Posted on 07/01/2014 10:02:58 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
SALVADOR, Brazil — Every four years, soccer cleans its slate and allows nations to reinvent themselves. Forgotten teams resurface. Small programs make big strides. Champions uphold their legacy or, in the case of Spain this summer, show their age.
For the second consecutive World Cup, the United States is in position for a breakthrough, a fresh narrative, a defining moment.
[From Fancy Stats: How the United States can beat Belgium | What to expect from U.S.-Belgium (not much scoring) ]
Four years ago in South Africa, the Americans won their first-round group in a heroic manner but lost to Ghana on an extra-time goal in the knockout stage. It wasn’t an upset; rather, it was a missed opportunity to reach the quarterfinals for the second time in three tournaments and set the tone for the next World Cup cycle.
On Tuesday, the U.S. squad enters a round-of-16 match against Belgium with another chance to nudge the program along a little further. The Belgians are a more formidable foe than Ghana was in 2010, having arrived in Brazil with a stable of top-flight talent and a deserved label as dark-horse candidates to hit the semifinals or beyond.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
If that had gone in, that would have been the biggest controversy of this WC. Clearly onside.
Glad to have you along!
Howard brilliant, Gonzalez brilliant, grit and determination preserve a goalless draw through 90 minutes.
Now excuse me while I take a tranquilizer.
Only one of the greatest goalkeeping performances ever seen by an American at the World Cup.
I think Darke corrected himself, saying the linesman was flagging for a goal kick instead of offside.
Watching on the train ride home. Everyone screamed at the last second chance. Everyone’s watching. Its a rolling party. 8-)
And now it happens.
Aaaaargh !!!!
They won that one fair and square.
Belgians score. 1 - 0 at 93:00.
Need to get more skilled in the next four years.
Wrong sport, I thought the game ended after the first team scores a goal.
Thanks for sharing. Now let us cheer for the USA, when you cannot.
Belgium goal. Well, that sucks...
Not even 4 minutes after your post, Belgium 1, US Nil........
Yea, good goalkeeping........In all fairness to the goalkeeper, the defense sucked and let him down........
With that being said, I saved myself from 93 minutes of boredom............
Actually the defense was damn well. There was no offense.
Hopefully Belgium will go into the prevent D.
But exposed us to 5 seconds of your predictable claptrap.
No “Golden Goal” (sudden death) in this competition – although the game ending on a second goal in overtime might spice things up ;)
I was cheering during the brief moments I watched the game and applauding myself for not wasting 93 minutes of my life........
Unfortunately I also watched the defeat of the US in the seconds after the start of the overtime period........
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