End of an era for dejected United States

NUREMBERG, June 23 (Reuters) When United States captain Claudio Reyna lost possession, allowing Ghana to score the first goal in the final Group E match yesterday, eventually winning 2-1, the Americans must have felt this was the end of an era.

An equaliser by Clint Dempsey just before the break may have given some fans in the stadium hope they could still qualify but in reality it was the dying breath of a team that had just scored their first goal in the tournament.

The Americans crashed out of the World Cup with only a point, a deserved draw against Italy, but both their 3-0 tactical demolition by the Czechs and their defeat to the Black Stars showed they never really had the quality of four years ago when they made the quarter-finals, eventually losing to Germany.

The United States ended their disappointing World Cup campaign with Reyna retiring after the match, coach Bruce Arena contemplating his future and ageing Eddie Pope and Pablo Mastroeni unsure of their place in the new team.

Arena's resignation, after eight years at the helm, should not be far off.

But not for the reasons the American media have said.

BETTER RUN They have insisted that a team ranked fifth in the FIFA World rankings should have a better run in the World Cup.

But being ranked fifth does not really mean much, other than pleasing the US public's need for a soccer reference point.

Relatively untroubled qualification matches against the likes of Grenada, Panama and El Salvador, mean ranking points come easy.

But being drawn in a group against Italy, the Czech Republic and Ghana is an altogether different story.

''It is a good team,'' Arena defended his choices. ''When the draw came in December, we knew it was going to be real difficult.

''I was pleased today to be in a position to advance with a win. That's why I am so disappointed in the circumstances that developed in the game,'' he said.

''There is a real fine line in these three games. We knew this was going to be a gruelling three games in group play, and there was not a whole lot of room for error.'' It will now most likely be a new generation of hungry American footballers and coach, seeking elusive international acclaim, who will lead their team to another tricky expedition on the long road to South Africa 2010.

Reuters DH DS1550