US confident of goals against Ghana

NUREMBERG, Germany (AFP) - Unable to score in two World Cup starts and facing a must-win match against Ghana, US players are nonetheless confident in their ability to finally find a way to finish.

The Americans need a victory to have any chance of advancing from Group E into the knockout stage. They would also need an Italy victory over the Czech Republic or a high-scoring triumph to boost their goal difference total.

"This team has done it before. We know we can break out and have a game where we score a few goals," US captain Claudio Reyna said.

"Hopefully this is the one."

No US men's team has ever scored more than three goals in a World Cup match and since a stunning 1950 upset of England, the Americans are 3-12 with three drawn in World Cup matches.

This US team has managed only one shot on goal and its lone tally in a 1-1 draw with Italy came from an Azzurri own-goal.

But US attackers showed some life against Italy before two red cards kept them back.

"If we can do it against Italy, one of the great defensive teams in the world, it gives us confidence the chances will be there," Reyna said.

"The crosses have to be a bit better. We have to get a few more bodies in the box. We have to get a few more on target and make the goalies work. Set pieces and crosses are going to be a big way for us to create chances.

"What we need to improve on is the last ball, the last shot. It's that last little piece that's missing. If we fix that, we think we can get some goals."

Reyna, a midfielder who helped the US reach the 2002 quarter-finals, and coach Bruce Arena said that beating Ghana but failing to advance would not make their campaign a failure.

"Four points got us through last time," Reyna said. "It wouldn't mean success or failure because we're in the toughest group.

"If we had four points and didn't get through to the knockout stage, that's life," Arena said. "I don't think we can chase the goal differential. Points are more important than the goal difference."

Former Juventus midfielder Stephen Appiah and Borussia Dortmund forward Matthew Amoah will be pivotal for Ghana to ease the loss of Sulley Muntari and Asamoah Gyan, the goal scorers in the win against the Czechs, on yellow card suspensions.

"That hurts them a little bit," Arena said. "They'll obviously need Appiah to pick up the slack in the attack as well as Amoah."

Both teams expect a mighty performance from Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien.

"He covers a lot of ground. He's good on both sides of the ball. He's strong," Reyna said. "For Ghana, he's the main man. He gets them going. He's very impressive. He's powerful."

While the World Cup barely makes a ripple in the US sports scene, Ghana's debutante Cup run has excited all of Africa. That fact is lost on Arena.

"I'm not aware of any of that," the US coach said. "When we go on the field, the continent doesn't matter."