The United States men’s football team is rarely predicted to win games against storied opposition. It is likely that football journalists will predict that America will lose all their group matches in South Africa this June, crashing out of the tournament in disgrace.
However, let me draw your attention back to the 2002 World Cup in Korea for a moment. The USA was given no chance by their critics to defeat Portugal and the players of their “Golden Generation.” Surely the United States wouldn’t be able to keep pace with the likes of Joao Pinto, Postiga, Figo, Pauleta, and Rui Costa. But what happened that day in Suwon shook the foundation of international football. John O’Brien scored on 4’, Jorge Costa compounded the problem by putting one into his own net, and Brian McBride made it USA 3:0 on 36 minutes. The final was USA 3:2 POR.
The United States, against all predictions finished eighth of 32 teams in the 2002 World Cup. The Americans finished ahead of Italy, Paraguay, Argentina, Portugal, Croatia, and France. The lesson learned by Portugal that day was to never count out the Americans. Americans work hard, fight hard, and never, ever quit.
Having said that, the USA are on a spotty run of form at the present. Defenders not on the same page with their goalkeeper and one another, midfielders being caught upfield during the oppositions counter-attack forcing defenders out of position as they try to cover for their stranded midfield teammates. Strikers who are having problems creating chances and trouble finishing the chances they do get.
What America does have are the best goalkeepers on the planet. At the moment United States and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard is at the top of the list. We have a European league champion in Oguchi Onyewu. His Standard Liege side has won the Belgian championship both this season and last season. In Josmer Altidore, the Americans have a true center forward who can hold the ball. How good is he? It was worth $10 million to Villareal of Spain to sign him. Clint Dempsey scored 7 goals for Fulham this year in the English Premiership. We have Michael Bradley who holds the record for most goals in a season scored by an American playing in Europe. And we have Landon Donovan, perhaps the best footballer ever produced by the United States.
Although the betting man’s odds may lie with Italy and Brazil, I refuse to count America out of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. More importantly, the American team themselves will not allow themselves to be overlooked.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Nice preview. Looking forward to reading your comments about the Italy game.
Post a Comment