A clever Kellyn Acosta set piece made the difference as the U.S. Men’s National Team defeated a Ghana team featuring American based players 2-1 in a lively Gold Cup tune-up Saturday night in East Hartford, Connecticut.

It only took 19 minutes for the English-born to score his first international goal. Jorge Villafaña embarked on a solo run slaloming around defenders before dropping the ball to Joe Corona, his shot ricocheted off Villafana’s foot in the air, and Dwyer was there to slam home the volley.

Minutes later, Dwyer broke loose on a breakaway, only to be flipped in the air by a reckless studs up slice from the Ghanian goalkeeper, who miraculously avoided a red card on the play.

Right before the half, Villafaña gifted the Black Stars a PK when he was caught tugging an attacker’s jersey inside the box, but Brad Guzan correctly guessed to his left to deny Asamoah Gyan’s effort.

That's CAPTAIN @bguzan to you .



His second career PK save has the #USMNT up a goal in the second half! #USAvGHA pic.twitter.com/fBu0ulBkmK — U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) July 1, 2017

The U.S. doubled their lead in the 52nd minute when Kellyn Acosta executed a brilliant set piece, curving a low shot around the seven man wall and past a tiny pocket of space into the bottom right corner of the net.

Ghana did not quit, and in the 60th minute Asamoah Gyan decided to score a brilliant free kick of his own, sending a inch-perfect free kick with pace over the wall that Guzan could only get a paw on before banging off the crossbar and past the line.



However, the Ghanians could not locate an equalizer and the US prevailed.