Team USA Falters

Since 1990, the United States have had limited success in every other World Cup appearance.

That trend continued in 2006.

Ghana scored its second goal on a penalty kick in the 45th minute to eliminate Team USA from the tournament today 2-1. Ghana finished second in Group E behind Italy and will likely meet Brazil in the round of 16.

Team USA got all the help it could ask for from the Italians, who put a beating on the Czech Republic. Still, they were unable to defeat a team playing without two of its top goal scorers and a limited history in the World Cup.

What a complete disaster this was. They might have finished worse in 1998 - dead last - but this time they were coming off a fantastic performance four years ago and were actually starting the garner respect in the soccer world.

What makes it more embarrassing is that they were lucky and still got trampled. No one saw the Czechs completely flopping the way they did after blowing the US out in the opening game.

But it happened.

No one thought that all the Americans would have to do to advance was beat Ghana.

But it happened. And the US still blew it.