Donovan journeys home as Black Star safari continues.

USA are going home, knocked out by, an at times rampant, Ghana. Ghana who have created numerous chances in their opening three games were still to score from open play in the competition, that was to change in Rustenberg. It was as early as the 5th minute that Ghana took the lead through a great strike from Prince Boateng, possession was given away in the middle of the field by clark and Boateng ran at DeMerit and left him for pace, he finished inside Howard's near post with a low drive. Howard should probably done more to cut down the angle, but if you give away possession that cheaply in that position, you're always going to open yourselves up for punishment. Ghana deserved their lead despite the earliness of it's arrival and for the first 35 minutes really dominated the game. It wasn't until that final 10 minutes of the half USA even looked alive. During he break Bradley Snr made some decisive changes, dropping a striker into the midfield to make it 5 across the park meant they found themselves with a lot more possession and Donovan certainly started to make an impression and really come into the game. Bradley Jnr bgan to drive Team USA forward and Ghana started to look nervous. Boateng seemed to have decided to shoot from anywhere and squandered a number of promising situations. USA finally got an equaliser from the spot, but not before seeing some great chances either wasted or denied by drawing some fine saves from Kingston. Donovan made no mistake with the penalty, he may have put the ball slightly wider than anticipated as the ball clipped the post on the way in.

After that, USA continued to dominate and ghana looked lukcy to still be in the game. Prince Boateng had to be withdrawn with what looked liked hamstring problems and on came Appiah, and what a difference he made. Boateng was superb in the first half, driving forward and forcing USA to defend, but as the game progressed he got himself isolated too often and gave away possession when Ghana needed to keep possession and take the pace out of the game. Appiah really started to make that happe, Donovan also got quieter and quieter. Especially when it came to extra time (or overtime if you prefer) in fact he was near anonymous. Ghana onc again came out the blocks quickly and took the lead within 3 minutes of kicking off. Gyan stood strong when running onto a long ball from Ayew he pushes past Bocanegra and drills the ball home, Howard didn't have a chance, the balls past him before he can react. This lead to a nervous finish but the USA seemed to run out of ideas. Donovan seemed to slip from view and Dempsey seemd to be spending more and more time trying to draw cheap fouls from the referee by going over a lot, not pretty. Ghana were definitely deserving of their win and become only the second African team to make it to the quarter-finals of a World Cup, 20 years after Cameroon in Italia '90.

Landon Donovan showed in his brief time at Everton he is a player of quality and can play in a real league and I for one hope he returns to the Premier League. He has ability, touch and vision, which mixed with his All-American athleticism makes for a good player. It's just a shame when he gives interviews, in one he claimed the USA could beat any team at this tournament, which was a little overstating it. Then there was his 'journey' interview, with tears, it was horribly American, as if he'd watched to much American Idol. It's been his dream for so long, this voyage is allowing him to use his God given abilities and show people what he can do. Unfortunately he wasn't picked to go through to the next round, so now his is a long journey home.

If all is to be believed, Africa is, for now a country not a continent and they have their team in the Quarter Finals. Fully deserved and a date with Uruguay awaits, it'll be a tougher game, but not impossible. Diego Forlan and Suarez are a much trickier pair to deal with than Altidore and Donovan. The Black Stars are in a position to make history if they can over come 'La Celeste'.