Sunday, June 21, 2009
How the States Scored a Shocker
4:22 AM | 
Posted by
Nick Mendola
Sound the Vuvuzela, as the buzzing will continue for American soccer in the face of everything improbable. The States needed to win by three and have Brazil win by three, which is stupid enough before you consider that the Amerks have looked nothing shy of garbage for the first two games of group play in the Confederations Cup.
Leaving my house for a men's league game at 3:30 p.m., I planned to write the somewhat moral victory post. The US was up 1-0 at half, and Brazil was demoralizing Italy, 3-0. Yet texts began to roll into our team during the game, and as we topped our opponents, 3-0, the United States did the same.
I'm watching it now, knowing what's coming, and I'm buzzing. Charlie Davies' first goal, digging deep in the six and wresting a ball off of Egypt's keeper, was the sort of goal the States have to score, blue collar and no baloney.
The next two goals were also things the US needed. Seeing Michael Bradley rewarded for a stellar tournament despite nothing from his fellow midfielders is fantastic, and, yes, full marks for PK Lando on a wonderful low-pass. As much as I can't stand Bob Bradley lately, the look on his face when his son put in No. 2 was downright stars and stripes. It was Michael Bradley's second-straight goal on Father's Day, with his father behind the lines.
The third and final tally was needed, too, as Fulham's Clint Dempsey had been anything but stellar in the first two contests before turning it on the first half. His strong heading finish of a Jonathan Spector cross sent the Yanks into ecstasy, and they held on for an unlikely trip to the semi-finals to meet Spain.
How unlikely is this? Borderline impossible... and it comes on a day I actually scored in our team's game, which truly shows you how the stars were aligned.
Full marks to Brad Guzan for the clean sheet, but this was without Tim Howard and Carlos "Charlie Blackmouth" Bocanegra.
This is a fine day for US soccer, a day that no one can take away from us, regardless of what happens against Spain in Wednesday afternoon's Stage Two. We'll be at a bar. If you're near Buffalo, come find us (or just email).
And it wouldn't be fun if we didn't ask Giuseppe Rossi how he feels about the whole thing.
Email: nick@wgr550.com (This blog originally co-appears at Nick Mendola's soccer blog, Have A Dig).
Leaving my house for a men's league game at 3:30 p.m., I planned to write the somewhat moral victory post. The US was up 1-0 at half, and Brazil was demoralizing Italy, 3-0. Yet texts began to roll into our team during the game, and as we topped our opponents, 3-0, the United States did the same.
I'm watching it now, knowing what's coming, and I'm buzzing. Charlie Davies' first goal, digging deep in the six and wresting a ball off of Egypt's keeper, was the sort of goal the States have to score, blue collar and no baloney.
The next two goals were also things the US needed. Seeing Michael Bradley rewarded for a stellar tournament despite nothing from his fellow midfielders is fantastic, and, yes, full marks for PK Lando on a wonderful low-pass. As much as I can't stand Bob Bradley lately, the look on his face when his son put in No. 2 was downright stars and stripes. It was Michael Bradley's second-straight goal on Father's Day, with his father behind the lines.
The third and final tally was needed, too, as Fulham's Clint Dempsey had been anything but stellar in the first two contests before turning it on the first half. His strong heading finish of a Jonathan Spector cross sent the Yanks into ecstasy, and they held on for an unlikely trip to the semi-finals to meet Spain.
How unlikely is this? Borderline impossible... and it comes on a day I actually scored in our team's game, which truly shows you how the stars were aligned.
Full marks to Brad Guzan for the clean sheet, but this was without Tim Howard and Carlos "Charlie Blackmouth" Bocanegra.
This is a fine day for US soccer, a day that no one can take away from us, regardless of what happens against Spain in Wednesday afternoon's Stage Two. We'll be at a bar. If you're near Buffalo, come find us (or just email).
And it wouldn't be fun if we didn't ask Giuseppe Rossi how he feels about the whole thing.
Email: nick@wgr550.com (This blog originally co-appears at Nick Mendola's soccer blog, Have A Dig).
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