Ghana vs USA match reports:
Ghanaians were dropping all around Landon Donovan. The victors were too tired to properly celebrate Ghana's Asamoah Gyan scored three minutes into extra time to send Africa's last World Cup contender into the quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory over the USA in South Africa on Saturday.
Donovan paid little attention to the scene. After some cursory congratulations, he walked dejectedly off the pitch, took off his jersey, threw a heavy parka over his bare shoulders and took a seat, alone, on the bench.
He was the picture of disappointment. And just as Donovan’s joy following his dramatic game-winner had been shared across America on Wednesday, so too was this feeling, this mood here Saturday night
Ghana become only the third African team to reach a World Cup quarterfinal, matching the achievements of Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002.
Gyan said, '' I am the happiest man in the world, In 2006 we made the second round, now we have gone a step further. We have made Ghana proud and the whole of Africa proud.''
The Black Stars, who also defeated the Americans to eliminate them from the 2006 tournament at the group phase, are the last of six African teams that began the first World Cup on African soil.
Prince Boateng gave the Africans the lead in the fifth minute but the Americans, who fought back to draw after falling behind against England on the same pitch two weeks ago, equalised in the 62nd minute via a Landon Donovan penalty.
Former US President Bill Clinton and British rock legend Mick Jagger watched as four-time African champion Ghana denied an attacking US side the decisive goal late in normal time, setting the stage for two 15-minute extra-time periods.
The wait for the game's pivotal moment lasted only three minutes. Gyan came away with the ball and met it on the bounce two strides later to blast a left-footed shot over US goalkeeper Howard for his third goal of the tournament, taking him to a share of the lead in the goal. The World Cup has always been a cruel place for sides like that.