Italy gave the U.S. national team a hand Thursday by beating the Czech Republic 2-1.

Images: U.S. v. Ghana

But the U.S. couldn't help itself, falling 2-1 to Ghana, with all the scoring in the first half.

The result in the other game meant the U.S. would have moved on to the second round for the second straight time. Now, a run to the quarterfinals has been followed by a first-round failure, and only one point to show for it.

U.S. fans will be disappointed by the result, and those in attendance had loudly supported the team throughout the match.

The U.S. controlled play early, but Ghana got on the board first. U.S. Captain Claudio Reyna was stripped of the ball 25 yards from the U.S. goal by Haminu Draman, who walked in on Kasey Keller and scored at the far post.

Reyna was injured on the play, and had to be taken out of the match several minutes later.

Clint Dempsey leveled the score late in the first half, after a Ghana giveaway to DaMarcus Beasley in midfield. Beasley moved toward goal, then curled a cross for Dempsey, who pounded it home.

That positive was quickly erased by a penalty kick for Ghana that brought them a 2-1 lead after Oguchi Onyewu was called for a dubious foul at the top of the U.S. box. Ghana captain Stephen Appiah put the penalty kick into the top of the net.

After the match, U.S. coach Bruce Arena said that he was disappointed in the referee's decision.

The U.S. had a few chances to get goals in the second half. An Eddie Lewis cross found the head of Brian McBride in the 66th minute, but the shot went off the post. Moments later, a Carlos Bocanegra header on a corner kick went just high.

But the team also wasted several free kick and corner kick opportunities, not creating anything dangerous. It never showed the desperation to score that nearly broke down Germany who was leading 1-0 in the quarterfinal match in the 2002 World Cup.

Landon Donovan, who starred for the U.S. in 2002, will likely be blamed for much of the U.S. problems. He has said that his role is to create goals and chances for the team, and he was unable to do much with the ball throughout the tournament.

"He didn't have one of his better days, that's for sure," Arena said.

DaMarcus Beasley redeemed himself somewhat in the second half of the Ghana match, but had played poorly in many fans' eyes earlier.

With the win, Ghana became the only African team to advance to the knockout round, joining Italy from Group E. Ghana will most likely face Brazil, pending games Thursday afternoon.

U.S. Lineup

Despite a sometimes potent attack, the U.S. hasn't scored more than two goals since a Februrary match against Guatemala, a run of eight matches. And before Thursday it hadn't put one in the net in the tournament.

The team also had to replace two-game starters Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope, who were ejected from the Italy match and are suspended. Arena put Jimmy Conrad in for Pope on the back line.

The starters were Keller, Steve Cherundolo, Conrad, Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Dempsey, Reyna, Beasley, Eddie Lewis, Landon Donovan and Brian McBride. More On Ghana

Ghana also had to fill some holes in its lineup. It will be without Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari, who both scored against the Czechs. They have each earned two yellow cards in the round and must sit down.

The Black Stars, as Ghana is known, still had several well-regarded players, including Michael Essien, who plays for English glamour squad and league champion Chelsea and Appiah.