Posted on 06/21/2006 10:33:27 PM PDT by soccer_maniac
The U.S. national team goes into Thursday's Group E finale against Ghana (9:55 a.m. ET, ESPN) knowing that it must come up with a win to have any chance of moving to the Round of 16.
All four teams in Group E, including the USA, still have a chance to advance. The U.S. must beat a tough Ghana side to have any chance of moving to the knockout phase. Should Bruce Arena's team be able to secure three points against the Africans, whom they meet at 9:55 a.m. ET on ESPN, they will need Italy to beat the Czech Republic in a simultaneous match, which can be seen live on ESPN2. The U.S. is not mathematically eliminated with a Czech draw or win, but will need a big victory over Ghana to avoid being eliminated on goal difference.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlsnet.com ...
They deserve to...but they'll be crushed again when they get eliminated in the quartes :)
I like the English people but the German team. The English team seems really bland and unimiginative. The Germans and Aussies seem pretty cool and have interesting teams. But, no worry. I'll support England against anyone till they run into Germany or Australia. Go anyone but Ghana, Italy, France! :)
“That stinks. Nothing worse than poor winners who rub it in your face.”
That’s soccer. You get used to it (especially if you border Scotland).
Beasley has been a consistent disappointment -- zero effort. That guy would saunter out of a burning building on his own sweet time. I'd rather have a "worse" player that actually put some determination into the game. And they should have put Convey in earlier. Feh. Badly coached, and that penalty kick destroyed the momentum of the game.
Arena was just about as bad as Sampson, but at least Arena thought he brought his best players.
>>What really is going to piss me off are all the damn Mexicans around here that are going to throw it in our face.
Ah, I just say "2002, round of 16, head-to-head. Any questions?"
They played in one of the easiest groups and seem to be thumping their chests about advancing? OK, whatever you need to make yourself feel better. Your not *in* Mexico are you? Must be a great country to have millions crossing deserts to get out.
Australia and the US are the two countries I have lived in outside of Europe, so I have a special relationship with them.
I think Australia should take care of business.
Two images I think I will remember from this game:
Keller nonchalantly WALKING almost to the corner pole to retrieve the ball for a goal kick in the second half of a game where the US needed two goals. That one's as much on Arena as it is on Keller.
Dempsey putting the ball out of play late in the second half when he saw that Mensah was on the ground, allowing him to waste three of four minutes. A serious lapse of concentration.
I have no idea where those rankings came from. Some of us were a little skeptical, but you always hope for the best. I heard talk of Keller being the best keeper of the tournament, too. Not sure about that, but I think he put up one of the best performances of the US team.
Disappointed in Beasley, huh? Join the club.
...no really. We meet at 7:30, tuesdays....
Wow!!
What a massive disappointment!!!
This World Cup was so frustrating for us. The team never found its footing. Silly mistakes put us behind in every game. Blame for our performances can be spread around to all - refs, players and coaches. Yeah, Arena made some questionable choices in tactics (I hate 4-5-1) but its frustrating when experienced players make dumb errors (i.e. Bocanegra not clearing the ball, and Reyna getting stripped) that cost you.
Well, I am at a loss for words. I am disappointed and upset......and all I can do is look forward now and hope for some changes for the better
At least Kofi Annan is celebrating :-)
lol
[nodding forlornly]
in addition to all the other problems, I bet Reyna feels
BAD
right now.
I can't really boo Ghana. They're now going up against Brazil, and they need all the luck they can get. Additionally, they're the only team in the WC that had a player with the balls enough to display an Israeli flag. Sure they played dirty today, and I am annoyed, but I would rather see Ghana advance than the Brazil team (the anti-Americanism in Brazil is insane).
France on the other hand...let's just say I would like them to surrender to Germany, but that would place them too far in the tournament. A surrender against Togo will have to be good enough.
The Elos are better (let's face it, anything would be), but what's up with counting all results the teams have ever played??? Apparently they factor in results from the 30s through the 90s when the US was worse than Panama.
Weird.
Well, maybe this will put a bullet in the notion that the US can beat anyone outside of CONCACAF with a team loaded with 140 lb ballerinas.
Now on ESPN they're saying they think Arena should stay on...I think I'm going to puke. Bring on Jurgen Klinsmann!!!!!
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