The Ghana Revenge Match – World Cup ‘14 | Unfiltered Soccer

Summary

Podcast Summary: Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan & Tim Howard

Episode: The Ghana Revenge Match – World Cup ‘14

Release Date: May 28, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the dramatic USA vs. Ghana “Revenge Match” from the opening game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Landon Donovan and Tim Howard relive the momentous occasion when the U.S. Men’s National Team finally overcame Ghana, the team that eliminated them in the two previous World Cups. The conversation weaves together personal memories, tactical insights, and the emotions surrounding this historic victory, capped by one of the most memorable late goals in American soccer history.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene: Context and Emotions

• Donovan (00:03): Landon frames the match as a “revenge” game, recalling the emotional baggage from previous World Cup eliminations by Ghana.

• Early Tension: Reflects on the disbelief and elation when Clint Dempsey scored within the first minute.

  • Quote: “I remember watching the game and probably feeling the same thing. Like, oh, my God, I cannot believe already up that early in the game.”

• Howard’s Mindset as Goalkeeper (01:36–02:55):

  • Tim describes the psychological shift after scoring early, emphasizing the pressure to maintain focus.
  • Quote: “When you score early, that goes out the window... because now, from a human nature standpoint, you’re going, ‘Oh, we have something to lose.’” — Tim Howard (01:36)
  • He explains that an early goal upends the original game plan and increases stress on defenders and the keeper.

The Flow of the Match

• Ghana Controls Play:

  • After Dempsey’s goal, Ghana dominates possession and midfield, pushing the U.S. onto the defensive.

• Critical Equalizer (82nd Minute) (03:09–04:56):

  • Ghana’s Andre Ayew ties the game, triggering anxiety about a potential draw.
  • Quote: “They did have the mental advantage...they, they tactically how they set up against us... they had most of the ball.” — Tim Howard (04:02)

• Tactical Perspective:

  • Tim stresses the difference between group-stage results in World Cups vs. club football: the stakes of the first match are monumental.
  • Quote: “There’s so much to gain from winning the first game and there’s so much to lose from losing the first game.” — Donovan (03:42)

The Game-Winning Moment

• John Anthony Brooks’ Historic Header (86th Minute) (05:01–06:17):

  • Graham Zusi delivers a corner, and Brooks heads it home, earning the U.S. a dramatic late winner.
  • Quote: “John Anthony Brooks with just a darting header. Bang. Smashes it down across the goal and scores. His celebration—almost like surprised but excited.” — Donovan (05:01)
  • Howard reflects: “When that goal went in, I thought, all right, game over...That’s it. That’s the one. Like that. You ain’t coming back from that.” (05:57)

• Defensive Trust:

  • Tim reveals the confidence he had in the team to close the game after Brooks’ goal.
  • Quote: “I trusted in us to launch it and move our lines and stay tight and cover. So I just sort of knew, like, it’s a feeling that I had in the moment that I just knew that that was signed. Seal delivered.” — Howard (06:17–06:38)

Reflections on “Revenge” and the Group of Death

• Motivation and Pressure:
  • The hosts discuss the subtle yet powerful “revenge” narrative.
  • Quote: “We weren’t saying, like, oh, let’s get revenge, but ...they had our number… There was a relief. There was revenge. It felt good to sort of tip the scales in our favor.” — Howard (06:50)
• Advancing from the Group:
  • Winning the first game in a tough group provides crucial momentum.
  • Quote: “You win that first game in a World cup...basically in your head at that time saying, we need one more point.” — Donovan (07:27)
  • Howard notes: “You feel invincible in a World cup until you’re out...” (08:00)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On scoring early:
  “As long as we don’t concede now we’re fine, right?” — Donovan (02:18)

• On Brooks’ goal:
  “I sort of knew, like, it’s a feeling that I had in the moment that I just knew that that was signed. Seal delivered big John Brooks.” — Howard (06:38)

• On Ghana:
  “They really did...Two straight World Cups, they had our number, and now we’re playing them again.” — Donovan & Howard (07:03–07:04)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03: Setting up the context: the “revenge game”
• 00:59–02:55: Early goal psychology and goalkeeping mentality
• 03:09–04:56: Ghana’s equalizer, match dynamics, and pressure
• 05:01–06:38: John Anthony Brooks’ winning goal and the team’s response
• 06:40–07:27: Discussing the feeling of revenge, pressure, and group-stage implications
• 07:40–08:30: Reflecting on the impact of the win and difficulties of the group (“Group of Death”)

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Trivia & Fun Facts Segment (08:42–14:30)

• Fastest World Cup Goals:
  Clint Dempsey’s goal was the fifth fastest in World Cup history. They attempt (with humor) to name the top four (08:43–10:06).

• US Player with Four World Cups:
  DaMarcus Beasley is credited as the first US player to compete in four World Cups. Howard reminisces about their hopes for a fifth (10:19–10:58).

• Three-Time US World Cup Opponents:
  The USMNT has faced Ghana, Germany, England, and Italy three times each in the World Cup (11:05–12:54).

• US Substitutes Scoring in World Cups:
  John Brooks was the first US substitute to score; Julian Green and Haji Wright have since joined that exclusive group (12:54–14:26).

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Tone and Style

Landon and Tim keep the conversation lively, candid, and humorous, blending tactical analysis with personal anecdotes. Their back-and-forth is playful yet insightful, giving listeners both an insider’s and a fan’s perspective on iconic US soccer moments.

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Summary

This episode is a passionate deep dive into one of the most electrifying and consequential matches in US World Cup history. With rich storytelling and tactical insight, Donovan and Howard paint a vivid picture of the emotional highs and lows, the significance of revenge, and the importance of pivotal moments like John Brooks’ game-winner. The trivia segment adds fun historical context and camaraderie, making the discussion accessible and engaging for all soccer fans.

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Transcript

[A]

This bonus content is brought to you by Jim Beam. We're cheersing the greatest U.S. world cup moments in history. And today, it's all about revenge. Timmy. The revenge game. USA versus Ghana in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup. Okay, let me set the scene. I was home. You were there, June 16, 2014, in Natal, Brazil. We had been eliminated by Ghana in the previous two World Cups. And then, of course, we get drawn with Ghana. So in the first minute, you don't even remember this, do you? So Jermaine Jones gets a ball, plays it to Clint. Clint goes in and scores. I remember watching the game and probably feeling the same thing. You like, oh, my God, I cannot believe already up that early in the game. So, as a goalkeeper, just in general, how do you feel when your team scores that? Or is it. I mean, most people say amazing, but then you're like, oh, man. Yeah, it's coming. Now I'll tell you how I feel.

[B]

Jim Beam on the rocks. Best served cold. You know what else is best served cold? Revenge. I tell you what, I don't. I don't remember sometime I've said this to you on this, on, on the show. Sometimes I can remember every single little detail I know. And then there are other. Then there are others where I'm like, we're, you know, we're researching this game. Like, I remember Clint scoring. I didn't remember it being that early. I remember him wheeling away. I remember the jersey. I remember his arms in the air. But I don't. I didn't remember it was that early. Here's the thing, which common folks, and I don't even know who I'm talking to, but you are not one of them. You understand this.

[A]

I'm a man of the people, Tim.

[B]

Yeah. But here's what happens, folks. At home, you train all week, any game, big game, World cup, whatever. You train all week. This is how we're going to play. This is how we're going to set up. This is what we're going to watch for. You know where I'm going with this? We're going to do this game plan in order to win the game. And normally you execute this game plan over the course of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 minutes, right? When you score early, that goes out the window. Because now, from a human nature standpoint, you're going, oh, we have something to lose. Because we now have the goal that we've been seeking, but it just happened to come in the first minute.

[A]

As long as we don't concede now we're fine, right?

[B]

So everything goes out the window. You stop taking risks and all the rest. So that was my worry. And as a goalkeeper, and you and I have talked about this going back to four years earlier in the Algeria game, as a goalkeeper, my mentality is when we score early and when we score late is so different than if we score any other time in the game. Because if we score early, I'm going, all right, how do I get these guys to stay focused on the game plan, which is what I just talked about, because you know, it's going out the window. And at the end of a game when you, you know, if you score really late on, which we'll get to in this game, it's also like, guys

[A]

refocus because it's not over.

[B]

It's not over. And this is. And by the way, it's about. They're about to throw everything at us. So early on, it's not even a sense of relief. Like you're happy, but you're kind of like, we still have to kind of play the game nil, Nil. Like we're not really at one nothing because there's so much.

[A]

You then get to the last few minutes and it's still 1 nil. Then you're like, okay, now we can. Yeah, that's right. So Ghana then have most of the game. For the rest of the game, they have a lot of control. Finally, 82nd minute US, John passes to Andre Ayo who scores. So now it's 1:1. And World Cups are interesting, right? Because in a, in a club season, you can have, you can get to a 1:1. And if you're away and you say, you know what, fair enough, whatever. In a World cup, there's so much to gain from winning the first game and there's so much to lose from losing the first game. So you get to one one and both teams are probably thinking, I mean, you tell me, but like, okay, we can live with one one. But you also know if you win the game, you've got not, maybe not a whole foot, but a few toes in the next round.

[B]

Yeah, right. Yeah. And I think that sort of, as you described it, the way the game was going, like, I don't know if Ghana was a better team than us, but they did have the mental advantage. They sort of had a bit of the midfield advantage because they, they tactically how they set up against us and they, and they had most of the, most of the ball, which was fine because again, we, we did have the lead and we we were defending properly and I just sort of remember that going in that goal, going in and being, like, more frustrated, not, not like with myself or the defense, but like, they're playing well, they're having moments, and then they get their goal, which is sort of how the game goes when you're in the ascendancy. And, and now, now I'm like, all right, it's what you said. It's late on, so I'm like, I guess we'll. All right, first game of World cup, we'll take the draw. We, we. We actually know that's minimum requirement.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Like, wish we'd have had a three. But, like, we'll take the draw.

[A]

But then, but then, but then there are certain World cup moments, and when we play in them, we live them. But then when you watch them, and I was watching when this moment happened, I do remember just like jumping out of my seat. So we get the corner in the 86th minute. Graham Zuzi, John Anthony Brooks. Susie crosses it. John Anthony Brooks with just a darting header. Bang. Smashes it down across the goal and scores. And his. I'll never forget his celebrate. He's almost like surprised but excited. It was an amazing moment. So what are you. How did you see it?

[B]

Yeah, I remember the big fella rising up, making good contact. And in fact, of all of what I just said, and I didn't feel this in the Algeria game, I felt, I felt really against it after we scored, like, like, because I'm thinking maybe because of the enormity, like, if they do score, like, we're out.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

When that goal went in, I thought, all right, game over. Like, we still had, we still had some sweeping up to do, but I remember thinking, that's it. That's the one like that. You ain't coming back from that.

[A]

You knew it was.

[B]

Yeah, I sort of knew.

[A]

There are games where you have that feeling where you're like, that's okay now it's done. And there's other games where you go, oh, yeah. Like, I'm not sure we're going to get through this.

[B]

No. And I sort of, given the time. And we defended well, right? They got the goal, but we ultimately defended well. And sort. And sort of, when I looked at the clock, I was like, I trusted in us to launch it and move our lines and stay tight and cover. So I just sort of knew, like, it's a feeling that I had in the moment that I just knew that that was signed. Seal delivered big John Brooks.

[A]

What a great goal.

[B]

Yeah, great goal.

[A]

Did you guys feel, you know, like we had lost to Ghana? Yeah, felt like we were always playing Ghana. We lost. Did you feel revenge was part of that? Did you. Like, how did you approach that?

[B]

I think we. I think we felt. We felt like it was. It wasn't nailed to the. To the bulletin board. Like, we weren't saying, like, oh, let's get revenge, but. But I think there was a. A quiet sense of, like, they had our number. Ld.

[A]

Yeah, they really did.

[B]

Two. Two straight World Cups, they had our number, and now we're playing them again. We know what the outcome should be. They should probably win. Like, this is who they are. They had some good players at the time, playing in big clubs in Europe. And so you're like, yeah, we felt the pressure, for sure. We felt the pressure. So there was a relief. There was revenge. It felt good to sort of tip the scales in our favor. No doubt.

[A]

Yeah. It was just so fun to watch. And then you win that first game in a World cup, and when you sitting on three points after your first game, basically in your head at that time saying, we need one more point.

[B]

Yeah, correct.

[A]

Nowadays, three, you know, with the expanded world, three is probably enough, right?

[B]

You could be on a beach after the first game. Literally, feet up, flip flops.

[A]

So did you guys, like, just the rest of the tournament? It was the only game you won, but through the rest of the tournament, I got pretty good showing, like, in all the games.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do you feel that way?

[B]

Like you said, you win the first game, we knew we had Portugal. We knew we had Germany, Right? Like, we were in the group of Death. But, like, not that it takes the pressure off, but in a way it does, because, you know, this. You. You feel. You feel invincible in a World cup until you're out, right? And so we're like, all right, well, we can. We can. We. We need a. We need one point from. From two games to get. Essentially, to get through. And we felt confident in the group, you know, and. And scoring late and playing well against Ghana, like, that gives you confidence.

[A]

And that was. By the way, that was a crucial. You had to win that game because the next two games are just difficult, right?

[B]

So difficult. We ended up. Should have won the Portugal game.

[A]

I know, I know. All right, let's do a bit of trivia.

[B]

I love trivia. You know me.

[A]

I know you do. You love this. Okay, so Clint's goal was the fifth fastest goal in World cup history. That's amazing. Can we name any of the four that were faster?

[B]

Oh, not us. Not us.

[A]

No, no, no. That was the fifth fastest total in World Cup.

[B]

This is an impossible.

[A]

This is an impossible question.

[B]

In. In.

[A]

That wasn't that early. Wasn't it early? No, no, no.

[B]

I don't know. I just remember being amazing. That's a terrible question. Probably it could be John Kohler dunking on us.

[A]

No, that was like five minutes. In. You think about. This has to be within 30 seconds because he scored within 30 seconds.

[B]

I. I don't know. Oh, wow. Wow.

[A]

I'm just. I have no idea, dude. From Hungary in 1970. Hakan Shukar for Turkey versus South Korea in 02.11 seconds. No way. Vaclav Mak. You know him, you love him. For Czechoslovakia versus Mexico in 1962. 15 seconds. Ernest Lena Deutschland against Austria in 1934. Of course. How do we miss that one? 25 seconds. And Brian Robson. Robson for England versus France in 1982. That was the year I was born.

[B]

Legend.

[A]

How did I miss that one?

[B]

I don't know. That's a dude.

[A]

Okay, dude. Andrew, that. That's an impossible question. Okay, next question. In this game, which US Player became the first to play in four World Cups? That's easy. Oh, I'm just American. A plane.

[B]

Four World Cup.

[A]

Bees. Yeah, we both knew that. That's incredible, dude. I.

[B]

Absolutely incredible.

[A]

I hope it gets broken, but, like, part of me hopes it doesn't. Well, here's a crazy thing for Bees to have that.

[B]

Here's the crazy thing. Bees and I sitting in our frick. I'll never forget it. Sitting in our hotel room in flipping Trinidad, 2017. He's on one bed, I'm on the other. Barely can speak. We barely can breathe at this point. We're so shocked and depressed and literally in our. In our. In our brains. I was like, I'm going to my fourth World Cup. He's going to his fifth World Cup.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Until we flipping worried. Anyway, well done, Bees. Four World Cups. My guy.

[A]

Amazing.

[B]

Our guy.

[A]

All right, next one. Ghana are one of four nations that the US Men's national team have faced three times in a World Cup. Can you. Can you please name the other three countries? Okay. We're one of four teams that we have faced three times in a World Cup. I. I have to say. Germany. Right? Germany.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, Germany. Maybe because. Because, you know, his tribute's going back. It's going back to, like, okay, 1838.

[A]

Okay, so Germany.

[B]

Germany.

[A]

Wait, I don't know if Germany. We played them in 02 and you played them in 14. Did we plan.

[B]

Probably played him in 1960.

[A]

Okay. Probably played them one more time.

[B]

Germany.

[A]

Okay. Germany.

[B]

Who did we. What were the teams we played in Italy. We played Czechoslovakia, didn't we?

[A]

We did in 06, didn't we? Yeah, yeah, maybe.

[B]

Who do we play in?

[A]

I don't remember Italy. Honestly, I don't remember Italy.

[B]

We might have played Italy. We played Czech. Yeah. So. So Czech Republic or Czechoslovakia?

[A]

You're gonna say Czech. Okay.

[B]

Germany and Ghana.

[A]

Oh, wait. Ghana and.

[B]

Hang on, hang on. Who do we play in 90?

[A]

Portugal. And I was playing them in 14.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Oh, we played Germany in 98.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Portugal. Germany's Germany. Bang. Those are my three.

[A]

Okay. I agree with that. Oh, wait. England. Not Portugal. England in 50, 2010 and 2022. That's right. Oh, I think about England.

[B]

I didn't. I. I didn't think of the other World cup, silly.

[A]

Okay. And Italy in 34, 90 and 06.

[B]

So we got Germany.

[A]

Right. I was at Germany. Right. Dang. I thought.

[B]

Good question.

[A]

That's a great question. All right, next one. In this game, John Brooks became the first substitute ever to come on and score for the US At a World Cup. Really? Since then, two additional American players have joined him. Can you name them? Came on as a substitute. That was 2014. So it had to be in 2020.

[B]

No, no, 2014. 2014.

[A]

After, later in the tournament, against Belgium.

[B]

Who scored? Julian Green.

[A]

Did we score against belgium? Was it two one? Julian Green? Was it Julian? Yep.

[B]

So he's one. And then who scored in 2022?

[A]

22.

[B]

Remember our goals.

[A]

Exactly. I don't either, actually.

[B]

I'm going to say

[A]

I'm blanking right now, even on that roster.

[B]

I know, I know, I know.

[A]

I'm gonna say, come on and score.

[B]

Don't know, mate. Don't know.

[A]

It had to be in the group stage because we didn't score against the Netherlands. Against Iran. It was someone against Iran. Because in that game, like 4, 5, 1 or something. All right, here we go. Just tells Julian Green and Haji Wright. Oh, wait. Versus Netherlands. Did we score in that game? Sound. I guess so.

[B]

Julian Green.

[A]

How bad is my memory? Haji Wright. That's amazing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, well, there's definitely going to be someone this summer.

[B]

It's incredible.

[A]

Wow. All right, Jim Beam, the official spirit of U.S. soccer. Whether you're following from the stadium or from home, grab a Jim Beam and lemonade and enjoy with those around you. Best enjoyed together.