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USA vs. Spain: Respect The Adumerica!

June 24th, 2009 | By: Brooks Peck | 64 Comments »

Here’s the US starting XI:

Howard
Spector, Onyewu, DeMerit, Bocanegra
Donovan, Clark, Bradley, Dempsey
Davies, Altidore
(4-4-2)

Wow. Not only did Bob remember that the 4-4-2 worked, but he leaves Charlie Davies in, and gets the now fit (I guess?) Boca in at left back. Wow.

Of course, he had to leave Ricardo Clark in there just to satisfy his deep desire to not do things totally as he should.

Half an hour ’till game time and I’m getting pumped like C+C Music Factory. More to come…

2:27 pm ET — The Spanish team really is a collage of diversely awful hairstyles, isn’t it?

2:35 — I know they just did that whole “say no to racism” bit, but if I attacked everyone blowing those damn vuvuzela’s would that really be considered a hate crime? Are vuvuzela blowers a race unto themselves?

Spain dominating in possession, as is to be expected, but the US is holding nicely. That can all change in a moment, but I’m satisfied so far. Also, Davies is always threat. So sad Bob didn’t realize that until these last few days.

2:39 — OH MY GOD DEMPSEY ALMOST SKIDDED THAT ONE INTO THE CORNER! Wow. It was almost 1-0 USA. Holy crap.

2:55 — Why are they having this tournament (and the World Cup) in a place where it’s winter time during the event? Seems silly.

2:57 — SWEET PAPPY JOHNSON WITH AN ERECTION THE USA IS WINNING!!!!! Jozy Altidore with masterful control and a fantastic turn and shot and the US is up 1-0! Beating Spain! Hahaha I can’t feel my legs!

3:08 — Spain is getting in position for fantastic chances, but their stuttering and the US’ defensive recovery has kept them off the scoreboard. That can’t keep happening, but it’s nice to see the US able to regroup and recover.

3:17 — Halftime. And after some close calls, the US is still winning 1-0. That, by the way, was the first goal that Spain has allowed in this tournament, putting them in a very very unfamiliar position right now. Their inability to finish on some good chances and shows of frustration are encouraging. They’ve been softened by playing very weak opponents until now and it appears they weren’t ready for the challenge.

3:42 — This is getting dangerous. The US has curled up in some kind of prevent mode and Spain is getting chances by the buttload. The US needs to hold on, but they need to attack if they’re going to do that.

3:51 — The US is drained and fatigued. We need subs. And Bob needs to tell them that if they allow a goal they’re gonna have to play even longer with extra time.

3:55 — Davies off for Feilhaber. Seems like a good idea.

4:00 — GOAL!!!! GOAL!!! GOAL!!!! FEILHABER, LANDON, DEMPSEY — AMAZING!!!! 2-0 USA. 2-0 USA!!!!

4:10 — He had to bring in Casey, didn’t he? Jozy out. Standing O for him (in my mind).

4:13 — Straight red for Michael Bradley. That was dumb. Now he’s out for the next match, as well as the first Gold Cup match. Dumb.

4:15 — Dempsey off for Bornstein. With just a few minutes left, I say whatever to that and applaud Clint for a great game.

4:20 — IT’S OVER!!!! THE IMPOSSIBLE HAS HAPPENED!!!! The US wins 2-0 to advance to the final. A team that reached the semi with two losses and a -2 goal differential, and they beat the #1 team in the world, snap their record unbeaten streak, and they’re in the final of the Confederations Cup. Pure insanity. This is a massively historic day in the history of US soccer.

Oh, and, I know the red card came late, but can I still say the US beat Spain 2-0 while being a man down?

[Photo: ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images]

Tags: Confederations Cup, Spain

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 64 comments.

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By Sol | June 24th, 2009 at 7:26 pm

Or even better, SA beating Brazil. Now if that happens, I’m sure the gamblers are involved. But they’ll probably not make it THAT obvious, maybe they’ll just go for red cards again and make their bundle that way.

Posted from Netherlands

By Sawan | June 24th, 2009 at 7:30 pm

At least you’ll always get the fair play award. WHAT a THIRD red card.LOL. Nice game U.S who would have expected it i feel bad for Torres the look on his face was priceless. I love it when big teams undermine the underdogs and then lose.

Posted from United States

By Doc Latin | June 24th, 2009 at 8:18 pm

Congrats to USA! They were tenacious defensively and efficient with the passing game. I know the American media is tough on Team USA, but I don’t think they realize just how hard it is to win soccer games.

They got away with a foul in the box on D. Villa in the 53rd though. :<) But good things happen to teams who work hard.

By SP | June 24th, 2009 at 8:27 pm

haha beating the #1 team by 2 goals in a semifinal still doesn’t warrant bob as being “worthy”?

DAinLA, i wish i could hear your insights on everything in life. they are very entertaining.

By Ryan | June 24th, 2009 at 8:47 pm

What an amazing defensive effort by Team USA. Well done! If they can play that level of defense on a consistent basis everyone better watch out.

By Doc Latin | June 24th, 2009 at 8:55 pm

Pft. The Americans had 11 behind the ball in added time. Shame on them for not playing beautiful soccer and go after a third goal!

Insert dead-pan smirk here.

By alessio | June 24th, 2009 at 9:46 pm

I nearly blew my load with the whistle. Bring on Brazil! (South Africa?)

Posted from United States

By elle | June 24th, 2009 at 9:51 pm

I loved the montage on ESPN towards the end of the game showing the depression on all of the Spanish players’ faces. Priceless.

By Nicholas | June 24th, 2009 at 10:22 pm

No matter the result, this match had to have sucked for good old DA. If the US would have lost…well, they were supposed to lose. If they win, it says that Bob Bradley can compete on the world stage with a less talented team.

Bob Bradley makes mistakes. He may not be the best coach available in terms of pure tactical/aTtractive football, but he’s gotten excellent results relative to his predecessors and relative to his talent. I just believe it would be rash to fire him in the middle of this cycle.

Posted from Canada

By Jon | June 24th, 2009 at 10:48 pm

Will someone explain to me why Bradley has to sit two games for the red? Clark only sat one game after his.

Posted from United States

By Travis | June 24th, 2009 at 11:31 pm

What an exciting game! I’ve only followed soccer the past few years, and I know how tough it is for the US to compete on a World Level, but they held their own! Big Hearts! Go USA! I Love You!!!

Posted from United States

By Victor | June 25th, 2009 at 12:36 am

Congratulations on this historic victory! Extraordinary effort!

By B | June 25th, 2009 at 12:43 am

DAinLA… why so much hate for a coach that has brought the USA from a horrible world cup in 06 to only losing games to teams like AFA, Egland, Brazil, Italy, Spain (exception is Costa Rica, but thats like playing in hell)… in 40 some games Bob only has one bad loss…

Posted from United States

By DAinLA | June 25th, 2009 at 1:32 am

Nicolas, thanks for making a post about me. I really can’t stand shit like that. I’ll be finding a new board.

Posted from United States

By Sol | June 25th, 2009 at 6:56 am

“They’ve been softened by playing very weak opponents until now and it appears they weren’t ready for the challenge.”

Best comment in your blog so far, very accurate, said the same thing myself in the Spain blog.

Posted from Netherlands

By Sol | June 25th, 2009 at 7:33 am

“Shame on them for not playing beautiful soccer and go after a third goal!”

That’s only common sense, especially at 2-0. At 1-0 against a strong attacking country like Spain I still wouldn’t feel comfortable and want to go for that second goal, but after that, it’s defense time (depending on your own qualities, Holland would have probably gone for a third, maybe if we still had vd Sar we could go for defense). If you’re up against a weak attacking nation (like Italy, Greece or Romania, nations that focus more on defense) I would risk playing defense at 1-0.

You saw in the Italy-Egypt game it’s not so hard keeping the 0 against Italy, which was totally unsurprising to me. What did surprise me was the way Italy scored 3 against USA, but I guess that had something to do with the 10 players on the field and especially the fact that USA didn’t really play defense at 1-1, they tried to win it with 10 players and took too many risks (more noticeable at 2-1).

Posted from Netherlands

By Sol | June 25th, 2009 at 7:40 am

What I’d like to know is why on earth did Altidore take his shirt of (which means a yellow card) after his goal?

Totally unnecessary that yellow card.

Posted from Netherlands

By Mike | June 25th, 2009 at 7:59 am

Let’s put this in some historical context: Was it the greatest win in U.S. soccer history?
http://bit.ly/X4xqN

Posted from United States

By Peter B | June 25th, 2009 at 8:04 am

@Sol.. Something is generally wrong with that rule for an automatic yellow card for taking off the jersey. For big goals especially, a striker does it just to get the yellow because the rule is wrong, they should be able to celebrate. It does not waste any more time then going to the corner flag and dancing around it.

Also, a straight red for the MB tackle did not seem appropriate. The ball was right at the defenders foot when he went in low. There was no intent to hurt the defender. It’s a yellow at best. I believe the refs were told to especially protect players Spain/Italy/Brazil (our three red cards). Only one of the challenges probably deserved a red card (Rico’s challenge was above the cleats). To me, this is a big turn off in a game giving the ref that much control. They must really strive to be consistent with these kinds of calls. I would vote for instant replay for the following: Goals, Red Cards, Penalty Kicks. The play stops anyway so it does not hurt the flow of the game.

Posted from United States

By GS | June 25th, 2009 at 9:44 am

I love all of the defensive comments about Bradley. He did what he was SUPPOSED to do against Spain. He played the players we all know should be playing and used the tactics that were obvious even to a casual viewer. The only thing this game did was show us Big Bob CAN do the right things to win games but the question of whether or not he will continue to do that is most definitely left un-answered.

If Bob reverts to playing old washed up guys against Brazil or in WCQ he’s still on the hot seat in my opinion. The Confederations Cup has made it painfully obvious that the only way the USA competes on a world stage is by playing their most talented, not their most experienced. You don’t have to look much further than the first two games of this cup and then the last two games…if you can’t see it…you’re BLIND.

Posted from United States

By SP | June 25th, 2009 at 10:15 am

GS, i agree that bob needs to be a lot more consistent, but i think this whole argument a lot of times boiled down to comments about how we have no hope and how he’s incapable of leading us and my main defense of him after yesterday is that he is capable of leading us and is worth sticking with. i definitely agree with you about him being wrong a lot recently, but i think it’s still a work in progress. sure, a year away from WC2010, most people don’t want it to be a work in progress anymore, but considering we just beat the #1 team in the world by two goals from the run of play, i think maybe it’s not such a bad thing bc we’re progressing toward new highs.

By Doc Latin | June 25th, 2009 at 2:54 pm

Sol.I was being sarcastic about the 11-man thing.

The most over rated word in soccer is “anti-football”. The U.S. did what they had to do.

By ban vuvuzela | June 26th, 2009 at 2:13 pm

The Vuvuzela is an annoying plastic trumpet also known as a stadium horn that is constantly blown at all soccer/football matches in South Africa. It sounds like a deafening mix of angry elephants trumpeting, a swarm of buzzing bees and a fog horn. What can we do? Go to http://www.banvuvuzela.com/ Register with your name, country and email and then vote. Tell your friends and family to do so too. It is our intention to submit these votes to the relevant authorities who can do something about it. Together we can make our 2010 World Cup the best experience for all.
http://www.banvuvuzela.com/

By Keeno | June 26th, 2009 at 3:35 pm

Hello, Engalnd calling…

Great result the other night, and I’m sure that like most neutrals, I’ll be cheering the USA on to another famous victory in the final. I see a mention of ‘anti-football’ above, but I thought the USA played some great counter-attacking football and defensively they put up the best dispaly I’ve see all season. DeMerit and Onyewu especially, were world-class. That is not anti-football and shame on anyone who says it is. (I appreciate that is not what the poster above was suggesting).

I’ve written a short piece on the game on my blog, mainly focussed around Joan Capdevila’s pre-match dig at Jozy Altidore. If you guys can bear to take your eyes off the cup final, give it a quick glance at:

http://standingwithkeeno.blogspot.com/

Genuinely wishing you good luck for the final.

Keeno

By soccer goals | July 1st, 2009 at 5:18 pm

What a great performance.

Posted from United States

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