Clint Dempsey Goal Video: US Forward Scores Inside First Minute Against Ghana [World Cup 2014]

The United States could not have wished for a better start to their 2014 World Cup campaign.

Inside the first minute of their group-stage clash with Ghana, veteran Clint Dempsey put the Yanks on the board after combining with defensive midfielder Jermaine Jones. The early strike came from a throw-in as the U.S. pair interchanged passes on the left of the field before Dempsey took the ball with far too much ease inside Ghana defender John Boye and into the box.

From there, Dempsey, second all-time on the U.S. scoring list, kept his composure and finished with a low left shot past goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey. Just 30 seconds were on the clock, which marks the fastest goal ever scored by the U.S. in a World Cup.

The Yank entered the tournament desperate to get a positive result against Ghana, with matches against European heavyweights Germany and Portugal to follow in a tough Group G.

As well as aiding their chances of making it to the round-of-16, the U.S. is also after revenge. Ghana knocked the Americans out of the last two World Cups, in the group stage in 2006 and then in a dramatic Round-of-16 match in 2010 after extra time.

Ghana would go on to dramatically lose to Uruguay in penalty kicks after failing to convert a penalty in the dying moments of the extra session. Had Ghana advanced, they would have represented the first-ever African team to reach the semifinals.