Nuremburg, Jun 22: Stephen Appiah scored on a penalty kick in the second minute of first-half injury time today to give Ghana a 2-1 World Cup victory over the United States, advancing the Africans to the second round.

Ghana's World Cup debutantes also eliminated the Americans, who needed a victory and Italy triumph over the Czech Republic in another Group E match to reach the knockout rounds.

The Italian did their part, defeating the Czechs 2-1 to win the group.

That opened the door for the US team and also meant Ghana only needed a draw with the Americans to advance.

That they achieved with something to spare and a likely last 16 tie with world champions Brazil was their reward.

"We are representing the whole continent of Africa and that's great.

We are not afraid of any team.

We are Africa's Brazil," said a triumphant Appiah.

The Black Stars followed up the shocker of the tournament, a 2-0 triumph over the second-ranked Czechs, by using their speed to create opportunities and frustrate an American attack desperate for offence but unable to convert.

Ghana captain Appiah grabbed back momentum from the Americans just before half-time after Clint Dempsey had scored in the 43rd minute to equalise.

Ghana's Haminu Draman opened the scoring in the 22nd minute.

US defender Oguchi Onyewu tackled Ghana forward Razak Pimpong from behind in the penalty area, the foul setting up Appiah, a former Juventus midfielder, for a scoring blast that found the net to the left of US goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Needing two second-half goals for any hope of advancing, US coach Bruce Arena brought on 22-year-old forward Eddie Johnson in the 61st minute and attacking midfielder Bobby Convey in the 74th to spark offence.

Ghana's defence was equal to the challenge, though not without several players tumbling to the ground after contact to derisive whistles from US supporters.

Draman was carried off on a stretcher with an ice pack on the front of his upper right leg, leaving a 10-man Ghana to deal with the desperate US attack for several minutes until Alex Tachie-Mensah replaced him in the 80th minute.

At the final whistle, most players shook hands with their US counterparts, then raced to a corner of the Frankenstadion where their supporters were in a joyous frenzy.

Dempsey netted the first US goal of the tournament off a brilliant cross from DaMarcus Beasley to energise the 2002 World Cup quarterfinalists.

Muntari and Asamoah Gyan, who both scored in Ghana's win over the Czechs, were both suspended for the match for accumulated yellow cards.

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