Posted on 06/08/2014 3:13:46 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Nine days from now, the United States men’s national team will open the World Cup against Ghana in Brazil. And in their final official warm-up game, on the last day before they travel down, they ticked off a number of boxes on their lengthy to-do list in a 2-1 win over Nigeria.
Striker Jozy Altidore, on whom so much could depend in the coming weeks, finally ended his scoring drought by scoring in the 31st and 68th minutes. He hadn’t scored for his club Sunderland since Dec. 4 in his disastrous first season there, and his last tally for the USA had come on Oct. 11 -- a six-game scoreless stretch.
More momentum was built as the Americans took a third win from this three-game tune-up series, having previously vanquished Azerbaijan 2-0 on May 27 and Turkey 2-1 on June 1. The win itself, meanwhile, seems all the more significant since it came over another World Cup-bound opponent that plays much the same way as Ghana does. The Ghanaians, of course, bounced the USA from the last two World Cups. But the Americans will need a win this time around to retain any hope of advancing from a group that also contains world-beaters Germany and Portugal.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
Benzema assist.
http://us.soccerway.com/matches/2014/06/08/world/friendlies/france/jamaica/1632752/?ICID=HP_MS_01_03
I think Holland is famous for being weak with shootouts too.
Dutch poor record at shootouts could include the Euro. They have lost one World Cup shootouts.
England have lost 3 world cup shootouts and have never won one, Italy have lost 3 world cup shootouts and won one. 2006 vs. Germany is what I would think the Italian win would have been.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_FIFA_World_Cup_penalty_shoot-outs
Back in the 1930s, I think they use to reschedule drawn games at the World Cup.
I still think Belgium could be the team from Europe that does the best in Brazil.
I think instead of PKs, after 120 minutes, they go to a Golden Goal sudden death, but they allow unlimited substitutions.
Their team photo in kicker looks weird - LoL!
Seriously.
The US needs a team in their group to go 3-0-0 (likely Germany)
Assume the US loses to Germany (but only by a goal), they get a win and a tie against Portugal and Ghana, then there’s a good chance that 1-1-1 would be good enough to get them through.
I like PKs.
You can see the tension.
Hit or miss, the reactions are usually intense.
I’m ok with PKs in any game except the Finals.
It could still get decided by a PK.
Can’t see shootouts deciding the semi-finals but not the finals.
May 30, 2014, Switzerland 1 0 Jamaica
May 26, 2014, Serbia 2 Jamaica 1
The same Serbia, Brazil defeated 1-0 a few days ago.
As in 2006, Italy France drew the final, I was thinking just make them co-champions instead of going to a shootout. But then, if a team wins a shootout to get to the final game, it doesn’t seem fair to whomever they defeated through a shootout. I hope that is understandable.
I like the 1998 World Cup simply for having a brand new champion.
I can accept a past champion winning it again, well, in most cases but it’s good to have someone who has never won it before. It seems good for the sport.
Potentially we could see a new champion, Chile, Colombia, Belgium perhaps. Not sure who else could get into the mix.
Italy beat France on penalties to win the 2006 tournament, after beating Germany 2-0 in extra time in the semis.
I know, I was saying when the final is a draw as in ‘94, Italy vs. Brazil or ‘06, Italy vs. France, I’d almost accept co-champs vs. a shootout deciding who wins. But I guess you can’t have co-champs.
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