WATCH: Philadelphians React as U.S. Wins World Cup Thriller

Watch as fans at the Piazza celebrate as the U.S. beats Ghana, 2-1, in the team's opening World Cup group match.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKo02vZs9sw

In the team’s World Cup opener yesterday, the United States scored just 34 seconds into the match, then essentially stood around and watched for 80 minutes or so as Ghana controlled possession.

But Clint Dempsey’s first-minute goal held up for a while, despite recording 21 shots (though only 8 were on goal). But Andre Ayew — from what I know from soccer, Ghanians have great names — poked one past Tim Howard in the 82nd minute.

Looked like a draw, right? Naah. John Brooks, a 21-year-old born to an American serviceman in Germany, headed in a corner kick four minutes later to give the U.S. a thrilling win.

After about 10 more tense minutes, the U.S. had won. During the game, the ESPN cameras showed large crowd reactions in New York, Chicago and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. (This makes sense; Bethlehem has a storied soccer tradition I once read about on Wikipedia.) In the video above, a packed Piazza in Philadelphia — thanks for the convenient 6 p.m. start time, FIFA! — celebrates at the final whistle.

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