Posted on 12/06/2013 12:02:24 PM PST by 1rudeboy
Defending champion Spain will play its opening World Cup game against the Netherlands, a repeat of the ill-tempered 2010 final, while host Brazil faces a relatively easy path to the knockout stage after Friday's draw.
The draw was full of bad news for the United States, which has the toughest group and the worst travel schedule. The U.S. opens with African power Ghana on June 16 on the coast in Natal, then plays Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Amazon rain forest city of Manaus. The Americans then go to back to the northern coast to play Germany, one of the favorites, in Recife.
"I kind of had in my stomach that we were going to get Germany," said U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who played for Germany's 1990 World Cup championship team and coached his native country to third place in 2006. "Obviously it's one of the most difficult groups in the whole draw."
Brazil starts its campaign for a sixth World Cup title with an opener against Croatia. Mexico, which struggled to qualify, and Cameroon are also in the group.
Argentina, champion in 1978 and 1986, first plays Bosnia-Herzegovina, the only World Cup newcomer among the 32 teams. After that game in Rio de Janeiro, the Argentine team and four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi plays Iran and Nigeria. In six previous World Cup encounters, Nigeria has beaten Argentina just once.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
And Tim Howard was huge in that game...but I must admit, I’m going to be really nervous if Everton is in the running at the end of the season.....because in addition I’ll be praying that Howard doesn’t get hurt....Although Guzan is pretty good as well.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ........................
And I was beginning to wonder when the “Soccer Sucks” crowd was going to show up.
It's kinda embarrassing to have a bar-mate from the UK point-out that the player I'm watching is American.
He’s saying he’s shaving the beard this weekend.
I think just Messi and a goalie could breeze thru their bracket. I pick them as the eventual winner.
When you, here, everyone of you, were kids, you all admired the champion marble player, the fastest runner, the toughest boxer, the big league ball players, and the All-American football players. Americans love a winner. Americans will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win all of the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American. Unless it's soccer. Soccer is gay.
--Gen. George S. Patton
If Suarez keeps his mouth shut (literally), he could carry Uruguay a long way.
Heck, it works for Sumo wrestling, and it's fun to boot.
Argentina winning the World Cup in Brazil might start World War III. At least for them.
Uruguay won it the last time it was there....And that’s where the US won its’ famous 1-0 game against England.
In Belo Horizonte, IIRC.
NFL? What a joke . . . I normally read a book while watching, or surf FR.
Stunning, outrageously good hat-trick by Suarez last weekend.
Well, looks like Team USA won’t have to pack for more than three games. That is a brutal group. If they get out of that group into the knockout stage, I guess USA soccer will have finally arrived.
}:-)4
I never watched ‘soccer’ until I moved to the UK, having lived in Manchester the first 6 months in country, I didn’t have a choice but to get hooked. :)
If we can’t compete with Ghana and Portugal, maybe we should stick to football, basketball and baseball and leave soccer to the third world... good grief!
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