The Best Thing About USA vs Portugal

Yeah, being brought down to a tie in what was literally the final seconds of a match sucks. Tying Portugal 2-2 feels more like a loss than a draw. But it leaves the US in control of their own destiny. Win or tie with Germany and the USA is into the knockout rounds. Considering the same holds for Germany, my guess is we'll see a boring, defensive draw that benefits both sides. But who knows.

But that is something to worry about come Thursday. For now, let's forget Michael Bradley's horrendous ball control in midfield and Geoff Cameron's seeming inability to properly mark someone coming into the six-yard box. And let's rejoice in the most beautiful goal I have ever seen an American score in the World Cup.



Jermaine Jones plays in Germany for Schalke 04, though he has been loaned out a bit and finished last year on loan to Turkish side Beşiktaş. He is one of the oldest players on the American squad at 32 years of age. He is usually known for committing fouls.

But Jones has become a rampaging monster of doom in the center of the pitch in this World Cup. He is playing hard but smart and has been the USA's most consistent player. And then that goal...Messi couldn't have done it better.

Also, we all owe some retroactive thanks to President Truman and Secretary of State Marshall who made sure the US stayed involved in Europe after WW2. Without US servicemen in Germany, we'd be without not only Jermaine Jones but John Brooks as well and would likely be going home at this point.

Oh. Hell. Yes. US Beats Ghana.

Purging the hex that Ghana has held over the US in the last two World Cups was ever-so satisfying. Having one of Klinsmann's new German-American kids (John "Never has to buy a drink again" Brooks) score the goal was even better. Coming so late in the game? Amazing.

As remarkable as it was, the US still has some concerns. Jozy Altidore straining his hamstring is a huge blow. He is the only striker on the side that can really play with his back to the goal and do it well. Hopefully Matt Besler is okay as well, though that cautionary substitution for him allowed Brooks into the game.

Most concerning, to me, was Michael Bradley's poor play. He always seemed a step behind the play. His passing was, in a word, atrocious. Hopefully it is a one-time thing because his poor form resulted in the US spending too much time in their own half defending against Ghana (40% of the US possession was in their own third). Overall Ghana out-possessed the US 59%-41%.

The US couldn't pass effectively but still got the win. They cannot do that against Portugal or Germany. On the upside, advancement just got very easy for the US. Beat Portugal and they are in (excepting a couple of crazy scenarios that would include Ghana trouncing Germany). That is a big ask, to be fair. But Portugal, for all their talent, is a very undisciplined team (see Pepe: Headbutt). And Ronaldo, as good as he is, has a bad habit of trying to do everything on his own. A good, disciplined US defense that can successfully pass out of their own third, moving to a US midfield that can maintain possession, will beat Portugal.

But for now, let's savor the moment. Just like Mr. Brooks.

Donavan Left Off of U.S. World Cup Roster

Klinsmann had better know what he's doing

Well, I guess it doesn't get much more blunt than that, does it?

The decision by Jurgen Klinsmann to leave Landon Donovan at home for the 2014 World Cup caught most everyone by surprise. The second-most capped player in US Men's National Team history, the general consensus was than Donovan would be on the squad.

After all, Donovan has scored 57 goals for the US side. The next closest active player is Clint Dempsey with 36. Donovan's 57 assists are also the most for any US player.He has been in the past three World Cups. It seems it would be a no-brainer for Donovan to be on the team.

Instead, Donovan will watch the World Cup on television while Aron Johannsson will try to justify Klinsmann's decision.

Donovan could be looking back on the end of a great national career

Johannsson, who plays for AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie, is an American by fortune of being born in Mobile, Alabama to Icelandic parents. He moved back to Iceland at age 3. Since then he has developed into quite a solid player. He scored 17 goals for AZ in the 2013-14 season. He is also 23 years old and I think that played a big role in Klinsmann's decision.

The United States has an absolutely brutal schedule at the World Cup. First off, they have to play Germany (one of the best sides in the world), Portugal (has the best player in the world) and Ghana (has beaten the US in the last two World Cups) in the group stage. That is hard enough.

The travel makes it worse. The US team will have to travel from Natal to Manaus to Recife over a 10 day period. Recife and Natal are on the northern Brazilian coast, not too far from one another. Manaus is in the middle of the Amazon. The distance between Natal and Manaus is a little over 4,600 kilometers, or 2,900 miles. The distance from Manaus to Recife is about the same.

It's like flying across the US twice in less than 10 days. Except you have to play three games of soccer. And one of those games is in the middle of a sweltering, humid rain forest. The average daytime temperature in Manaus in June approaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit, along with extreme humidity.

In Paraguay They Play for Keeps

Being a native New Englander, I take sports seriously. The Yankees are the spawn of Satan, Montreal is a city of dive-artists and crybabies. And the Jets...well, they're just sad. Really, really sad.

But as seriously as I take sports (as do many other fans and players across the country), it never really gets to the point of what you see in South America or Europe. Like fans invading the field. Or, say, a player kicking the ref in his face like it was some kind of kicking bag.

Enter Marcos Leguizamon of Paraguayan side Porvenir FC. After one teammate barrels over a player like a drunk chasing a truck full of free beer, he draws a straight red. Then another teammate draws a straight red for getting in the ref's face. But Marcos will not stand for that. Oh no, he must be the most over-the-top player on his side. And so he goes Bruce Lee on the ref's face.

Say what you will about the morality of it all, but the dude is flexible.