RUSTENBURG, South Africa - The Ghana soccer team was supremely confident Friday, or extremely apprehensive, depending on who was talking about Saturday's match against the Americans.

"If we stay focused, listen to the coach, take our chances, I believe we're going to win," said Samuel Inkoom, a defender and one of 17 Ghanaians on the roster who play in Europe. "I believe that all of the African countries are supporting us and we're not going to discredit them. We're going to make them happy. We're not going to disappoint them."

But the Serbian coach of Ghana, Milovan Rajevac, complained that his side is beset by injuries and may not have enough time to recover after a tough match against Germany.

"We don't have enough to refresh, consolidate our team, Rajevac said. "All we can do is pray that our players will be ready for the next game."

Rajevac played with the New York Arrows of the Major Indoor Soccer League in the early '80s, when he went by the name "Mike Rajevac." Friday, he called that stint the best time of his life. He also termed the U.S. team here "a superpower," praising its fitness and will.

"Their collective play, their strength and speed," he said, citing the Americans' greatest assets. "Opponents don't know how to deal with them. The last half hour, they increase the rhythm, the speed and are very difficult to follow. Until the final whistle, you never know how to deal with America. They are really determined.

"It's a 90-minute war on the pitch."

When the press conference was over, however, Ghana press officer Randy Abbey announced: "See you at Soccer City for our next (quarterfinal) pre-match press conference."

BRANDED
Bob Bradley says he and his team won't be wearing jackets and ties anytime soon when they travel to matches, but will stick with the sweat suits they currently wear as they get on and off the bus.

Most teams here have been going the jacket-and-tie route, but the Americans are making an endorsement statement above any fashion statement.

"Nike is a great supporter of U.S. Soccer and we want to show our support for them," Bradley said.

SEPARATE GOALS
Spain and Chile were forced to play a balancing act in World Cup Group H action Friday in Johannesburg and both teams wound up qualifying for the Round of 16.

Striker David Villa scored one goal and set up another to spark the Spaniards to a 2-1 win in Pretoria. The result, coupled with Switzerland's scoreless draw with Honduras in Bloemfontein, propelled both sides into the next round.

Spain faced a must-win situation to move on, while 10-man Chile (2-1, six points) needed to score a goal after its foes had grabbed a 2-0 lead, due to a possible goal-differential situation with the Swiss.

First-place Spain (2-1, six points) will meet Portugal in Cape Town on Tuesday, while Chile will meet Brazil in Johannesburg on Monday.

Villa got a gift goal in the 24th minute when goalkeeper Claudio Bravo came out some 40 yards from the goal to clear the ball away from Fernando Torres. The rebound came to Villa, who looped it into the net. Villa set up Andreas Iniesta's goal's 37th-minute goal.
After Chiles Marco Estrada was given his marching orders in the 37th minute for his second yellow card, the South Americans got one back from second-half sub Rodrigo Millar in the 47th minute.

In Group G action, favorites Brazil (2-0-1, seven) and Portugal (1-0-2, five) also advanced to the second round after playing to a scoreless tie in Durban. Ivory Coast (1-1-1, four), which needed to defeat North Korea (0-3-0, none) by a huge margin and a Portugal loss, failed to move on despite a 3-0 win in Nelspruit.

SEEING YELLOW
Four U.S. players - defenders Jay DeMerit and Steve Cherundolo, midfielder DaMarcus Beasley and forward Jozy Altidore - already have one yellow card apiece and therefore have to watch themselves against Ghana in the Round of 16 Saturday.

WEATHER FORECAST
The U.S.-Ghana match will be played under clear skies and in 56-degree temperatures in Rustenburg.

STAT OF THE DAY - 100
As in 100% of the players from the England, Germany and Italy teams play in their domestic leagues. On the flip side, no Nigerian player plays at home.