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 ...
I don't want to see Reyna in a US uniform ever again.
"The Reffs are just to visible during this entire World Cup."
The superiority of FR accuracy, integrity and commentary to that of the Lamestream Media is an established fact. Dan Rather humiliating exit from CBS is proof of that!
In the immortal words of Clemenza in The Godfather, "You won't see him no more."
Bora.....LOL good one.
You just might be on to something there. I wonder what he's doing now. You know he's coaching some soccer team, somewhere....
Nope. I'd give the offense a D and the defense a B-. But before the tournament, I would have been happy and surprised by a tie with Italy. And both Ghana and Czechoslovakia are tough teams. US soccer is on its way. I think this Cup represents the turning point from "happy to be there" to "expected to be there, and into the final 16." Too bad we have to wait another four years.
Merkus Merk is a good ref, but he butchered it today.
He screwed the USA with the bogus penalty call, and he screwed Ghana with the ridiculous early yellow on Essien that disqualifies him for the Brazil match.
One valid criticism that a hater could make about soccer is that the number of suspensions are way too high because of the yellow card accumulation rule. It's just stupid to suspend great players for what is frankly an ordinary part of the game.
IMHO the only person that I've who truly deserved a suspension was the thug that elbowed McBride.
Anyone besides me think the suits at ABC/ESPN/Disney hired Dave O'Brien because he is an Al Michaels soundalike who might be able to create some sort of "Miracle on Grass" moment for the US ?
I have been watching alot of Univision.
I will give it up for Glenn Davis and Shep Messing as well as JP Dellacamera and John Harkes. They are knowledgable, and they let the game happen without forcing their manufactured emotions down your throat. Eric Wynalda is funny and smart. I loved his David Beckham bit.
Breaking news on Sky:
Juventus, Ac Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina indicted in match fixing scandal.
In the last ten minutes the US had a cornor kick. They put two kickers in the end to confuse them as to which direction the ball is coming. That is stupid tactics when your down 2-1. That could have been an extra man in the box. Especially when one man can bend it in either direction.
I am extremely disappointed in the effort of the coaches and many of the players.
For this game the offense gets a B- and the defense a D-.
The two goals were the result of HORRIBLE misplays by our defense.
We did score a very good goal and came very close several times to a second -- especially McBride.
Defense was good against Italy, but awful in the other two games.
Somebody said O'Brien is a pretty good baseball announcer - I sure didn't like his soccer commentary.
I can't think of any other reason whatsoever.
This performance was a tie away from the 1998 fiasco and we all know how long Sampson lasted after that.
Didn't they do that at all corner kicks?
I watched this game with my dad, and he kept swearing and complaining about how stupid the "two men corners" where.
IMHO all of those teams should be dropped from European competition this year and relegated to Serie X.
That was the same year he chose to get in a snit with some of his key players just prior to the cup.
A few years ago he was trying to get a soccer operation going in my city. When asked for comments, I said, "don't let Steve do for our city what he did for the national team". He didn't take it well.
Not that I saw. They did have a short out man for the short play in which I have always thought was stupid.
Not bragging but I have coached over 3,000 games and have seen that stupid short kick work about 2-3 times.
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