Last night team USA played Ghana in Group G of the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil,  They got off to a great start - going 1:0 up after 29 seconds (31 on the TV coverage) with a goal from Clint Dempsey.  The stars and stripes went on to hold on until the 82nd minute when Ayew equalised for Ghana.

The real story for me comes as after a string of injury worries that resulted in Hertha's John Anthony Brooks being brought on at half time.  We acquitted himself well enough in defence as you would expect but he really shone in the 86th minute when a corner was won by the USA and all hands went to the pumps!

Jay went up to add his height to the attacking force and, in his first competitive match for the USA he headed it on to the deck and the into the back of the net!!  An amazing winning goal late in the game but the real joy was Jay's reaction to it all. 

He looked like he couldn't quite believe it!  His reaction was wonderful - overcome with emotion and ending up face down on the deck with his team mates all over him. 

A wonderful evening for the 21 year old Berliner and I'm sure, one he'll never, ever forget.   Congratulations to John Anthony Brooks and if you haven't you haven't come across him yet - check out this video clip about him

Hertha have been very active in acquiring new talent so far this summer but they will need to balance the books by the end of July.  As new players come in some other must move on.  So far we know Adrian Ramos (28) is Dortmund bound and Levan Kobiashvili (36) to Karriereende.  Maik Franz will also go but I have no idea as to where fate might take him although Dynamo Dresden may be one possibility.
Of those remaining Hertha may have some players to consider:

Sascha Burchert (24 and under contract until 2016):  Sascha has slipped down to fourth in the keeper hierarchy behind Marius Gersbeck (18) and Rune Jarstein (30).  He deserves more playing time and to find another club.
Fabian Holland (23) under contract until 2016:   Fabian, Hertha through and through,  only played three times last season and with the likely intake this year his chances are not improving next season.  Perhaps he could be lent out for a season to gain more experience? 
Ronny (28) under contract until 2017:  After a very slow start (again) and in fact a disappointing season full stop Ronny has not had a good time of it in 2013/14.  Allegedly Michael Preetz has said- "He needs to step on the gas from the first day, otherwise it will be hard for him."  I practice if Ronny doesn’t hit the ground running and running fast, his days in the capital will be numbered surely?
Ben Sahar (24) under contract until 2015:  Ben has been on loan for the last six months to Bielefeld where he picked up a goal every fourth game. Allegedly there have been inquiries from Aue and the Dutch team Willem II.
Peer Kluge (32) under contract until 2015:   Peer is in a well-publicised legal dispute with Hertha and if he finds a new club, it appears his contract will be terminated.
Hany Mukhtar (19) under contract until 2015:  Another Berlin lad who has come on a
number of times this season and who at 19 years of age, could easily benefit from a loan to gain more playing time. There are rumours about possible transfers to RB Leipzig or SC Freiburg who are allegedly interested in the talent of this young Berliner.
Christoph Janker (29) under contract until 2015:  Christoph made five appearances last season but with the new line-up that is forming things will only get tougher.  If he can find a new club in the coming weeks he will leave surely.

Felix Bastian (26) under contract until 2016: The left back has returned after a year at VfL Bochum. Felix will now be competing with newcomer Marvin Plattenhardt assuming he stays in Berlin.

Other members of the team may also feel less confident of their places as a result of the recent signings not to mention the players who are reported to be about to sign on the dotted line. Much depends on how Jos Luhukay and Michael Preetz intend the new players fit in with the team. When they decide, if they haven't already, we will see who will stay and who will go.

I wont go on about the game as this has already been done long before my fingers stroked the keys.  The atmosphere was pretty good and there was a good bit of support for the National Team.  There was an attempt at a simple Choreo forming two crosses of St George by holing up a "clapper" that was stick into everyone's seat before the match.

As it turned out those clappers were put to use later on in the match as well.  They rained down onto the pitch in the form of "paper aeroplanes".  The flights of these improvised aircraft often caused larger cheers than the match itself.  I can't help feeling that this, and the Mexican waves, says something about the quality of the match at times not to mention the attention people were paying to it (or not).

The most notable of these flights involved an epic flight from the upper stands to strike (albeit lightly) one of the Peruvian players from behind catching him by surprise.  See the you tube video below

A took al a few snaps with my phone on the way in and before the match - take them in if you like.

We had a great evening but it might be a while before we venture up to Wembley again.  And now, my mind will shortly be on the wander again - it will soon be off to the heat of Brazil.  Bring it on!