WORLD CUP 2010

[Lanky Livingston]

The Swiss currently hold a 1-0 lead over the heavily favored Spain. Ridiculous!

 

[Elephant]

The Swiss currently hold a 1-0 lead over the heavily favored Spain. Ridiculous!

Wow! They have given 5 minutes of injury time. This should be a great 5 minutes of fútbol!

 

[Elephant]

Oh! And after a game and a half of this, I am already annoyed to death by the vuvuzela!

 

[Lanky Livingston]

The Swiss win - they had never beaten Spain in 18 international meetings. First huge upset of the tournament!

 

[Boone]

Boone, we did see it differently. I'm not a big stats guy when it comes to futbol, but in terms of possession the Brits took it 54-46% for the game (I don't see splits by half on the official site). Which falls in line with the "feel" I walked away with ... maybe I was watching with a jaundiced eye, but I thought the Brits were easily the more aggressive, organized and dangerous squad. Our goaltending to me is the reason we were able to stay in the game long enough to equalize, and ultimately hold on.

Not saying we were all that bad, just not as good/crisp as I was hoping to see.

As to the goal ... I dunno man. Looks to me like Green got himself wrong-footed and off balance, and simply blew the save. I haven't heard many others opine that Dempsey's shot was anything other than routine. Of course that's what makes you special you bastige. Now I'm going to have to study it a few times because you're usually right about ****.

I'm judging with a jaundiced eye too - mostly from the perspective that the idea we'd tie or beat England in a World Cup match, at least from a historical perspective, is a long shot at best (setting aside shocking them some 50 years ago). I think the halves were basically mirror images (again, except for England getting a quick start the first 5 minutes of the game).

Friday's game will tell us a lot of what we need to know in terms of the potential of the US squad.

I saved you the trouble. Here's the hi-def footage of Dempsey's goal on Robert Green (make sure you check out the wide-angle shot at the end which clearly shows Green had no chance to stop that ball!).

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80nZVVMKdw4[/media]

 

[Pravda]

The Swiss win - they had never beaten Spain in 18 international meetings. First huge upset of the tournament!

My firm has a big office outside of Zurich and apparently the Swissies are celebrating as though they won the World Cup already--I wasn't able to reach any of my buddies in the office and I have a strong feeling that it was because they were all out drinking beers, as well they should. It's apparently total mayhem. Great win for the Swiss!

 

[Om]

I'm judging with a jaundiced eye too - mostly from the perspective that the idea we'd tie or beat England in a World Cup match, at least from a historical perspective, is a long shot at best (setting aside shocking them some 50 years ago). I think the halves were basically mirror images (again, except for England getting a quick start the first 5 minutes of the game).

Friday's game will tell us a lot of what we need to know in terms of the potential of the US squad.

I saved you the trouble. Here's the hi-def footage of Dempsey's goal on Robert Green (make sure you check out the wide-angle shot at the end which clearly shows Green had no chance to stop that ball!).

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80nZVVMKdw4[/media]

I think we're on the same page about what we want to see on Friday ... and that's the USA play 90 minutes at the level they are capable of. They do that and I think we'll be some pretty happy Yanks.

As to Green's goaltending ... epic video. Not much left to say. As ever, you are the man.

 

[Om]

Well, Landon is certainly feeling it.

Back it up tomorrow brother.

Donovan: We're In A Very Good Place

USA talisman, creator-in-chief and all-around poster-boy Landon Donovan sat down for an exclusive interview with FIFA.com on the eve of the crucial second Group C clash with Slovenia. Looking sharp and incisive all over the pitch in the 1-1 draw with England in their opener, the LA Galaxy man, America’s all-time top scorer and six-time footballer of the year is keen to keep on getting better here in South Africa.

Among the topics open for discussion are the boost in confidence that comes from the point against Wayne Rooney and his much-fancied England team, coming to grips with his status as the face of American soccer and sincere excitement to be driving FIFA World Cup™ fever back home in the States.

FIFA: What did you learn from the 1-1 draw with England?

Landon Donovan: I think the England game solidified some beliefs we already had: that we can compete with teams of their calibre. We were left a little disappointed that we weren’t better when we had chances to go forward. But the first game of a World Cup, against England, it was a great result for us.

And your thoughts looking ahead to the game with Slovenia on Friday in Johannesburg?

The natural tendency after coming off that high is a lot of times a let-down. We have to make sure that doesn’t happen. We talked all along about the importance of playing three games and while there was a lot made of our game with England, we understand that this game is equally important. In some ways, it’s more important because if we lose this game, we are likely out of the tournament.

How would you say your form is at the moment? You looked pretty good against England, but what is your take on it?

I feel good. Against England it was a little difficult because we didn’t have much of the ball, so I didn’t have a lot of time to make an impact offensively. I feel good about where I am going, and I feel like in the next two games I am going to get a lot better.

You’ve mentioned that you’re a different player from when you played in your first FIFA World Cup™ in 2002, how you’re playing with your heart and mind now. Can you elaborate on that?

When you’re young, it’s easy. In [Korea/Japan] 2002 it was very easy because I didn’t think about a lot, I didn't have to worry about the team or other players. I just went out every day and tried to be as good as I could be. As you get older, you realise how important it is for everybody to be in it together if you want to succeed. But you can’t let that overwhelm you, and you can’t let that take away from what you are doing personally on the field. So I always play best, and I feel like the team plays best, when I am concentrating on what I do well. And when I do that, we’ve been successful.

You’ve been the face of US soccer for over a decade now. Is it a burden or a privilege?

It used to be a burden, speaking candidly. And it used to be a lot of pressure and a lot of stress. I realise now that I don’t put that moniker on myself, other people do, and I was given the ability at birth to do something. If I don’t make the most of it, that’s disappointing. And so I can either run from it, or I can embrace it. Now I choose to embrace it.

What does your coach Bob Bradley bring to the squad? He seems quite a serious character.

After the game against England, something dawned on me: in the past there would have been a real excitement, almost overboard excitement, about the result. And I think Bob, whether he does it intentionally or not, is immediately onto the next thing and the next task and the next goal. We as players feed off that. There was some happiness right after the game on the field, but as soon as I got to the locker-room, I was thinking about Slovenia. And I think that’s an attitude that Bob emits, and I think the rest of us pick up on it.

There seems to be a quiet confidence in the USA team. Would you categorise it that way?

We’re in a very good place right now. The bus ride home was a lot better after the draw against England. We are confident that Slovenia are a team that we can beat; and it’s like a final for us. If we draw the game we are still alive, and if we lose the game it’s highly unlikely we will advance. And we know if we win the game we are in a very good position. So this is as big a game as we will ever play. The guys are excited and ready for it.

It is estimated that 12 million people back home in the States watched the game with England. Is this something you have a sense of here?

Yes, I hear from friends, family and through Facebook just how many people are watching. The interesting thing has been people that know me for me since I was little, and either do or don’t have an interest in soccer, have been telling me how unbelievable it is over there. Walking around town, people are wearing jerseys and talking about the World Cup, talking about our team and Friday’s game against Slovenia. It doesn’t happen like that for us very often: in other countries that’s the norm, but for us that’s really special. And one day I am excited to experience that as a fan too, because when you’re here you’re kind of removed from all of it.

 

[servumtuum]

That red card on Kaita destroyed Nigeria. Greece was totally out of the game until then and went on to win 2-1. Man down hurts!

 

[servumtuum]

Sorry about the double post, but this was too good to pass up.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Under two hours away from the USA's second game! Unfortunately I'm stuck at work, but hopefully some of you get to watch it! Stupid espn3 doesn't work for me either. Oh well, I will follow along with the gamecast.

 

[Om]

Wow ... Serbia 1, Germany 0.

Random thought: the world may be catching up with the traditional soccer superpowers. Chances are the '10 Cup will still go to a Germany, Italy, Brazil, Spain ... but the day is surely coming when a non-traditional relative newcomer (an African side, perhaps?) is going to walk away with the big prize, and it won't seem all that crazy.

It's like Boise State beating Oklahoma in a BCS game, and the world as we know it doesn't end.

 

[Om]

Under two hours away from the USA's second game! Unfortunately I'm stuck at work, but hopefully some of you get to watch it! Stupid espn3 doesn't work for me either. Oh well, I will follow along with the gamecast.

Ten minutes. :kick_can:

Unfortunately I'm stuck at work and relying on the gamecast too. Ah well. A few Cups ago we would have been listening for updates every half hour on local news radio. Gather ye rosebuds, wot.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Ten minutes. :kick_can:

Unfortunately I'm stuck at work and relying on the gamecast too. Ah well. A few Cups ago we would have been listening for updates every half hour on local news radio. Gather ye rosebuds, wot.

Hmm, I hadn't seen that one. I've been following along with ESPN's gamecast. They have highlights up for most good plays a few minutes after they happen, which is cool.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

****!! USA down 0-1 early, just like in the England game.

 

[Neophyte]

Down 2-0 now...

And Findley has picked up another Yellow so while he will finish this match he is lost for the 3rd game. Damned ridiculous Yellow too.

 

[Om]

Sigh.

Back to the drawing board.

 

[servumtuum]

Down 2-0 now...

And Findley has picked up another Yellow so while he will finish this match he is lost for the 3rd game. Damned ridiculous Yellow too.

Agree, Neo, that Yellow was a bad decision. The Slovenians look very good, though, hard to penetrate against 'em-excellent spacing.

 

[Neophyte]

And Donovan makes it 2-1!!!!

 

[Neophyte]

And Bradley for the Tie...2-2.