The U.S. national team returned to the scene of what might have been last week -- South Africa. And if there is one player who understands that sentiment all too well it's the striker that sent the Red, White and Blue home from the World Cup in June, Ghana's Asamoah Gyan.
On Monday, Gyan renews acquaintances with Tim Howard, as Sunderland host Everton at the Stadium of Light. Gyan signed with Sunderland at the end of the summer transfer window, and remarkably, the striker whose last kick penalty kick miss prevented the Black Stars from being Africa's first World Cup semifinalist, has recovered from that trauma to spark the Black Cats revival this month.
After the Halloween horror show at archrivals Newcastle United, where Sunderland lost 5-1, the Black Cats have gone unbeaten in three straight games and posted perhaps the biggest upset of the EPL season, last Sunday's 3-0 drubbing of champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Gyan has been a giant factor in the Sunderland turnaround, scoring four goals in those three games: a brace in the 2-0 home win over Stoke, the equalizing goal in the 1-1 tie at Spurs and the second goal in the demolition of the Premiership table toppers. The goals invariably accompanied by Gyan's trademark dance celebration -- the poor imitation of which has gained Sunderland skipper Boudewijn Zenden that most dubious distinction: You Tube viral infamy.
Few among the ranks of Uncle Sam's Army need reminding of Gyan's clinical finishing skills, but he remains a seriously underestimated talent. He has pace, makes intelligent runs off the ball and is very poised in front of goal.
After watching him crash his ill-fated penalty kick off the crossbar at the end of extra-time against Uruguay in Soccer City, I headed back to the hotel from the International Broadcast Center that night wondering how the Ghanaian could possibly recover from such a burden.
Not for the first time, I underestimated the mental toughness of a professional athlete.
Howard stayed on Merseyside, as Bob Bradley used a fresh wave of U.S. national team players in the 1-0 win over South Africa in Cape Town on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Gyan was in Dubai leading the line for Ghana against Saudi Arabia. He failed to score in that game, a 0-0 draw, but will look to keep his three-game EPL scoring streak going against Howard on Monday.
Shutting out the U.S. nemesis and beating Sunderland won't erase Howard's massive disappointment at losing to Ghana in Rustenburg. Nor will hitting the game winner past Howard again wipe out Gyan's pain from his crucial World Cup quarterfinal penalty kick miss in the summer. But should Gyan get the better of Howard again, it will confirm what a lot of folks on Wearside are already beginning to suspect -- that Asamoah Gyan is the Black Cats new top cat.