I'm UP for this one! And lookin for a full house and non-stop singing like we know Seattle is so good at. p.s. Always good to come into a game having recently beaten your opponent.
Looks to be a good game USA come in being first in their group thumping Costa Rica 4-0 and holding off Paraguay with 10-men for a 1-0 win. Ecuador come in by beating Haiti 4-0, drawing Brazil controversially, and coming back to draw 2-2 against Peru. Home team (USA) vs unbeaten team (Ecuador). USA also defeated Ecuador in a friendly a week prior to the tournament in a friendly.
Tough one to predict. For me, Ecuador are a better team than the USA, but the USA has done one thing that Ecuador haven't in the last 5 years and that's make it past the groups of tournaments. Gold Cup aside, they did it this time and in the World Cup of course. Ecuador have last made it out of the groups in 2006, which was 10 years ago. I think this match will go down to who's the mentally stronger team. Ecuador are playing great stuff but if they get nervous, that's the USA's chance to take it. They aren't a tournament team. The USA also have a very good home crowd so that could work as a motivation for the USA as well.
Assuming the United States don't choke in the second round (like they've unfortunately been since 2010... sigh), I think the USMNT should stand a good chance. Ecuador are solid but they're not overtly dominant. Plus, they've been cooling down since they started CONMEBOL hex hot, plus Seattle is a huge USMNT city. USA 2-0 Ecuador, they're off to the semis.
I sincerely believe that this is a coin toss, Ecuador to me showed a bit more in the first round than US but US is at home, both team rely heavily in their discipline and tactical order, that friendly about 3 weeks ago was a snooze fest and eventho US won it was at the last minute and Ecuador missed 2 key players on that line up so You cant go by that.
As Venezuela proved. It's the moment. These are all pretty good teams (except Haiti) they can all defend and they can all score. Right now the US is riding a better moment than Ecuador. After a tough loss, they've blown out CR and eked out a tough win. So right now they're in a good place because they've been winning yet they're still humble because they had to fight so much against Paraguay. Add in the fantastic Seattle crowd and they will be feeling very positive. Ecuador, so so. Two ties and a blow out against a weak team. Who knows, maybe they have enough internal self belief to win out. yet I think advantage to the US.
Home advantage is good but i don't think it will play to much into the result, Ecuador have had to deal with tougher atmospheres qualifying in SA but the US will draw encouragement from this crowd. Personally with Yedlin out whoever steps up will have a difficult time containing Montero. Ecuadors game is through the wings although the US did a phenomenal job in defending a good majority of Paraguay crosses Ecuador is a different beast. This game is not going to be easy far from it but i think Ecuador has what it takes to win this by a minimal margin of 1-0. The key for Ecuador will be to lock down Dempsey who accounts for 4 of the 5 US goals scoring 2 and assisting 2 and make sure Bradley doesn't start taking over that midfield.
Im sure its not possible, but I bet Fox would like to move the game to Friday so as not to coincide w/ the NBA Finals. Fox must to be losing their collective minds over this. Coming into the tournament they could have had all three of Messi, Neyman and Suarez, now they are down to just a hobbled Messi w/ Brazil and Uruguay out. Then the US makes it out of the group but is playing a knock out game against the NBA finals. Tough luck
They are happy James is still in it though. The NBA Finals conflict is a bit-of a disappointment but I don't think it will impact the ratings as much as you are making it out to. It is a knockout stage and if the NBA game is a blowout like many of the NBA games this year then people may tune out of that game and try to find something else to watch. We shall see.
TBH I think US Soccer has had a pretty dedicated viewership for some time now. Not to mention the higher importance of this match and the fact that not that many people care about the Finals outside of GS/CLE, I think FS1 gets 2.5 million (though why not on FOX is beyond me)
Think about what you say before you say it. Pretty much every basketball fan across the country cares about the NBA finals.
NBA Finals game 6 will be huge. Ratings won't even come close. About the game, it can go either way, it will all depend on what coach did his homework, the attitude and desire of the players, the referee calling it fair and of course who is lady luck going home with.
Catching a glimpse of the Argentina game in Seattle right now. And I have to say the sod looks really good there. Especially when you compare it to what's going on in New Jersey. So one more little reason that I'm looking forward to seeing us play there in a couple days!
As a Cleveland Cavaliers fan (don't worry, I was born there and moved away at 22), I have no clue how I can watch both at the same time. I think the Finals is higher priority for me, but I'll post up in sports bar and switch my attention to USMNT during commercial breaks/halftime.