Confederations Cup Finals U.S -v- Brazil

#126
#126
Gcrop said:
It's a step in the right direction.
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We've been taking steps for over a decade now. We need to push it over the hump, and this team could be the team to do it. I'm just saying, we should be even hungrier after this tournament, not satisfied.



In case anyone missed it, Howard won the Golden Glove as the most outstanding goalkeeper in the tourney. But you could see in his face that he'd trade it for the winner's trophy.
 
#127
#127
Anyway, great showing by the U.S. This is a victory for the U.S. soccer program. Moral and otherwise. We knocked on the world's door and got their attention. Good for the boys.
 
#128
#128
IPorange said:
We've been taking steps for over a decade now. We need to push it over the hump, and this team could be the team to do it. I'm just saying, we should be even hungrier after this tournament, not satisfied.



In case anyone missed it, Howard won the Golden Glove as the most outstanding goalkeeper in the tourney. But you could see in his face that he'd trade it for the winner's trophy.
Click to expand...

Quality.
 
#134
#134
This game is evidence of why the youth programs in the US have got to get better. We still have a few players on the field that struggle with their touches. Klejstan made terrible decisions when he came in. Several times if he plays the ball wide, the US gets numbers forward and good crossing chance. But he played way too direct and forced passes. It was nice to see Beasley not on the field. Donovan and Howard played awesome all tournament and the back four played well these last 3 games. Center mids have to quit getting red-carded. Not having Bradley hurt us bad, however feilhaber played well today. Altidore needs to learn to beat someone 1 v 1 and work harder applying pressure.

US lost today because they were outclassed. Brazil was the better team. I see that changing though. The US needs to go into their U-21 team and pull a few center mids up to the national team, because that is by far our weakest position and it will start to develop them for play in 2 years or so.
 
#138
#138
Another write up about significance of this game:

Instant Classic: Brazil 3, USA 2 | FanNation

JOHANNESBURG -- Three quick thoughts after Brazil's come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the U.S. in the Confederations Cup final:

• What a game, what a gut punch. The U.S. could taste its first title in a major international men's soccer tournament, building a shocking 2-0 lead at halftime on highlight-reel goals by Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan. But the tone for the second half was set just 41 seconds in when Luís Fabiano started a remarkable three-goal Brazilian comeback. The Americans had an amazing performance, but this has to be the worst kind of pain: when you feel like you had the trophy, only to see it ripped from your hands by a deserving Brazilian rally. Now it's up to the U.S. to build on this Confederations Cup in the next 12 months before the Big One, the World Cup.

• Welcome to soccer, American mainstreamers. Yes, yes, yes, winning this game would have been an even bigger milestone in the development of U.S. soccer as a mainstream sport, but the millions of Yanks who watched this final had to come away with a sense of why the world has such a passion for this sport at the highest levels. What's more, U.S. viewers saw an American team that beat world No. 1 Spain and was fearless against the mighty Brazilians, only for Brazil to show its class in the second half. (Existential angst is also part of the game, as all the newbies no doubt learned in the second half.) In the future, this game may mark the day that the U.S. issued a shot across the bow of international soccer and won millions of new fans at home. Soccer is often a game of killer near-misses. This was one of them.

• Could the U.S. have done more to hold on? Probably. The goal the Americans will regret most has to be the goal by Luís Fabiano 41 seconds into the second half -- a goal that put the U.S. on its heels for the rest of the game. If the U.S. had held the Brazilians for just 15 or 20 minutes to start the second half, the frustration would have set in for the five-time World Cup champions. Instead, the U.S.' confidence appeared to drop, and the attacking chances that were available in the first half dwindled to a trickle. Let's be honest: For a moment or two, it was hard not to imagine the triumphant U.S. players carrying the winner's trophy around the stadium to celebrate the biggest week in the history of U.S. Soccer. Now they'll have to use its absence to motivate them for what could be a very bright future.
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#140
#140
"...Let's be honest: For a moment or two, it was hard not to imagine the triumphant U.S. players carrying the winner's trophy around the stadium to celebrate the biggest week in the history of U.S. Soccer. Now they'll have to use its absence to motivate them for what could be a very bright future."

Well put.
 
#141
#141
sportsnut624 said:
We still have a few players on the field that struggle with their touches.
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Altidores 1st touch is one of the worst on a professional stage ive seen in a long time.

Finally Brazil decided to wake up in the 2nd half, not starting Elano was once again a mistake, and Dunga's(who even with this win may be on a hot seat) personal feud with Ronaldoinho and reluctance to pick him nearly bit him in the ass as Brazil for a long time struggled with the final ball in last 20-25 yards of the pitch and looked short on ideas which Ronaldinho brings to the table.
 
#142
#142
MphsBlues said:
"...Let's be honest: For a moment or two, it was hard not to imagine the triumphant U.S. players carrying the winner's trophy around the stadium to celebrate the biggest week in the history of U.S. Soccer. Now they'll have to use its absence to motivate them for what could be a very bright future."

Well put.
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That will help us in qualifying and the Gold Cup. I'd rather us pull the shocker in the WC than the CC.
 
#144
#144
Maybe this has been answered elsewhere, but what is that buzzing sound that you hear all the way through these soccer games?
 
#146
#146
I liked this:

• Welcome to soccer, American mainstreamers. Yes, yes, yes, winning this game would have been an even bigger milestone in the development of U.S. soccer as a mainstream sport, but the millions of Yanks who watched this final had to come away with a sense of why the world has such a passion for this sport at the highest levels. What's more, U.S. viewers saw an American team that beat world No. 1 Spain and was fearless against the mighty Brazilians, only for Brazil to show its class in the second half. (Existential angst is also part of the game, as all the newbies no doubt learned in the second half.) In the future, this game may mark the day that the U.S. issued a shot across the bow of international soccer and won millions of new fans at home. Soccer is often a game of killer near-misses. This was one of them.
Click to expand...
 
#147
#147
That was deflating to see we were up 2. I'm still proud of the US for fighting after the first two games and making a run.
 
#149
#149
tidwell said:
Maybe this has been answered elsewhere, but what is that buzzing sound that you hear all the way through these soccer games?
Click to expand...

The South Africaners had some kind of horn thing they were playing throughout all the games. It may be banned from the World Cup, as many broadcasters complained about it.

I hated it at first, but eventually tuned it out. It does suck in that it totally drowns out the rest of the crowd noise, so you can't hear the singing and whatnot.
 
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