The Beautiful Game

Imagine Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Brighton & Hove Albion. He'd just get in the way. 
Tags


Filed under

usa

 
June 29, 2009

Team USA: Defeat was not just on the pitch


Team USA.

Fit, disciplined, quick, tactical, skilled and they carry a goal-threat. Maybe a dark horse for next summer?!

Sadly they can't close out a game, last nights epic surrender of the FIFA Confederations Cup Final demonstrated a lack of belief that they could actually win it. From the moment the second half kicked off they looked like a team ready to lose, not one ready to win. 46 seconds later and Luis Fabiano had scored his 4th goal of the tournament and Brazil were back in it.

Team USA tried to maintain the level of the first half when they achieved their  2-0 lead, but another Luis Fabiano strike and a thumping header from Lucio and the match had turned. Brazil were the Champions.


Sadly we will never know if Team USA had actually managed to win an international tournament if it would have caused a shift in the American 'soccer- psyche' and if it would have achieved any significant media exposure in the US. The game still struggles to get past the monsters of Basketball and Baseball and potentially winning something could help change that, especially if they actually became legitimate 'World Champions' in a sport next summer.

For example, the homepage of the New York Times sports section does not lead with the thrilling encounter in Jo'Burg - oh no it is about a Baseball pitcher throwing four-in-a-row. However, even if the Baseball story is spectacular (which I am sure it is to those in the know) the football story falls way down below the fold, its even below the pecking order of a Pete Sampras interview!.



 
Surely the only way things will change in America will be for them to win something. If David Beckham can't do it, then maybe victory will be the only way to success for football that side of the pond. It seems that last night in Jo'Burg Team USA lost a football match. Maybe the real loser was the sport in America - not the squad of 23 in South Africa.

Loading mentions Retweet
Filed under  //   baseball   Brazil   Confederations Cup   FIFA   Football   lucio   luis fabiano   new york times   USA  

Comments [0]

June 22, 2009

We actually qualified? Awesome.





Watching last nights FIFA Confederations Cup matches I turned up on my sofa expecting a bit of a dead rubber, of two dull draws and Egypt to join the already qualified Brazil in the semi-finals and try and make an African mark in the tournament. The USA were already on the plane home. Two games, two defeats, no points, minus 5 goal difference.

However, as the first half of Italy v Brazil unfolded and Italy looked like the aging team that they are, Brazil scampered into a 3-0 lead. It became clear that the USA might have to check back in to their team hotel. They were leading 1-0 against Egypt and only needed a swing of two more goals across the two matches.

When Clint 'All American' Dempsey headed in to score and the USA clinched a 3-0 victory to match Brazil's win, the crazy turnaround was complete.

I have never known such a turnaround in a major tournament, but think it is a real shame that Egypt could not make it to the semi-finals. With football coming to the African continent I wanted the FIFA Confederations Cup to showcase African football a bit  and build towards next summers tournament to see if Pele's prediction will come closer to coming true (In 1977 Pele predicted and African nation would win the FIFA World Cup before 2000).

I appreciate that South Africa have made it to the Semi-Finals, but more out of New Zealand and Iraq's inability than through any quality of their own and they will not pose any sort of threat to Brazil in the Semi-Final.

That should leave a final between Spain v Brazil - which should prove an enthralling match. Spain who love to keep the ball and Brazil who must be the best counter-attacking International team out there. They are probably the only team who consider a corner for their opposition as a decent chance to score themselves. Im backing Brazil to end Spain's run in a game that promises goals.

On the basis of this tournament to date, it still looks a certainty that the winner of next year's FIFA World Cup will be European or South American - and it would not surprise me at all if it were Spain and Brazil in the last four again this time next year.

Loading mentions Retweet
Filed under  //   Africa   Brazil   Clint Dempsey   Confederations Cup   FIFA   Football   Pele   South Africa   Spain   USA  

Comments [0]