANTS TO PLAY US" and "BEWARE."
