The United States pulled off a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ghana Monday to not only exorcise the demons of the past two World Cups, but to also get its campaign off to a great start.

Here are some observations from the opening game between these two Group G squads:

1. Ghana lacking in creativity

When Ghana pulverized Egypt in the qualifiers by the score of 6-1, the team sent the signal that it was a high-scoring force. The opening half of the game against the United States, unfortunately, was sorely lacking in said attacking prowess. Despite dominating possession time (62 to 38 percent at halftime), the Ghanians had just one more shot than the U.S. (6-5) and the same amount on target (one apiece). But most of Ghana's attacks were charged down the right flank and headed directly at DaMarcus Beasley. This gave Team USA's defense not only the ability to predict the movement but also to adjust for it quicker than expected. Christian Atsu was the usual recipient of the ball on the flank, and his next move was to either run at Beasley or cross it in and hope for a miracle. Neither worked for the opening 45 minutes.

Things got better in the second half, but it had more to do with the United States being unable to retain possession than Ghana really finding a new gear. Time and again, the team lofted aerial balls into the box. And time and again, Team USA shut them down. Ghana eventually started resorting to long blasts outside the area before finally finding some creativity and scoring.

2. Michael Bradley not sharp in opener

Michael Bradley is the heart and soul of the United States' offense and his performance in the opening 45 minutes of the game left a lot to be desire. And that is no understatement. The intelligent soccer star often became indulgent in his dribbling and was dispossessed of the ball an uncomfortable number of times. Often times it was right in front of his own box, allowing Ghana to create chances. He simply did not seem to be on the same wavelength as the rest of the U.S. side for the opening 45 of the game.

He improved in the second half, but never really reached the level everyone was expecting. The result was that Team USA's midfield was a disaster throughout the game (more on that later).

3. Creaky US defense acquits itself well then breaks

One of the main problems that the U.S. faced heading into the tournament was its unstable defense. Geoff Cameron and Matt Besler had only played a handful of games together prior to the tournament, and there was evidence that both could buckle under pressure. While they were not spotless in the opening 45, then were very close to it and rarely allowed Ghana's forwards any chances to get scoring chances.

John Brooks came on in the second half for an injured Matt Besler. He started off poorly, but eventually acquitted himself well. However, he could not stop the inevitable. Ghana's possession machine eventually broke through and tied the game. The U.S. was able to secure the three points. But the defense looked beatable, and that alone is a huge cause for concern moving forward.

4. Poor Possession could cost US in next encounters

Bradley's shortcomings were already well documented, but the fact is that the entire U.S. midfield was lacking in sharpness. Jermaine Jones was the lone exception as he played well on both sides of the ball. But the team just did not have any idea how to retain possession and was constantly relying on the shaky backline to stop the Ghanaian tidal waves. If the U.S. plays the same way against Germany, the team will be annihilated. Against Portugal, this could be an even bigger problem as the Iberian side has speed on the flanks and more than enough talent to make the U.S. pay.

5. Injury concerns a big problem

Injuries took place for Portugal in the morning, but the U.S. ones were of great concern. First Jozy Altidore went down with a hamstring pull that will likely keep him out of the tournament. Matt Besler suffered a similar injury that kept him out of the second half. Then Alejandro Bedoya and Geoff Cameron were seen suffering from similar ailments. At that point, one has to question the training regiment of the American side. Ghana was not suffering from the same issues, so it was not just the weather. Natal was obviously hot, but Manaus promises to be worse. If Team USA does not shape up, then more injuries will continue to plague the team moving forward.

Man of the Match

Team USA: Jermaine Jones was the most noticeable player on the pitch besides goalie Tim Howard and deserves the honor. He was quick on and off the ball and showed fortitude against an aggressive Ghana side.

Ghana: Why was Kevin-Prince Boateng not in the starting lineup? The moment he entered the game, he changed the complexity of the game and altered Ghana's attacking style.

Flop of the Match

Team USA: The expectations from Bradley are so high that the game he put on on Monday was unacceptable. If he continues to play the way he did against Ghana, then this U.S. team will have no chance against arguably tougher teams moving forward.

Ghana: Asamoah Gyan was virtually invisible for most of the game despite being the African nation's main man.

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