okay if Brazil beat Korea AND the US, and Poland beat Korea as well on their final game, then both Brazil and Poland will qualify as 1st and 2nd respectively BUT..due to our high goal difference we can still qualify as a best 3rd place team (which I think we will in that situation). but let's not think that way. let's just think about beating brazil...y'know?
Watching the qualifiers, he was perhaps the US's best player in that tourney--better than Freddy, Jozy and the bunch. I'm not completely surprised he's shining here too. Hope for Galatasaray's sake they actually have signed a contract, because the price just went up.
With 3rd place teams advancing and a +5 goal differential on 4 points, it would be pretty hard to f-up getting to the second round. We'd pretty much need to see a complete reversal, i.e. losing 6-0 against Brazil. Even then we might go through.
i would beg somebody to make a compilation of freddy in this game. it is by far the best game he has ever played
I'm pretty sure the Spanish stations (Telefutura, Telemundo, Univision) will have highlights during the sports segments of their news broadcasts.
This is just one of those days where it is completely 100% awesome to be a USA fan. No caveats, no "but we didn't..."s, no coulda/shoulda/wouldas.... just a very good, very encouraging result at the highest level of (youth) play. Even if we can't get a result against Brazil our goal difference should carry us into the knockout round, and if we keep playing like we did today who knows what could happen. Freddy deserved his hat trick and virtually guaranteed himself a lucrative Europe deal in the near future. And whatever clubs that had noticed Szetela before are certainly paying attention now. It's a good day. Now let's beat Brazil.
No, he didn't.....the "Bradley yellow" actually went to Szetela....look it up at USsoccer.com (granted, they have Adu with the assist on our goal in that game...) I use the USSF matchtracker and the threads here on BS to "watch" the game (my connection doesn't do well with streaming video) and on the matchtracker they credited Bradley with the yellow and then a few minutes later typed a correction.
I think we are going to be through regardless of the outcome with Brazil. Unless we get annihilated by Brazil we have Poland beat on goal differential and I don't think there are going to be more than 4 third place teams with 4 points especially with all the draws so far. But, at this point, with this performance 3rd place in the group would be disappointing. We want to win the group.
Good game today... I gotta give Rongen credit for keeping Rogers and Zizzo in.. there was a lot of clamor here for altidore-Ferrari. Rogers and Zizzo both had great games carving up the left and right side and setting up goals... how many assists did they have? 3 or 4?
i think that's it- give us time, space and a bit of confidence, and we're gonna be trouble for anyone. we don't do well w/ high-pressure teams...the seniors either.
All I can say is "I told you so". The team has heart. This was great game from ALL players. Sizzo pounding early, Rogers moves late, Danzilla with amazing goals, Freddy adding flair and a hat trick, defense solid-particularly Beltran, Bradley-a solid space eater, Dax bringing in his pep. Rongen-good formation and he gets credit for getting this team ready. Also, the team is showing fitness that neither Poland or Korea had. Bring on Brazil but don't let this one get to your head.
wait to you see his passing and overall play. he was extremely extremely dangerous almost every time he touched the ball.
Well, on TV (actually, SopCast), the ref showed the yellow to Bradley and the TV also showed Bradley with is hands up and a "you've got to be kidding me" expression on his face when he was shown the card.
I think the explanation is a bit simpler -- in any sport, be it soccer, basketball, or curling -- youth players are maddening in their inconsistency. So hopefully there won't be the same overreaction to today's result as what happened after the KOR match on Saturday.
FTR, the only third-place team with 4 points to not advance was Zambia in 1999, and they had a -3 goal differential.
I know....I downloaded the torrent and watched the game (ESPNU feed), but the official record has Szetela with the card. EDIT: look at USsoccer.com's match report and FIFA's match report.
Two for the price of one. 52' 4-1 Wallace to Szetela, carries to the penalty spot (?), shoots low left corner. (Both SopCast and TVU hit a lull right around then, so I saw it only in replays.) 70' 5-1 Rogers chases down ball half-over the endline, his hard cross deflects behind Bialkowski (Poland GK) who was 1 step too far off his line, skitters along the goal line, Altidore roofs the tap-in. Code: | _______ | | / @ Sz \ | | +----------------+--,-$----+---------------R+ | | | , $ . $| | | | , $ . $| | | | @Sz . $ | | | | . . $ | | | | . . $ | | | | +-----------.-------+ .$ | | | | | Jz . B . . . .$ | | |___________|___________|______. . ._.______|_. . ._oR__|___________| |o .| +------o+
If the US is third in the group wich teams could they meet in the second round? If they top the group I'm sure they will get a much easier draw in the next round. Saw the game at Eurosport and it looked like all the US talent had a good day at the same time.
You know if you are going to lose, I would rather lose this way than on a BS call or a dive... If you watch the replay you will see some great stuff...and yes, if you count Szetela, Poland scored three times....
This goal differential pretty much guarentees us a place in the final round as long as we don't lose big to Brazil. Not knowing what happens in the Brazil v S. Korea game we are left with a few scenarios going into the last day. Scenario 1: Brazil win US - 4 points (+5 diff) Brazil - 3 points (?) Poland - 3 points (-4) S Korea - 1(-?) We'd be guarenteed at least third place in the group and barring a horrible meltdown our goal diff would be good to get us through. Scenario 2: Brazil tie US - 4 points (+5 diff) Poland - 3 points (-4) S Korea - 2 points (0) Brazil - 1 points (-1) We'd be guarenteed at least third place again and basically even second unless Brazil beats us by three goals. Scenario 3: Brazil loss US - 4 points (+5 diff) S Korea - 4 points (?) Poland - 3 points (-4) Brazil - 0 points (-?) We'd be guarenteed at least third. And barring an 4 goal loss to Brazil and a S.Korea v. Poland tie we'd even have second. So, a Brazil win against S Korea is basically the only scenario we are not automatically through. But with a goal differential we'd need to suck ass to not go through.