Ghana knocks out Americans 2-1 in extra time

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – KNOCKOUT STAGE

Landon Donovan's second-half penalty-kick goal gave the United States all the momentum in its World Cup knockout stage game with Ghana.

But the Yanks couldn't capitalize, falling out of the tournament for the second straight time at the Black Stars' hands.

Asamoah Gyan scored in the 93rd minute as Ghana outlasted the U.S. 2-1 in Rustenburg, South Africa, Saturday to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.

Ghana also eliminated the U.S. in the 2006 Cup, downing the Americans 2-1 in the group stage in Germany on Stephen Appiah's controversial penalty kick. It will advance to face Uruguay on Friday.

This time, though, Ghana needed no controversial play to win -- just extra time after Donovan's 62nd-minute penalty kick. He beat Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson from inside the box -- Kingson dove to his right, while Donovan knocked it in off the opposite post to tie the game 1-1.

The score remained that way through regulation time, but Gyan wasted no time in extra play. He beat U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra badly into the box, then split Bocanegra and Jay DeMerit before finishing with a left-footed laser past keeper Tim Howard three minutes into the extra session.

After that, the U.S. couldn't get much of anything going offensively. Clint Dempsey and Maurice Edu missed headers wide and substitute Herculez Gomez missed a shot wide left near the end of the extra time. Ghana managed to hold the ball in the U.S. half for most of stoppage time before time expired on the Yanks.

The U.S. fell behind early for the third time in this tournament when Kevin Prince Boateng stripped the ball from Ricardo Clark and tapped the ball past Howard in the fifth minute.

NOTES: The game marked the United States' third straight loss by one goal in the World Cup knockout stage after falling in 2002 and 1994. ... Uruguay beat South Korea 2-1 earlier Saturday to advance. ... Ghana is the only side left from the host continent, Africa.

Photo above: Ghana's Asamoah Gyan celebrates his game-winning goal Saturday. (Matt Dunham/AP)

Video credit -- ESPN on ABC