Spain takes home their first World Cup
It took 26 minutes of extra time after the end of regulation to find a winner.
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It took 26 minutes of extra time after the end of regulation to find a winner.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>More than 800,000 people have currently pledged that the game is in them, and they hope the rest of the country believes so as well. Those who have pledged hope that through the petition, a campaign titled “The Game is in US” and the work of the website gousabid.com, the United States will be able to host another World Cup in the near future. The U.S. hosted the 1994 event and snagged an attendance record of 3,587,538 as well as an average match attendance just shy of 70,000.On May 14, the plan for another U.S. World Cup went into motion as the U.S. Soccer Federation officially made its bid to FIFA to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.Supporters hope that another World Cup will spark more U.S. soccer momentum, like the 1994 one inspired the creation of U.S. professional league Major League Soccer. U.S. Bid Commitee member and actor Morgan Freeman agrees. “As (Nelson) Mandela said once, ‘Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people that little else has,’” Freeman said in a press release. “I have seen the power that sport, and in particular soccer, can have on individuals around the world, and that is why I am so honored to represent and support the United States through the conclusion of this noble effort to bring the tournament back to our country.”However, the Americans are up against some staunch competition as England, Russia, Portugal and Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands have also placed bids for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Australia, Qatar, Japan and South Korea have also placed bids for the 2022 event.Since formalizing the World Cup bid, many famous and influential Americans have begun supporting the USSF.Some of these include former President Bill Clinton, President and CEO of AEG Tim Leiweke, boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya, comedian Drew Carey, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Washington Post CEO Katharine Weymouth. Most recently, actors Brad Pitt and Freeman joined the cause.Pitt, who supports many charities and philanthropic organizations worldwide, said he was honored to be involved with a sport that is viewed and appreciated around the world. “Soccer is a truly global sport, and the opportunity to join the effort to have the U.S. host the world’s greatest sporting event again is a great honor,” Pitt said. “FIFA has set a world standard for using sport as a tool for positive social change, and I’m proud to be associated with a United States World Cup Bid that has so ardently adhered to the principles established by FIFA.”The U.S. bid also includes 18 candidates for host cities, many of which who were involved in the 1994 World Cup. This includes Indianapolis, along with Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville Tenn., New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C.The U.S. bid also has another force behind it: Fox Soccer Channel joined as “an official partner in support of the organization’s efforts to bring the FIFA World Cup to the United States in 2018 or 2022,” U.S. Soccer announced June 28.“The challenge and privilege of hosting a FIFA World Cup is enormous, as we are seeing here in South Africa,” said Sunil Gulati, chairman of the USA Bid Committee and president of U.S. Soccer. “The same can be said for the bidding process. Corporate support is an important component to a successful bid, and now we’re very fortunate to count Fox Soccer Channel as a friend and official partner of our endeavor to bring the FIFA World Cup to the United States in 2018 or 2022.”Fox Soccer Channel is one of the leading channels for soccer programming in the United States and Canada and reached a deal last year with the UEFA Champions league to broadcast matches on Fox Soccer Channel. ESPN previously had the broadcasting rights to the Champions League.With the addition of the Fox channel, the U.S. bid has strengthened, but the USSF will have to wait out the bidding process to determine if the campaign is successful. FIFA will announce the host bid winners December 2, 2010. Until then, the USSF remains optimistic.“We would be honored to play host to the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup,” the U.S. bid website said, “for the fan, for the Game, for the World.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was a landscape of deja vu for the U.S. men’s national team.The men allowed an early goal Saturday against Ghana and found a bit of magic to tie the game. But in the end, the United States’ World Cup stint was ended by the African nation for the second consecutive Cup.At first, it looked like the U.S. could come back once more and end the game before it went into an extra 30 minutes of play. However, another Ghanian goal in the first few minutes of extra time was just too much, and the tired American side could not muster up another epic comeback — something that had become its game plan during the World Cup.“Obviously, we are disappointed,” U.S. striker Landon Donovan said. “It’s a tough lesson to learn when you don’t get a chance to redeem yourself. I guess the warning signs were there — getting scored on early — and it came back to bite us, finally.”Though the Americans attempted several desperation shots into the net as time dwindled, their lackluster overtime play eventually allowed Ghana to pull a 2-1 victory.“The finality of it is brutal,” Donovan said. “You realize how much you’ve put into it, not only for the last four years, but your whole life. There’s no guarantee there’s another opportunity at that.”U.S. keeper Tim Howard echoed Donovan’s sentiments.“The second one (Ghana scored) was definitely hit hard,” Howard said. “They took their goals well. They didn’t have many opportunities.”However, one opportunity was enough. Just three minutes into overtime, Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan got on the end of a long ball misjudged by U.S. defenders Jay Demerit and Carlos Bocanegra. Gyan shot with such force and voracity that Howard had no chance to stop the ball as it zipped over his head and into the back of the net.“When you have sharp forwards that sit on your shoulder, they wait for balls like that,” Demerit said. “For defenders, we have to worry about the ball in front and the ball behind, and sometimes you get caught in two minds or you just get caught in the space and have to react. They were able to react a little bit quicker than us and showed good strength and a good finish.”Allowing the early overtime goal continued a U.S. trend, as they gave up a score quickly in regulation as well. The early goal marked the third time in four games that the Americans gave up a goal within the first 15 minutes. “Too often, right after the whistle blows we get hit, and if you do that enough times you’ll pay for it,” Howard said. “We have had the good fortune of not paying for it before, but we did today.”That moment happened in the fifth minute. After a turnover by Clark at midfield, Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng dribbled toward the goal before unleashing a low strike toward the near post.Howard was expecting Boateng to go far post and was not able to parry the ball away in time as it slipped by him to give Ghana the early 1-0 lead.“I kind of got the ball stuck in my feet,” Clark said. “I think they played it in the midfield, and I got caught in my decision making and didn’t react fast enough. The guy stole the ball, and it’s unfortunate because it led to a goal.”Ghana kept up the momentum in the first half and looked set to score more. However, the score stayed 1-0 as the teams went into halftime.As norm in this World Cup, a different and more motivated U.S. team took the field for the second half, finally tying on a penalty kick from Donovan.The striker converted the penalty with a shot off the right post, turning the momentum to the United States — who was unable to find the goal again.“We tried to push and push, and I don’t know if we just didn’t have anything left because we’d been pushing so much the entire tournament,” Bocanegra said. “Just didn’t go our way today.”The win puts Ghana the in the quarterfinals, the furthest the team has ever gone.“We had to fight to the last second, and we gave our all,” Ghana midfielder Andre Ayew said. “We fought for the continent and for Ghana. We hope the whole African nation is proud. Everything is possible.”Being the only African nation to make the final 16 gave the Ghana team a great sense of pride and helped propel the men during play.“Me and my colleagues were very disappointed that no African team is with us,” Ayew said. “We have to fight not only for ourselves, but for all the other teams. Yes, we feel we have Africa behind us, and that’s giving us energy to fight more.”The U.S. men now end their promising run through the 2010 World Cup.“There’s always disappointment when things like this happen, when great tournaments like this come to an end,” Demerit said. “That’s natural. But it’s a really special time for U.S. soccer at the moment, and I think it’s a big responsibility for the players to show that and to appreciate that. Today is a day that, even when disappointment is probably at its highest, is the time to show the most appreciation.”But the Americans said they feel they can hold their heads high as they leave South Africa, having proved to the world that they can play with the best of the best and will not give up until the final whistle is blown.“It’s a good group,” Howard said. “We’ve talked about that for four years. ... It’s a good bunch of guys who never give up, and that’s not a cliche. We’ve proven that time and again.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After missing out on so many opportunities, it seemed as if the United States would miss out on the next round of the World Cup.Throughout the game against Algeria, Team USA created chance after chance but somehow could not find the back of the net. However, with very little time remaining, the thought that Team USA would not be moving on was slowly becoming a reality.Landon Donovan refused to let that happen. The leader of the squad slotted a rebound in the 91st minute of the match, sending USA fans into pure jubilation. “I’ve been through a lot in the last four years,” Donovan said. “I’m so glad it culminated this way. When you try to do things the right way, it’s good to get rewarded.” The dramatic goal occurred after the Americans attacked offensively for the entirety of the match, keeping the Algerian keeper, Rais M’Bohli, busy with 18 shots and five shots directly on goal. “These guys never give up, and they showed that again today,” USA coach Bob Bradley said. “I was worried because we could have gone away empty-handed, but my players decided otherwise and never stopped believing. We’re proud to finish first in the group on five points, and we’re already prepared to go further.” Algeria was content to defend and catch the United States by surprise on the counterattack, as they put up 17 of their own shots. However, the United States controlled possession for a majority of the game and found itself with plenty of offensive chances. Prior to the game, the United States knew its best chance to move on to the knockout stages of the World Cup was to beat Algeria in its final match of the group stage. But it seemed as if the soccer gods had it in for the Stars and Stripes, as they had two chances go off the post and numerous chances that flew over or went wide of the net or were saved by M’Bohli. In just the sixth minute, it seemed as if the Americans would start down one score early, when Algerian forward Rafik Djebbour ran onto a long ball from the defense and hammered a shot that came right back off the crossbar. But from then on, it was the Americans who had the offensive chances. In the 20th minute, Clint Dempsey scored a goal from a cross into an open net, but he was ruled offsides by the assistant referee. Replays later showed he was onside. The poor luck continued when a tough toe-poke shot by Dempsey was saved by M’Bohli in the 35th minute, and just one minute later Jozy Altidore missed a wide-open net. The offensive mishaps by the United States didn’t stop there, as several players missed open net chances. In the 57th minute Dempsey hit the post and missed hitting the rebound into a half-open net. Then, Edson Buddle missed a header. As the game crept toward the 80-minute mark, the team seemed to go into desperation mode, and both sides began to exert more energy after every ball and every opportunity. Team USA seemed to get the perfect chance in the 80th minute, when it was granted a free kick close to the goal. However, the chance was wasted, as Michael Bradley drilled the ball right at the keeper. Shot after shot for the USA squad seemed to just barely miss, and eventually it seemed as if it had used up all of its offensive opportunities as the clock winded into the allotted extra four minutes. Tempers also flared as the time waned, and with what has become custom in this World Cup, several cards were handed out. The United States finished the game with two yellow cards, bringing their total to six over three games. Algeria finished with four yellows, and one red card in the final few minutes of the game. However, the penalties would not stop the USA squad from attempting to put away the Algerians. With the clock ticking into the final three minutes, the USA squad turned it around and took advantage of a four-on-two counterattack situation. Donovan played a ball to Altidore, who attempted to score. Keeper M’Bohli was able to get at least a hand on it, but Donovan was quicker, as he followed the play and tapped in the winner. Donovan, arguably the face of the U.S. Men’s National Team, fittingly hit in the winning goal. Donovan now has four career World Cup goals and is the third USA player to score in multiple World Cups (current player Dempsey and former player Brian McBride are the others). Donovan has solidified himself as a legend within the U.S. squad, as he leads many of the offensive all-time categories. However, Donovan was not completely satisfied with having to wait so long to score. “Of course, we should have and could have scored earlier, which would have spared us that dramatic ending,” Donovan said. “In the end, though, it’s a good thing that it happened that way, so quickly. I didn’t even have time to think what I was going to do. Being in the right place and putting the ball in the net just came naturally.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Soccer is a tale of two halves — and that sure was true Friday.The United States came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie Slovenia 2-2 and even had a seemingly legal goal in the 86th minute by Maurice Edu that was disallowed. While the poor refereeing and the controversial call will stay in the spotlight, the actual game was one of the most exciting seen so far in this World Cup. In the opening moments of the game, Slovenia took control and forced the U.S. squad to run and chase all over the field. “We started the match poorly,” U.S. midfielder Landon Donovan said. “We were tentative. I think we sat too deep, which caused us problems.” The Slovenes were the first to get on the scoreboard with a laser strike from midfielder Valter Birsa, giving the tiny nation a 1-0 lead after 12 minutes. The U.S. lacked many chances going forward, as Jozy Altidore and Robbie Findley had few touches. Things went from bad to worse when U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu allowed Zlatan Ljubijankic to get the ball as he passed him. He went one-on-one with U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard before scoring into the far post. Slovenia was up 2-0 at the half, and the U.S. was left wondering if it would go home early for its second World Cup in a row. U.S. coach Bob Bradley had the difficult job of lighting a fire under his players after a tough and disheartening first half. “(I told the team) the starting point is to understand that there’s 45 minutes to go, and everybody needs to understand how we’re going to push the game,” Bradley said. It was a time of soul-searching for a team facing not only a tough opponent, but also history. Never has a team come back from a two-goal halftime deficit and won the game. Howard praised teammate Michael Bradley for stepping up. “I think he was pretty energized at halftime, as a lot of us were,” Howard said. “He wanted all the talk to stop and for us to put our money where our mouth was, and in the second half, I think he did a good job of being that example.”A rejuvenated U.S. team took the field in the second half and showed a newfound determination — and it paid dividends very quickly. Just three minutes into the second half, Donovan found himself with space in the penalty box, and drilled one into the top of the net. Just like that, the score was 2-1.Substitutions continued to work in the American’s favor, as Michael Bradley scored, sending the pro-U.S. crowd of 55,000 into delirium.In the 86th minute, Edu sent the ball into the back of the net, seemingly giving the U.S. a 3-2 lead.Edu and the rest of the team celebrated, having just become the first team to come back from a 2-0 halftime deficit. But the head referee, Koman Coulibaly, whistled the U.S. squad for a foul in the box. It was a dubious call, as replay seems to show Edu was not offsides. If anything, some say, Slovenian defenders appeared to foul the Americans going for the ball. “I’ve heard a few things,” Bob Bradley said. “Honestly, I think that on that set piece, most of what took place was that Slovenian players were holding our players.“The one thing I’ve heard was that one player from Slovenia had his arms around Michael (Bradley), Michael was trying to break loose from being held, and the foul was called.” But while the squad was upset about the disallowed goal, it was content with the outcome and the way the team overcame the odds to get a point. “My guess is there aren’t many teams in this tournament that could have done what we did and arguably win the game,” Donovan said. “And that is what the American spirit is about, and I’m sure people back home are proud of that.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In a tournament like the World Cup, wins are at a premium. After the 1-1 tie against England, the United States faces a must-win game on Friday against the tiny nation of Slovenia. And after years of always being the underdog in World Cup matches, the U.S. team faces unfamiliar territory as it goes into this game as the favorite. “I think it’s a challenge,” U.S. defender Jay DeMerit said. “I think preparation is key, I think mindset as a team is key, but I also think we need to use that as a positive to say that we should expect more as a team. There’s no reason to come to tournaments like this and get results like we did on Saturday to not put in a good performance against Slovenia, because that ... makes all the hard work and fight and the whole performance that we put in against England not worthwhile.” But despite Slovenia being ranked 11 places below the USA squad, according to FIFA’s World Rankings, and the fact that Slovenia is the smallest nation in population size in the World Cup, it has a lot of confidence and has been on a hot streak. After finishing second in its UEFA qualifying group for the World Cup, Slovenia beat Russia in a two-legged playoff to earn its ticket to South Africa. Then, last Sunday, the team defeated Algeria 1-0 thanks to captain midfielder Robert Koren. “It was a mental victory,” Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek said. “We wanted to win so much, so it’s great for our confidence to get that win.” Slovenia’s confidence is so high, in fact, that defender Andrej Komac is essentially guaranteeing a win against the United States. “We are playing our style of football, and we’ll continue with that, and we can beat the U.S. with that style,” Komac said after a training session. The Americans are sure to be wary of the tiny Eastern European nation on the field, though. “They’re going to be a tough team,” U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey said. “They keep the ball away. They have players who can cause problems, so we’re going to have to play our best game to get something out of it.”Fellow midfielder Landon Donovan agreed.“They seem to have good chemistry — they know each other well,” Donovan said. “They’ve obviously played a lot of games together through difficult European qualifying and come out of it. ... They’re not going to be spectacular, but a very solid team that will be difficult to beat.” However, the American players didn’t take too kindly to the win talk from the Slovenes, as goalkeeper Tim Howard and defender Oguchi Onyewu sounded off to reporters the next day after hearing Komac’s prediction. “I think talk is cheap,” Howard said. “He’s got to stand toe-to-toe, and they’ve got to stand toe-to-toe with us for 90 minutes. And if he’s still standing, then I’ll take my hat off to him. But a lot of boxers talk, too, and then they’re looking up at the lights.” Onyewu echoed Howard’s doubt.“It’s definitely a premature comment to make,” Onyewu said. “I don’t think a U.S. player would make a comment like that.” The United States also received good news from its medical staff on Monday: Howard will not miss any matches after being injured in the 29th minute of the 1-1 tie against England. English forward Emile Heskey slid into the penalty box and inadvertently kicked Howard in the right side of his ribcage. Howard said he believes he will be ready for the Slovenia game. “Time is a good healer,” he said. “I’ve had a few days. It’s just going to be sensitive, but as you know, if you play at the highest level, I think you have to play through injuries.” U.S. coach Bob Bradley can now breathe a sigh of relief as he prepares for the important second game. “Without a doubt, Slovenia is a well organized team,” Bradley said on “The Football Program,” a soccer show on Sirius XM Radio. “They play very, very solid defensively. I think anybody who saw the playoff series with Russia would know that, and so we have respect for them and we know that a lot is at stake, so we’ll do everything we can to be ready to go.“It’s a game that is close to a must-win, but it’s 100 percent a game you can’t lose.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In sports, there’s winning and there’s losing.Or, in this case, there are ties. The United States battled back Saturday from an early one-goal deficit against England to tie 1-1. Both teams were hyped up by months of anticipation, leading to an emotional start. However, England was ready and they struck an early goal off captain Steven Gerrard in the third minute. “(On the throw-in), the ball went back to (Frank) Lampard and we stepped up to close him down. Next thing you know, there’s a big hole in our back line,” USA coach Bob Bradley said. “When you use the word ‘manage,’ the ability to control certain situations and not over-commit, I think England made us pay.”It was the dream start for England and a nightmare start for the United States.“I was pretty annoyed because the marking was a little too lax, particularly for the beginning of a game, when you’re supposed to be really up for it,” USA goalkeeper Tim Howard said. From that point on, however, the USA squad seemed to settle into the game and created offensive chances of their own, including a strike from Jozy Altidore and a header from Oguchi Onyewu. The game turned on end in the 41st minute when USA midfielder Clint Dempsey unleashed a strike from 30 yards out toward goal. England goalkeeper Robert Green went down on one knee to parry the shot aside, but it took a bounce, deflected off his arm and rolled into the net. The United States had tied the game at 1-1. “These balls move so much, if you just hit them on goal you’ll have a chance,” Dempsey said. “It’s one of those goals you always say ‘Why can’t I get one like that?’” Green felt Dempsey’s shot was one he clearly should have saved. “It’s very disappointing, but it’s happened,” Green said. “I’ve been in this situation before, and it’s about holding your head up high, facing you guys (the media), taking the flak, which is going to come. The most important thing is not to let it affect myself.” Scoring so close to halftime re-energized the U.S. squad, and they came out more aggressive in the second half. On the flip side, giving up that goal severely hurt England and put the team on the defensive for quite some time before they recovered the attacking skill used in the first half. “It came as a shock (to concede like that) and took us a while to get over it,” Gerrard said. Both teams came close to taking second half leads as well, and there was a feeling in the crowd that the next to score would win. There were several moments where it looked as if someone would score and take home a victory for his country. In the 66th minute, Altidore used his strength to power past the defender before taking a shot that Green parried onto the crossbar. Howard made some game-saving saves in the second half, including one from speedy winger Shawn Wright-Phillips, who found himself open with time and space in the box before Howard saved his shot. Howard was taken for testing after the game, after being kicked in the ribs during the first half.In the end, neither could muster another goal, and the game finished with a tie. USA captain Carlos Bocanegra was happy with surviving the physical battle with one point instead of none. “That’s how we play. We play scrappy, we play hard, we fight for 90 minutes in a big group effort, and tonight it showed,” Bocanegra said. “It was a really big team effort ... something you need against a big team like England.” Even England manager Fabio Capello didn’t have many complaints.“We created a lot of chances to score goals. We pressed a lot and played a good game, but one mistake cost us a goal,” Capello said after the game. “I am pleased with the performance of the team, and I think the next game we will be better.”Next, Team USA takes on Slovenia on June 18.“I think it’s important for us to use our momentum from this game and to push it towards the next two games,” Onyewu said. In the end, Bradley echoed the player’s sentiments and seemed ready to move forward. “We’ve said it so many times that we understand what the first round is about, but we were still excited to start the World Cup playing against England,” he said. “It’s a big game and a big night, and overall we take away positive things as we now get ready for Slovenia.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1950, the United States shocked England 1-0 in a World Cup match, a game that has been fondly referred to as the “Miracle on Grass” and one that has been portrayed in both book and film form. Now, 60 years later, the U.S. Men’s National Team is looking for a repeat.The 2010 version is also hotly anticipated, as ESPN has billed the match “the biggest game of the World Cup.” There is much more than a game at stake, as the winner between the two will most likely determine who wins Group C. The United States seems to have the upper hand in momentum, as it has put up two solid wins in its final games before World Cup action, defeating its opponents 5-2. But things haven’t been looking so hot for England. While it recorded wins versus Japan and the South African club Platinum Stars, it looked uninspired on the field for long stretches and failed to create many attacking chances. However, with head coach Fabio Capello, England comes into the World Cup as one of the favorites to win the Jules Rimet Trophy, which is given to the winner of the World Cup. Capello has won a championship in seven of his 16 seasons as a coach, and if not for a referee scandal, he would have nine titles. His chances for winning the World Cup only increase due to the strong squad he has put together, featuring forwards Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch, midfielders Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, and defenders Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, among others. Center defender Ferdinand, who was set to captain the English side, suffered a knee ligament injury in the squad’s first training session and was forced to withdraw from the squad. Michael Dawson replaced him. Also benefiting the English is Rooney’s play as of late, scoring 26 goals this past season for Manchester United and 34 goals in all competitions. He has a unique skill set, able to score from far or close, with his head or with his feet, and he has the speed to get by even some of the fastest defenders. However, England’s defense, once a solid point for the team, has suffered greatly due to Ferdinand’s injury, and the United States will look to exploit this chink in the British armor. However, injuries are never something teams, even rivals, like to focus on. “I’m devastated for him (Ferdinand) as well, as I’m sure most of his friends and his teammates are,” U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. “How will it affect the team? I don’t know. I think they’re all very strong characters, and as the week goes on they’ll be fully prepared. We’ve had a good teammate of ours go down and not make the World Cup. That was a little while ago, but it still hurts.”However, it could prove to be a breaking point for the England squad, as several U.S. players have exhibited strength against weaker defenders. Last year, Jozy Altidore proved he could out-muscle his opponents when he took the Spanish defense to task in the United States’ shock 2-0 victory during the Confederations Cup, and half a season in England with Hull F.C. should help him once kickoff begins. Add to that the wide play from Clint Dempsey and U.S. captain Landon Donovan, and the English defense will have its hands full.Only time will tell who leaves “The Revolutionary War: Round 2” victorious, but either way, the United States will go in confident. “If we didn’t believe that we could, why would we be here? It wouldn’t be right,” U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey said. “I shouldn’t be part of this team if I didn’t feel we can do something special. Every time you put on the U.S. jersey, you should think you can do a good job. If you don’t, you shouldn’t be here.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Oct. 10, 2009, the boys in red, white and blue pulled out a gutsy 3-2 win in Honduras, securing their place in South Africa. Just three days later, the U.S. National Team was rocked with the news that up-and-coming striker Charlie Davies had gotten into a near-fatal car accident and would be out of soccer for at least nine to 12 months, if not for life. One day after that, top USA defender Oguchi Onyewu was carried off the field on a stretcher, his patella tendon torn right off the kneecap, forcing him to miss eight months of action. That was only the beginning of a seven-month span of injuries to key American players such as midfielders Stuart Holden and Clint Dempsey as well as defender Jay Demerit, who scratched his cornea while taking out a contact lens and needed laser surgery to correct the problem. But it hasn’t been all Bad News Bears for Team USA.With the multitude of injuries to the regular starters, players such as center defender Clarence Goodson have proven their worth on the international level, and midfielder DaMarcus Beasley of Fort Wayne, who is finally back to his old self on the field, is now back on the USA squad for his third consecutive World Cup. But the greatest stories have to go to two of the forwards on the team, who took advantage of the Davies injury and have earned a spot from nowhere. Six months ago, both Herculez Gomez and Edson Buddle were afterthoughts on their own teams, never on the minds of the National Team bosses. Gomez, who had signed for Puebla F.C. in Mexico in January after being unable to find work in MLS, set the league alight with 10 goals and became the first foreigner to lead the league in scoring. Buddle, who was coming off a down year, exploded in the beginning of this season, scoring nine goals in nine games, earning himself a place on the roster for the World Cup. Now, with the return of Onyewu, Dempsey, Demerit and more to full health and match fitness, it is time for the USA squad to come together and take on the world. Lets take a look at the USA roster for the 2010 World Cup:Goalkeepers:1 Tim Howard, age 31: 51 caps, 0 goals, Everton18 Brad Guzan, age 25: 16 caps, 0 goals, Aston Villa23 Marcus Hahnemann, age 37: 7 caps, 0 goals, Wolverhampton Wanderers Tim Howard is arguably the best player on the U.S. team. Even though this is his first World Cup as the No. 1 goalkeeper, he has plenty of experience playing in England for seven years. Brad Guzan and Marcus Hahnemann are suitable backups to Howard for Team USA. Howard’s play in goal will be a key to Team USA’s performance at the World Cup. Defenders: 2 RB/CD Jonathan Spector, age 24: 25 caps, 0 goals, West Ham United3 LB/CD Carlos Bocanegra (captain), age 31: 79 caps, 12 goals, Rennes5 CD Oguchi Onyewu, age 28: 54 caps, 5 goals, A.C. Milan6 RB Steve Cherundolo, age 31: 60 caps, 2 goals, Hannover 9612 LB Jonathan Bornstein, age 25: 32 caps, 2 goals, Chivas USA15 CD Jay DeMerit, age 30: 19 caps, 0 goals, Watford F.C.21 CD Clarence Goodson, age 28: 14 caps, 2 goals, IK Start This is arguably the weak link in the U.S. National Team’s armor. Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo and Jay Demerit have all missed considerable time this season due to injury, and though they are now fit and healthy, they might not be fully ready to play 90 minutes at the highest level. Outside backs Jonathan Spector and Jonathan Bornstein have both had shaky performances recently for the USA, and will need to step up in order to win games. Midfielders: 4 CM Michael Bradley, age 22: 43 caps, 7 goals, Borussia Mönchengladbach7 LM DaMarcus Beasley, age 28:92 caps, 17 goals, Rangers8 RM Clint Dempsey, age 27: 62 caps, 18 goals, Fulham F.C.10 LM/RM Landon Donovan (vice-captain), age 28: 123 caps, 42 goals, Los Angeles Galaxy11 RM Stuart Holden, age 24: 14 caps, 2 goals, Bolton Wanderer13 CM Ricardo Clark, age 27: 29 caps, 2 goals, Eintracht Frankfurt16 CM José Francisco Torres, age 22: 10 caps, 0 goals, Pachuca C.F.19 CM Maurice Edu, age 24: 13 caps, 1 goal, Rangers22 LM Benny Feilhaber, age 25: 32 caps, 2 goals, AGF Aarhus This is the strongest asset of the squad, as there is strength and depth in all parts of the field. USA star Donovan will most likely play on the left or right, and he had a huge impact for four months this season with Everton F.C. in England. He has the most international goals already by a USA player with 42. Dempsey has also been playing very well this season for Fulham F.C. and helped lead his team to the Europa League Final. Michael Bradley, coach Bob Bradley’s son, will take up his familiar place in the midfield and will be paired up with Edu or Torres, depending on the opponent. Having capable backups like Feilhaber, Holden, and Beasley gives the United States extra options going into matches. Forwards: 9 ST Herculez Gomez, age 28: 4 caps, 2 goals, Pachuca C.F.14 ST Edson Buddle, age 29: 3 caps, 2 goals, Los Angeles Galaxy17 ST Jozy Altidore, age 20: 25 caps, 9 goals, Villarreal C.F.20 ST Robbie Findley, age 24: 6 caps, 0 goals, Real Salt Lake After the near-fatal injuries to striker Charlie Davies, Team USA had to find a suitable replacement for the World Cup. Davies almost came back fit but unfortunately never had the chance to feature with his club team in France. Thus, he was passed over in place of the on-fire duo of Buddle and Gomez and the speedy striker Findley, who has not had the best start to this season but still has the talent to play well on the international level. After the two goals from Buddle against Australia on June 5, expect to see him line up alongside Altidore for the red, white and blue, with Gomez coming in late in the game as a super sub. USA Game Schedule: USA vs. England, 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Royal Bakofeng Stadium, Rustenberg USA vs. Slovenia, 10 a.m. June 18 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg USA vs. Algeria, 10 a.m. June 23 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria When the USA heard its draw Dec. 4, many in the United States and England rejoiced knowing they got a lucky draw. Algeria (ranked 30 by FIFA) and Slovenia (ranked 25 by FIFA) are two teams the USA should be able to get results on and then progress from the group stage. The squad the USA has brought to South Africa is one of the best in history and are, for once, the favorites to win a couple of games. But as they say, you still need to play the game. Good luck to the USA — we’ll be watching.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In less than a week, the dream of a World Cup on African soil will finally become a reality — a dream that was initiated when FIFA chose South Africa over Morocco and Egypt to host the 2010 World Cup. Since then, the nation has seen beautiful soccer stadiums rise up all over the landscape, as well as other infrastructure to help sustain the deluge of people expected to visit during the month-long tournament.The World Cup has the ability to bring a country like South Africa, which has seen much strife and conflict in its history, together as one. With the start of the biggest tournament in the world fast approaching, here are some things viewers should pay attention to. Teams to WatchBRAZIL Even people who know nothing about soccer know that Brazil, having won five World Cups, is one of the best teams in the world. In Brazil, there is a tradition that almost all players are known by nicknames or first names. For example, Edson Arantes do Nascimento was better known as Pele. The Brazilian squad, known as the Selecao in Brazil, is led by stars Kaka, Luis Fabiano, and Robinho. Brazil plays a style of soccer that can only be described in Portuguese: joga bonito, or “beautiful play.” The players dribble up and down the field, make tight passes or score brilliant goals at any point of the game. While they struggled qualifying, they will certainly be no pushover once in the World Cup. Expect Brazil to make it to at least the semifinals. HOLLAND Despite being a nation of just more than 16 million people, Holland has managed to export to the world some of the best soccer players. While they have never won a World Cup, they have been runners-up twice (1974 and 1978).The Dutch play a soccer style known as Total Football, where the players are constantly moving, never in one place, and the team with possession moves the ball around, trying to find a way to get a chance on goal. What began with the former player Johan Cruyff,a member of the 1974 and 1978 runner-up teams, has been continued by current stars Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie. Look for Holland to play their way into the quarterfinals. GHANA The Ghana national soccer team combines speed and power unlike any other nation. The Black Stars, as they are more commonly called, impressed in their first World Cup appearance in 2006, advancing to the second round.While Ghana will not have the services of midfielder Michael Essien, they can still rely on midfielders Sulley Muntari and Andre Ayew, whose speedy runs past defenders have made scouts all over the world drool, and forward Asamoah Gyan, who combines the strength and speed Ghana exhibits day in and day out to score goals against any opponent. Expect Ghana to get into the second round again and possibly the quarterfinals. Games to Keep an Eye On With all 64 matches of the 2010 World Cup being televised, here are the games you need to watch. SOUTH AFRICA VS. MEXICO (9:30 a.m. Friday) This is the first game of the 2010 World Cup, the first World Cup hosted on African soil. South Africa will be pulling out all the stops to make this game an incredible experience, and the Bafana Bafana (nickname for the national team) will be pumped up like never before. USA VS. ENGLAND (2 p.m. Saturday) The Revolutionary War: Round Two is being billed as one of the biggest games. Sixty years ago, the United States beat England in the World Cup, which was and still is considered one of the biggest upsets of all time. Since then, England has dominated the United States. But the U.S. players, who beat Spain last summer and pushed Brazil to the end in the 2009 Confederations Cup Final, are riding high on confidence, and believe they can beat the British. However, the British know they are the better team, and with one of the best coaches in the world, they have one of the best chances to win the World Cup. ARGENTINA VS. GREECE (2 p.m. June 22) Lionel Messi and Argentina take on the former Euro Cup-winning Greece in their final game of group play. Messi has set the field and the Internet alight with his magical skills, but Greece plays an excellent counterattacking style of soccer and might surprise Argentina if they aren’t careful on defense. GERMANY VS. GHANA (2 p.m. June 23) These two nations will meet in their final games of the group stage, and this game could determine the group’s winner. Also interesting to note: The German squad includes Jerome Boateng, a defender, and the Ghanian squad includes Kevin-Prince Boateng, Jerome Boateng’s brother. Who doesn’t want to see sibling rivalry on an international stage?BRAZIL VS. PORTUGAL (9:30 a.m. June 25) Rarely do we get to see the Portuguese-speaking squads face off against each other, but this World Cup gives us that chance. Brazil and Portugal both play similar styles, and both have had an incredible amount of success in recent World Cups. Watch out for Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil’s Kaka dazzle the crowd with brilliant dribbling and exquisite passing and scoring. WORLD CUP FINAL MATCH (1:30 p.m. July 11) The most anticipated and most watched game in the world is the World Cup Final, and with the talented nations in this edition of the World Cup, it is very likely that it will be a great matchup. For anyone, whether they like soccer or not, this should be an incredible match, from the kickoff to the final whistle. Sounds to Listen For Every World Cup host nation carries its own sporting event traditions. In South Africa, a common sound is the blaring from the Vuvuzelas, or the stadium horns. The noise from them is quite noticeable, and it will certainly add to the arena atmosphere. If you are a true fan, you can buy one online and use it while watching games at home (or if you are really daring, at a friend’s house or a local pub). How are we, as Americans, supposed to feel? One of the main reasons the World Cup is so great is the passion. The fans and players put all their energy into 90 minutes, cheering, yelling and pouring their hearts out for their nation.The passion is hard to describe to someone who has never seen or been to an international match, but one great example was the USA vs. Canada hockey games during the Olympics. Fans lived and died on each goal, and it is that kind of mentality that makes World Cups a cauldron of passion and excitement. For all readers, if you decide to root for another team beside the United States, find out when all their games are, watch them, make sure to learn about the players on your team’s squad and cheer your team to victory.