"It was a little disappointing on our end, but that's the way the World Cup goes," said Ching, the first player from Hawai'i on the U.S. World Cup team. "Some teams are disappointed and others do well."

The United States finished last in Group E with an 0-2-1 record. That equates to one point, not the kind of showing that was expected from the U.S. team.

"The worst part is the finality of it," midfielder Landon Donovan said. "Even during the game, we never got the sense that 'Shoot this might be it.' Then the whistle blows and it's over and it's done. It takes a while to get over that. The last tournament was a little easier pill to swallow and this time it's going to be a lot more difficult."

Ching didn't play in any of the games, but he has a World Cup reminder: a cut near his right eye, which is still slightly bloody.

That came after bumping heads with defender Oguchi Onyewu during practice before the first game. But Ching said the injury didn't affect his playing time.

"I knew my role in this tournament would be to get in if we were up a goal and try to hold the lead," Ching said. "Be used as a guy to hold the ball and kill the clock or if Brian McBride went down, I thought I'd have a good chance as well."

The U.S. team fell behind early, allowing a goal to Haminu Draman in the 22nd minute. The Americans drew even in the 43rd minute when DaMarcus Beasley stole a ball on the right side and fired a perfect pass in the box that Clint Dempsey one-timed for a goal.

That the got the crowd, which was lopsided in favor of the United States, back into the game, and energized the players. But in injury time, Oguchi Onyewu was called for a foul in the box and Stephen Appiah buried what turned out to be the game winner.