World Cup: USA wins! Big Upset
Wow, I have to say this world cup is very good so far. Best to USA who won a BIG upset over Portugal today. This is the USA's biggest upset since beating England in 1950. It was refreshing to see USA play well with refreshing energy different to European and Latin football (no crybaby Rivaldo antics - the Brazilian). When they got penalties, they just shrugged it off and got on with it. So, many congrats to all, especially since Portugal is a very good team. USA has a good chance of going to second round and might face Mexico or Italy if they do.
Now, for England v Argentina.
Now, for England v Argentina.
Comments
<img src="confused.gif" border="0">
naaa!
<strong>All of the kids who played lots of youth soccer in the 80s and 90s and excelled to the point where professionalism is an option are the best players this country has ever seen. They are on par with European youths, and there are a lot of them. I'd be willing to bet that by the next cup, in 2006, America will have a solid chance at winning the whole thing. Now, this year there is a slight chance that they could win, but it's unlikely. In 4 years we will be a completely serious contender.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Even then, you will still qualify second to the World Cup... after us.
Go Costa Rica!
<strong>I played youth score in the late 80s and early 90s...
You sound like a child molester or something... <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
<strong>
You sound like a child molester or something... <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Umm, ok... <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
<img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
The USA is the only major country on the planet that does not yet embrace Football . . .
However, on this evidence the USA is finally waking up to the beautiful game. Congratulations to all the USA players for a fabulous performance
Go USA!!
<strong>Scott that's rich coming from someone who hails from a part of the world where they don't even know that Soccer (as you charmingly call it) IS football. and that what you call football is in fact nothing more than a group of overpaid, overweight neanderthals with missing genes and limited cranial capacity bumping into each other to a chorus of hoots. In other words its Rugby.
The USA is the only major country on the planet that does not yet embrace Football . . .
However, on this evidence the USA is finally waking up to the beautiful game. Congratulations to all the USA players for a fabulous performance
Go USA!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
I mean no offense, but "Soccer" is a British word after all. It's short for Association Football. In Australia, Soccer is also the word used, so we're not the only ones.
These players are growing up, and over the next decade or so the US will become a power house in international soccer. Mark my words
Also Soccer is not a wussy sport. Have you ever watched in-door Soccer? Damn now thats some scary **** .
My high school won the NYS Championship and one player was voted state player of the year and a bunch of others won all-city/state awards
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
I need to get some sleep now. Boy! Am I glad I took the day off today!
<strong>1:1 now. With 7 mins to go.</strong><hr></blockquote>
US advances to second round *if* they tie or beat Poland next week. If US loses *and* Portugal loses, US can advance. But Portugal has higher probability of beating Korea this week and the US *should* draw or beat Poland. Poland is out of it but will be playing for pride. In the end, it looks very probable that US can advance to second round which is already a major success given US was the worst performer at the last world cup. With 4 points already, US should be proud.
England needs to draw or beat Nigeria next week. Did you know that over 100 World Cup players play in the England Premiership League during the regular season. That's enough to fill 10 World cup teams. Tidbit for the day.
<strong>
US advances to second round *if* they tie or beat Poland next week. If US loses *and* Portugal loses, US can advance. But Portugal has higher probability of beating Korea this week and the US *should* draw or beat Poland. Poland is out of it but will be playing for pride. In the end, it looks very probable that US can advance to second round which is already a major success given US was the worst performer at the last world cup. With 4 points already, US should be proud.</strong><hr></blockquote>
If I understand the system correctly, the US could also advance even if we lose to South Korea and Portugal beats South Korea. This would however require us to have a better goal differential than South Korea. Right now they are +2 and we are +1. If we lose by one for instance South Korea would have to lose by three or more, if we lost by two then South Korea would have to lose by 4 or more. That may seem unlikely but Portugal looked pretty sweet on offense today so you never know. Alternatively if we lost by a margin that is one goal less than the margin Korea loses by and we score as many goals as they do (we are already ahead in goals scored 4-3) then we would advance.
All of this seems messy but there are some realistic scenarios in which this would come into play. For instance US loses 1-0. Portugal wins 2-0. Both S.Korea and US have same goal differential (0), US has better goals scored (4-3), US advances. Or US loses 2-1, S.Korea loses 3-1. etc. Of course a tie or win negates all of these complications but even a loss doesn't necessarily mean the US is out.