Posted on 06/11/2006 7:33:41 PM PDT by Atlantic Bridge
Long unknown at home and ridiculed abroad, the United States isn't being written off in the soccer world anymore. But the Americans will need to pull together as team to get past their tough World Cup group.
A motorcade of police cars with flashing blue lights and a massive, unmarked FIFA bus has announced the arrival and often rapid departure of the US soccer team in Hamburg over the past week. But when the American players are on their own, it's a different story.
On Friday, star midfielder DaMarcus Beasley sat, blissfully anonymous, at a sidewalk café outside the Americans' well-guarded hotel in downtown Hamburg. A group night out by some of the team early in the week warranted only brief mention in the local paper.
The contrast is typical of the US soccer story. Individually, the players are unknowns, their limited impact on the top European leagues ensuring them the sort of privacy their opponents in their World Cup group matches can only dream of. But as a team, the US is slowly making the rest of the world sit up and take notice.
Their impressive showing at the last tournament in 2002, which began with a 3-2 win over Portugal and only ended with a defeat against Germany in the quarter-finals, raised eyebrows abroad. At home, it added to the profile of a sport that has struggled mightily for attention in a crowded field of spectator sports.
"We've gained some fans that didn't have anything to do with soccer and that's, obviously the hardest person to get," said Eddie Pope, one of the team's central defenders and a veteran of two World Cup campaigns. "I think before we weren't getting those guys at all."
(Excerpt) Read more at service.spiegel.de ...
Three South American have one it, the third being Uruguay themselves. That was a long time ago of course.
The point is that Australias qualification will come down to a two-leg match against a side that can at least play, even if they might not be potential winners. Anything can happen in just two games.
This is completely different from the USA who would really struggle NOT to qualify.
I agree. I gave up on the NBA a long time ago. Behemoths who can't make a free throw. The college game however.....
LOL. Yea and those nets need to be a lot bigger too. And what's with the time keeping? I know they have a clock running up 90 mins. but then it gets to 90 mins and they just keep playing? No one seems to know how much longer they have to play? I mean is it the referee who has a bet on the game who decides how much more time is left?
Thank you. ;-)
GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!
Probably someone who dislikes third-world kickball.
Just a hunch.
The teams decided instead to play "Pong" (the 1970s black and white version) for the championship since it so closely resembeled playing soccer.
LOL, touche.
Needless to say, the US didn't perform like the 5th best team in the world today.
You know, I was going to say before yesterdays games that the US being in a very tough Group and Australia being in an easier one (Brazil are there, yes, but the other two are definitely beatable) could affect the odds, but then decided against it because after the Group the going gets tougher anyway.
However, then I thought although I really doubt theyll win the whole contest, at 150-1 Australia arent that crazy an each way bet to get to the final. I wouldnt take it but I could understand someone might. With the USAs group and the likely meeting of Brazil even if they did qualify (unlikely now) I wouldnt touch em with a barge pole.
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