USA Through in World Cup But Challenge Lies Ahead

While America can breath a collective sigh of relief following their progression through to the knockout rounds of the World Cup (despite losing 1-0 to Germany), the reality is that the hard work will have just begun.  At this point of the proceedings all the lesser sides have been eliminated, and every opponent lying ahead has won games and found success in Brazil.  While questions will surely remain as to how far the USA can go and if they can keep the dream alive, for now the reality is that America remains in the World Cup, and they will go as far as the players can take them!

Despite the defeat, the USA was competitive and could have even snatched a draw against a vastly superior team.  Germany sent in wave after wave of attack throughout the game but the Americans repelled each assault very well.  Omar Gonzalez, Jermaine Jones, and Tim Howard all played great in the match, but ultimately the squad was undone by a fantastic strike from Thomas Muller.  Due to the result in the Ghana vs. Portugal game, the USA would prevail even with the loss. 

But while we can stand proud and tall having emerged from the “Group of Death” with a win over Ghana and a tie with Portugal, the road ahead is going to take an altogether higher level of display than what we’ve seen so far from America.

First up is Belgium, who is actually a pretty favorable opponent for the USA.  While they have one of the most talented rosters on paper, they are quite young and inexperienced.  In their 3 victories at the World Cup, Belgium has looked quite a bit lackadaisical, though each match finished with a flash of pure individual talent that got them their wins.  They showed especially strong character today in overcoming a red card to defeat South Korea while playing a man down.  Also, they defend strongly and don’t give up many chances.  For America to win they will have to fight tooth and nail to the end.

But as is the nature of a World Cup, the path ahead will only become more challenging should the USA prevail.  The likeliest of roads through to a title would include Argentina, the Netherlands, and then Brazil in the final.  America would have to win each match to claim the 2014 World Cup!  Realistically, there is no hope…

But while the team remains alive, USA fans can always hope and dream.  Additionally, this current matchup with Belgium presents the perfect game in which to make a statement.  While the Belgians are overloaded with young stars like Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini, and Vincent Kompany, they don’t seem to have nearly as much fighting spirit as do the Americans.  While superior raw talent has been their savior in each group stage match, they haven’t really clicked into top gear, which I suppose is to be expected for a side at their first World Cup since 2002.  The USA could pounce on this opportunity and really make their mark at this tournament.

While progressing through the tournament’s toughest group surely will mark Brazil 2014 as a successful endeavor, if the team can start winning games in the knockout rounds, this run can be seen as a tremendous achievement, one that silences all doubt over the team’s merits, and fully kicks the sport into mainstream popularity within America!  The World Cup is where soccer legends like  Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé) are made, and the current USA players have taken their first crucial step in the pursuit of soccer immortality!

 

Sorting Through All the Varying Soccer Outcomes of USA vs. Germany

When the USA Soccer Team squares off with Germany on Thursday at the 2014 World Cup for their final group stage match, there are countless things that can happen, and a lot also depends upon the other game in the teams’ group between Portugal and Ghana.  While America has done very well in their first 2 games in Brazil, if they lose this one they may well be out of the tournament.  Meanwhile, a glorious performance and victory could result in America progressing through this “group of death” as winners, earning a more favorable matchup for the second round of the proceedings.  But we must also remember that the Germans are amongst the top contenders at the tournament and will be the stiffest test yet for America.

Another problem for our hopes in this game is that Germany will want to win.  In a nightmare scenario for them, should they fall to the USA even they may face elimination from the World Cup!  That prospect alone should mean that they will come out firing, utilizing all the skills of Philip Lahm, Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller, and Miroslav Klose to put us to bed.  And while a defeat wouldn’t mean the certain end for the USA, if Ghana wins the game by Portugal goal difference will decide who goes through.  This means that despite our fantastic opening victory against Ghana, they might just progress over us.  Similarly, if Portugal wins by a wide margin and the USA loses by several or more goals, they could catch us on goal differential as well, though the advantage by America bodes well in that instance given Portugal’s 4-0 loss to Germany in their opening fixture.

And this brings us to the issue of draws and its benefits to our team.  Should Portugal and Ghana tie, they would both be eliminated and the USA and Germany would both go through.  And more importantly for the USA, should we draw against Germany both teams would progress, with Germany as group winners.  This prospect does suit both teams reasonably well and has brought up the issue that the teams might play for the tie.  Such a conspiracy has drawn immense speculation considering USA manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s ties to Germany.  A former World Cup winning striker for Germany, Klinsmann managed his home country in the 2006 tournament and now leads the American team.  He is close to the entire German national team and staff and shares their nationality!

Most analysts would question the ethics of such a mutual decision between Germany and America to draw, while players on both teams have moved to denounce any such decisions.  In their minds this is a match like any other and will be played to the highest degree of sportsmanship and honest play.  But, if the game is close in the 85^th minute and the result beckons warmly for either Portugal or Ghana, what will happen?  Will someone on Germany let in a very soft goal?  Will the players spend the last 5 minutes passing the ball about to ensure the tie? 

As strange as this scenario appears to be, it has actually happened in the past and is one of the few imperfections in an otherwise wonderfully organized competition.  Should the result not go the way of either Portugal or Ghana, you’d better believe they will be clamoring about the injustice, even if Germany and the USA play fair to a hard-fought draw.  It’s a no-win situation for the Americans, and I feel they need to accept that fact and hope that the Germans gift us a draw.  For as tough and competitive as our group seems to be, Germany is a team on another level and could certainly have their way with us if they want.  Hopefully, seeing Klinsmann on our sideline will touch their softer side and give us a fighting hope of progression.  The questions will linger through the game and into the post-match discussions, but let’s just hope that whatever transpires between the USA and Germany will result in America moving on to the round of 16!

 

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