WC 2014 Match 32 - USA v Portugal

[southbank1871]

Nice pictures there of a rammed Grant Park in Chicago with the fans going mental after the Dempsey goal.

[harry]

Phil Neville blaming the keeper for Jones' goal

Keeper stood no chance. Brilliant strike and we was unsighted.
Friedel was straight in there as the goalkeeper's union rep defending him as well.

[double d]

For Portugal to go through would they have to hope for USA loss and a huge goal difference swing anyway? May put a huge bet on a Germany USA draw, Klingsman may have to ask favors from his German pals

[southbank1871]

Devast8ing for the yanks really. I think their best hope to progress now is for the Ghana v Portugal game to be a draw.

[Libertine]

What the fuck was Bradley thinking? At that point just boot the fucking ball to row Z.

Again great game! But as a supporter of the US it was gut wrenching one. And with the history between Klinnsman and Low, and with Klinnman's ties to Germany, they are going to want nothing more than to send him and the US packing back to the States. So I do not see both sides "agreeing" to play for a draw. Even if the US loses if Ghana and Portugal draw the US are through to the final 16. But the reality of it is the US are going to have to play Germany on 3 days of rest while the Germans will have an extra day to recover from their last match.

[Libertine]

If the US go out it is going to be one of these moments (replace what Charlie Brown said with "Why couldn't Bradley have just kicked the ball to row Z?")



In reference to game 7 of the 1962 baseball World Series

[seahawk10]

The U.S. will go through, they played some wonderful football today.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/interactives/world-cup/

75.8 chance to advance, I will take that!

[stealthpapes]

Draw with Germany and they both go through?

Germany's manager is a mate of USA's. USA's manager is the third highest German goalscorer ever.

Under normal circumstances, I'd expect Germany to shellack them. Under these? Klose to score a goal, USA to equalise. Ball to move slower than Ian_royal.

[Big Foot]

Draw with Germany and they both go through?

Germany's manager is a mate of USA's. USA's manager is the third highest German goalscorer ever.

Under normal circumstances, I'd expect Germany to shellack them. Under these? Klose to score a goal, USA to equalise. Ball to move slower than Ian_royal.

Wouldn't surprise me - remember ze Germans have form for this kind of stuff. 1982 and the "convenient" 1-0 win for Germany over Austria to stiff Algeria.

[stealthpapes]

... and if Germany do draw with USA, they look likely to face Algeria in the second round.

[TFF]

I reckon they'll play football for an hour or so (during which time the krauts should be out of sight) and if the game is all square it'll taper out into a no-contest, with neither side risking an attack that exposes them at the back.

And fair play really

[Pepe the Horseman]

... and if Germany do draw with USA, they look likely to face Algeria in the second round.

And finally Algeria will get their revenge.

[stealthpapes]

By being beaten properly this time

[Libertine]

After getting some sleep and the frustration of how the US ended up getting a draw against Portugal (a result most of us would have been very happy with if you suggested it before the fact, but definitely not happy about after the fact) has subsided a bit I am really impressed by the way the US has played.

That Jermaine Jones goal last night was absolutely spectacular as has been his overall play. It was an unstoppable guided missile into the corner. Klinnsman's subs were spot on again. He puts on 20 year-old Deandre Yedlin, making only his fifth appearance for the US, a right back being asked to play right wing, whose run down the right made Dempsey's goal possible. The US looked good in possession and did not give up the ball cheaply/stupidly, up until the 94th minute , and had a ton of chances in the final third. The defense was good, Cameron's shank and losing of his man for the equalizer aside, limiting the amount of chances Ronaldo and Portugal had at goal.

The worrisome thing is this was the second game in a row where Michael Bradley made a critical mental mistake as we were trying to see out the game with the lead. He gave the ball away cheaply in the midfield during 2nd half injury time in the Ghana game as we were trying to see out the time in that game. He got away with it then, and I thought he had "learned his lesson", but he hadn't. Both Yedlin and Wondolowski, making their WC debuts against Portugal had the common sense to take the ball into the corner in injury time rather risk giving it away. But Bradley, currently one of the most senior players on the team, not only makes that mistake once but twice.

I worried before this tournament the US would get embarrassed in the group they ended up in, and thought they might be lucky to get a single point. The US has been anything but embarrassing. They have shown heart, passion, resiliency and a fair amount of skill so far. Will they make it to the final 16? They have a good chance to but even if they don't the future looks good under Klinnsman. We are playing some very entertaining football, against some very good international sides, and getting some results, with a good looking crop of young players in the pipeline.

[Ian Royal]

Draw with Germany and they both go through?

Germany's manager is a mate of USA's. USA's manager is the third highest German goalscorer ever.

Under normal circumstances, I'd expect Germany to shellack them. Under these? Klose to score a goal, USA to equalise. Ball to move slower than Ian_royal.

GUO shellack

[Libertine]

And it rhymes with Ballack?

[Big Foot]

Just watched the highlights

Brilliant save by Howard to deny Portugal's number 11

Jones' goal was pretty good too

[seahawk10]

That Jermaine Jones goal last night was absolutely spectacular as has been his overall play. It was an unstoppable guided missile into the corner. Klinnsman's subs were spot on again. He puts on 20 year-old Deandre Yedlin, making only his fifth appearance for the US, a right back being asked to play right wing, whose run down the right made Dempsey's goal possible. The US looked good in possession and did not give up the ball cheaply/stupidly, up until the 94th minute , and had a ton of chances in the final third. The defense was good, Cameron's shank and losing of his man for the equalizer aside, limiting the amount of chances Ronaldo and Portugal had at goal.

Boom goes the dynamite!