World Cup 2022
- Thread starter Chop
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It wasn’t the drones, it was the 8th century training and medical practices of the Iranians that did them in.
Should be a good match if Netherlands only average.We won 1-0
Exciting game
Biggest victory for us in the World Cup in a long time.
On to the knockout round of 16 where we will face The Netherlands a/k/a Holland a/k/a The Low Countries a/k/a The Dutch a/k/a The Orange
FWHORN
10,000+ Posts
With the win over Iran yesterday I got to thinking about where it ranks in all time USA results at the World Cup (because of the prevalence of draws and how big a role they play you have to include those in any list of this type).
So here are my top ten USA World Cup matches:
10 - (2014 Brazil) USA 2 Ghana 1: The USA got a must win in the group stage opening game in what was easily the group of death for Brazil 2014 (group of death is annually the group with the four highest rated teams that could be drawn into a group). The USA rode its opening group stage win (and the draw at number 6 below) to a shock second place finish to get out of the group stage.
9 - (2022 Qatar) USA 1 Iran 0: Win or go home and the USA got a win it had to have over a game Iran team. This one feels huge now but it was a game the USA was supposed to win against a team very distracted by problems at home and as a result its hard to rank it much higher. Talent wise this years team is probably the most talented the USA has ever had. All 11 USA starters yesterday play their club futbol overseas. 9 USA starters yesterday play their club ball in the top 4 European leagues (6 in the English Premier League, 2 in Italy's Serie A, and 1 in Spain's La Liga) and the other two starters are also in Europe for club ball, one in the Scottish Premier League for Celtic which regularly plays Champions League soccer and the other in the English Championship League for Norwich which bounces between the Championship and Premier League. The USA is the second youngest team in the tournament and is really built for 2026 but is ahead of schedule. One of the US starters turned 20 yesterday and their core is all under 24.
8 - (1994 USA) USA 1 Switzerland 1: The first point a senior US National team had gotten in a World Cup since the famous win in 1950 (see number 2 below). Eric Wynalda had a tremendous free kick goal and the USA got a huge point that was the difference in getting out of the group stage that year.
7 - (2010 South Africa) USA 1 England 1: The newspapers the next day had headlines reading USA beats England 1-1. This was a massive upset to get the draw. Dempsey's goal is about the ugliest thing you will ever see as the goalie basically fumbles it over the line but every US fan was happy to take it and take the draw.
6 - (2014 Brazil) USA 2 Portugal 2: Portugal came in as a heavy favorite with one of the top 2 or 3 players in the world in Ronaldo up front and sitting as a dark horse team to win it all. The USA fell behind 1 nil but scored twice to take the lead into injury time when Ronaldo made an absurd pass to set up the tying goal late. But with the USA having won its opener and Portugal having lost 4-0 in its opener to eventual overall winner Germany it put the US in prime position to get out of the group of death which it did even with a loss of its own to Germany in the last group stage game. As a result this tie made the difference in getting the USA to the knockout round.
5 - (2010 South Africa) USA 1 Algeria 0: In many ways yesterday was a repeat of 2010 as the USA team went into its last group game knowing it almost certainly had to win to advance though in 2010 it was against a far better team in Algeria than what we saw with Iran and with a US team not nearly as talented as this years team. Landon Donovan's famous injury time winner in the second half caused an explosion for US fans that is still a viral video on YouTube.
4 - (2002 South Korea-Japan) USA 3 Portugal 2: Portugal was one of the pre-tournament favorites (twice the USA has dashed Portuguese dreams of WC glory) and the USA was drawn into that tournaments group of death with hosts South Korea and Poland as the other teams. This was another opening group stage game and the Americans jumped out to a shock 3-0 lead and held on for dear life to win. The USA followed up the upset of Portugal with a draw against South Korea and then had to rely on help from the Koreans in the final group game as they beat Portugal as well, meaning a US loss to Poland didn't end the USA run in the tournament. Off their win over Portugal the USA got to the round of 16 setting up the number 1 ranked game below.
3 - (1994 USA) USA 2 Colombia 1: The infamous own goal by Andres Escobar and the tragedy that followed have taken a lot of the joy from the memory of this game but the USA dominated a hugely favored Colombia squad and this win got them to the knockout round, a tremendous accomplishment for that USA squad as the host nation that year.
6 - (1950 Brazil) USA 1 England 0: This one is a distant memory and there isnt even video of the famous goal by Gaetjens but any student of history will tell you this win reverberated around the globe and remains the greatest upset in the history of the World Cup. To this day, England has never beaten the USA at a World Cup having 1 loss and two draws in the three matchups all time.
1 - (2002 South Korea-Japan) USA 2 Mexico 0: Brian McBride and Landon Donovan scored the goals one in each half and this game is remembered almost as much for Rafa Marquez's atrocious behavior toward the end in getting red card for basically a physical assault on Cobi Jones. Unless and until the USA wins another knockout round game this one will stay number one both because it led to the best USA showing at a World Cup in the modern era (that third place in 1930 really doesn't count) and because to this day that game and that score line defines the rivalry with our neighbors to the south. Dos a Cero Forever.
So here are my top ten USA World Cup matches:
10 - (2014 Brazil) USA 2 Ghana 1: The USA got a must win in the group stage opening game in what was easily the group of death for Brazil 2014 (group of death is annually the group with the four highest rated teams that could be drawn into a group). The USA rode its opening group stage win (and the draw at number 6 below) to a shock second place finish to get out of the group stage.
9 - (2022 Qatar) USA 1 Iran 0: Win or go home and the USA got a win it had to have over a game Iran team. This one feels huge now but it was a game the USA was supposed to win against a team very distracted by problems at home and as a result its hard to rank it much higher. Talent wise this years team is probably the most talented the USA has ever had. All 11 USA starters yesterday play their club futbol overseas. 9 USA starters yesterday play their club ball in the top 4 European leagues (6 in the English Premier League, 2 in Italy's Serie A, and 1 in Spain's La Liga) and the other two starters are also in Europe for club ball, one in the Scottish Premier League for Celtic which regularly plays Champions League soccer and the other in the English Championship League for Norwich which bounces between the Championship and Premier League. The USA is the second youngest team in the tournament and is really built for 2026 but is ahead of schedule. One of the US starters turned 20 yesterday and their core is all under 24.
8 - (1994 USA) USA 1 Switzerland 1: The first point a senior US National team had gotten in a World Cup since the famous win in 1950 (see number 2 below). Eric Wynalda had a tremendous free kick goal and the USA got a huge point that was the difference in getting out of the group stage that year.
7 - (2010 South Africa) USA 1 England 1: The newspapers the next day had headlines reading USA beats England 1-1. This was a massive upset to get the draw. Dempsey's goal is about the ugliest thing you will ever see as the goalie basically fumbles it over the line but every US fan was happy to take it and take the draw.
6 - (2014 Brazil) USA 2 Portugal 2: Portugal came in as a heavy favorite with one of the top 2 or 3 players in the world in Ronaldo up front and sitting as a dark horse team to win it all. The USA fell behind 1 nil but scored twice to take the lead into injury time when Ronaldo made an absurd pass to set up the tying goal late. But with the USA having won its opener and Portugal having lost 4-0 in its opener to eventual overall winner Germany it put the US in prime position to get out of the group of death which it did even with a loss of its own to Germany in the last group stage game. As a result this tie made the difference in getting the USA to the knockout round.
5 - (2010 South Africa) USA 1 Algeria 0: In many ways yesterday was a repeat of 2010 as the USA team went into its last group game knowing it almost certainly had to win to advance though in 2010 it was against a far better team in Algeria than what we saw with Iran and with a US team not nearly as talented as this years team. Landon Donovan's famous injury time winner in the second half caused an explosion for US fans that is still a viral video on YouTube.
4 - (2002 South Korea-Japan) USA 3 Portugal 2: Portugal was one of the pre-tournament favorites (twice the USA has dashed Portuguese dreams of WC glory) and the USA was drawn into that tournaments group of death with hosts South Korea and Poland as the other teams. This was another opening group stage game and the Americans jumped out to a shock 3-0 lead and held on for dear life to win. The USA followed up the upset of Portugal with a draw against South Korea and then had to rely on help from the Koreans in the final group game as they beat Portugal as well, meaning a US loss to Poland didn't end the USA run in the tournament. Off their win over Portugal the USA got to the round of 16 setting up the number 1 ranked game below.
3 - (1994 USA) USA 2 Colombia 1: The infamous own goal by Andres Escobar and the tragedy that followed have taken a lot of the joy from the memory of this game but the USA dominated a hugely favored Colombia squad and this win got them to the knockout round, a tremendous accomplishment for that USA squad as the host nation that year.
6 - (1950 Brazil) USA 1 England 0: This one is a distant memory and there isnt even video of the famous goal by Gaetjens but any student of history will tell you this win reverberated around the globe and remains the greatest upset in the history of the World Cup. To this day, England has never beaten the USA at a World Cup having 1 loss and two draws in the three matchups all time.
1 - (2002 South Korea-Japan) USA 2 Mexico 0: Brian McBride and Landon Donovan scored the goals one in each half and this game is remembered almost as much for Rafa Marquez's atrocious behavior toward the end in getting red card for basically a physical assault on Cobi Jones. Unless and until the USA wins another knockout round game this one will stay number one both because it led to the best USA showing at a World Cup in the modern era (that third place in 1930 really doesn't count) and because to this day that game and that score line defines the rivalry with our neighbors to the south. Dos a Cero Forever.
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JAPAN BEATS SPAIN 2-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!And there was much celebration in the Land of the Rising Sun
And it was none other than Tanaka that scored the winning goal to put Japan over Spain 2-1!!!Surprisingly, there's a Tanaka on Japan's team...
(no way..................)
Appears Japan torpedoed bomb the Spaniards.JAPAN BEATS SPAIN 2-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I don’t care about how others feel about them, Japan is my favorite foreign country. I’ve spent a lot of time over there in the late 90s. Tokyo blows NYC away.
Aside from perhaps Israel, they are our Nation’s best friend in this often-hostile world. And believe me, unlike some of our Nation’s other “friends” out there, the Japanese are highly competent and capable. They’re the best righthand man we could have.
(obviously, Israel is also highly competent and capable—they’re just really small and regional)
Aside from perhaps Israel, they are our Nation’s best friend in this often-hostile world. And believe me, unlike some of our Nation’s other “friends” out there, the Japanese are highly competent and capable. They’re the best righthand man we could have.
(obviously, Israel is also highly competent and capable—they’re just really small and regional)
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North America/Caribbean Basin underperformed this World Cup.
We’re holding all the water for the entire region.
Mexico crapped out before the knockout rounds—and their coach promptly resigned.
Canada completely bombed out. Terrible showing from our Northern neighbors.
Costa Rica almost did ok—for Costa Rica.
We’re holding all the water for the entire region.
Mexico crapped out before the knockout rounds—and their coach promptly resigned.
Canada completely bombed out. Terrible showing from our Northern neighbors.
Costa Rica almost did ok—for Costa Rica.
It was a good World Cup showing. Making the knockout rounds is good. In order to take the next step, We’ve got to develop an offense and a culture of putting lots of points on the board.
Right now, we’re a Mexico, Uruguay, Poland, or Japan
Improvement could take us to the level of an England, Netherlands, Spain, or Portugal.
Don’t know if we’ll ever reach the level of Brazil, France, Argentina, or the old German teams.
Right now, we’re a Mexico, Uruguay, Poland, or Japan
Improvement could take us to the level of an England, Netherlands, Spain, or Portugal.
Don’t know if we’ll ever reach the level of Brazil, France, Argentina, or the old German teams.
FWHORN
10,000+ Posts
Viper, the coaching dilemma has been a US issue for decades. With each new President of US soccer a new "plan" comes in but in a country like ours with so many sporting options, its hard to get the best talent at a young age and just have them focus on soccer particularly on the male side. For Women's soccer we have the best development in the world and its reflected in the number one ranking and last two WC wins. The development of academies for male soccer through the MLS teams is helping but the USA is not even in the same universe when it comes to development of the top talent that exists in Europe and South America on the men's side.
As for coaching at the top, Berhalter is a good not great coach. To give him credit, in the last 24 months the USA has won the Concacaf Nations League Tournament, won the Gold Cup, qualified for the World Cup, and won 3 of the last 4 games against Mexico in open competition (i.e. not friendlies) and gotten a draw at Azteca in the fourth one. But that was against the worst Mexican side in memory so its hard to know whether the run of dominance against our biggest rival is a sign of US progress or Mexican decline.
I do not expect a change and for continuity its probably a good thing. If the US did decide to go in a different direction, the problem is that all the great coaches who might be available are retreads from other associations, expensive, not American (the Klinsmann experiment really left a bad taste in US soccer about "foreign coaches" because they are more than willing to criticize MLS and tell players to go play overseas), and last but not least they are willing to play systems that aren't "fun" to watch to win games. I would love to go get Jesse Marsch from Leeds but unless he gets fired there is no way he leaves the EPL. The list of American replacements is almost nil after Marsch and maybe Cherundolo at LAFC and even Cherundolo needs a few more years in MLS managing and maybe even his own stint in Europe as a manager before he is national team ready.
As for coaching at the top, Berhalter is a good not great coach. To give him credit, in the last 24 months the USA has won the Concacaf Nations League Tournament, won the Gold Cup, qualified for the World Cup, and won 3 of the last 4 games against Mexico in open competition (i.e. not friendlies) and gotten a draw at Azteca in the fourth one. But that was against the worst Mexican side in memory so its hard to know whether the run of dominance against our biggest rival is a sign of US progress or Mexican decline.
I do not expect a change and for continuity its probably a good thing. If the US did decide to go in a different direction, the problem is that all the great coaches who might be available are retreads from other associations, expensive, not American (the Klinsmann experiment really left a bad taste in US soccer about "foreign coaches" because they are more than willing to criticize MLS and tell players to go play overseas), and last but not least they are willing to play systems that aren't "fun" to watch to win games. I would love to go get Jesse Marsch from Leeds but unless he gets fired there is no way he leaves the EPL. The list of American replacements is almost nil after Marsch and maybe Cherundolo at LAFC and even Cherundolo needs a few more years in MLS managing and maybe even his own stint in Europe as a manager before he is national team ready.
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I agree with FW, but we are way past the time that the "other sports" excuse is acceptable. There are plenty of boys' leagues to supply a competitive 25- to 30 annually to the USMNT. All it takes is the commitment and the funds to field a competitive program.
Someone at the top of the US Soccer pyramid is making considerable dinero, time to pay a proper coach whatever it takes to start building a world-scale competitive program.
Someone at the top of the US Soccer pyramid is making considerable dinero, time to pay a proper coach whatever it takes to start building a world-scale competitive program.
So many colleges have women's soccer programs, but not men's soccer programs (other than at an informal "club" level). I think women's soccer development in the US comes largely through the colleges. Men's soccer in the US has a much weaker college infrastructure than women's soccer.
Croatia won a comeback victory over Japan in the Round of 16.And there was much celebration in the Land of the Rising Sun
Nice run by Japan though. They've at least arrived on the scene.
National teams like us, Japan, Korea, and a few African teams are getting to the knockout rounds. I think the rise of the good "newcomers" is mostly at the expense of some of the middle-rung South American teams--some of which didn't even make the tournament. Where's Colombia, Chile, Peru, etc. this year...? And then there's Italy--they're usually supposed to make the Cup and go deep into the knockout rounds...
FWHORN
10,000+ Posts
Watching England and France today its easy to see just how far away the USA still is. So much talent and experience all over the field for both teams. Les Blues with a 2-1 win even though England were the better team on the day. As a Tottenham fan it truly sucked to see Harry Kane miss that PK so badly.
Morocco is a shock semifinalist but they have been incredibly strong the whole tournament and Croatia are a surprise semifinalists if only because they had to get through an absurdly talented Brazil team though I guess we need to stop being surprised by what Croatia does as this is their third trip to the semis since 1998 and they were finalists last time. Probably a France-Argentina final but both semis will be fun to watch.
Morocco is a shock semifinalist but they have been incredibly strong the whole tournament and Croatia are a surprise semifinalists if only because they had to get through an absurdly talented Brazil team though I guess we need to stop being surprised by what Croatia does as this is their third trip to the semis since 1998 and they were finalists last time. Probably a France-Argentina final but both semis will be fun to watch.
FWHORN
10,000+ Posts
And it will be an Argentina-France final in Qatar. There is irony in the fact that the two superstars Messi for Argentina and Mbappe for France both play their club ball for Qatari owned Paris St. Germain. Messi has been the player of the tournament thus far and he is seeking the only title he has yet to win in his incredible career, a World Cup. If he can add that title to his resume Sunday it will indelibly add him to the all time pantheon of Pele and Diego Maradona in the short list of who has a case for the futbol GOAT
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