Confederations Cup Wrap-Up
The Confederations Cup wrapped up yesterday with an exciting final in which the U.S. put in a brave performance but ultimately succumbed 3-2 to a superior Brazilian side. I was able to follow the opening round of games fairly closely but missed out on much of the latter stages of the tournament, so I'd love to hear some comments from those of you to caught the amazing turn-around by the U.S. team who started out with two abject losses before catching fire.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 3:57 PM
2 Comments:
Aye, well I never believed that we were going to get into the final. That's an enormous achievement.
But the fact of the thing is that at the moment we were faced with an exit after successive mullerings by Italy and then Brazil, we met an unraveling Egypt.
Spain was a different story. I still can't figure out what happened there. The argument that makes the most sense is that all of the Spaniards were coming off full European schedules, and that the meat of their side had players that reached the semis and the final games of the CL. I think they ran out of gas. I also think that Timmy Howard's brilliance in the match might have frustrated both Torres and Villa who have shown a lack of resilience before when it's not going their way.
Brazil are another kettle of fish entirely. For one, the rope-a-dope doesn't work on them because they never come into a match expecting to leave with a clean sheet. Their whole footballing strategy is based on the fact that they only need to score one more goal than their opponent. So going in 2-0 down at the half isn't going to rattle them like it might the Spanish.
I think 2nd place is a better result for the US anyway. It's a confidence boost to beat Spain. It's a confidence boost to know that when our backs are against the wall, we can sometimes claw our way through.
But larger victory of this final is three-fold in my opinion.
Bob, you mentioned that it's possible that a second place finish might put the US into the second pot for SA2010. If that's right, that's a tremendous advantage there. If we were lucky, and drew the hosts who will have to be seeded in pot 1, we'd only have to beat them (likely on this showing) and then stick close to a 2nd rate European or South American team from pot 3, and wellie some pot 4 no-body like the Saudis.
Second, it's important for Bradley to recognize that we are very much an unfinished article. We are dependent on some players more likely to disappear (that's you Landon) than stand up, players who infuriatingly cough up the ball, (that's you, Nagadotches Ice) and players who aren't international class. I think Bradley has to quickly decide to integrate that German guy from Shalke who is coming back from injury and who could really make a difference in a Michael Bradley role. I think Bradley's got some very hard decisions to make about a left and right back. And he's got to find a composed striker who'll hit the target with whatever chance he's presented with.
Finally, I think that the gutsy performance of this team cut the rot that had been creeping into our CONCACAF qualifying games. Everyone remembers that spanking doled out in CR, but maybe not that we weren't THAT good in some of our victories against really crappy and second-rate rivals. Hopefully, we're re-charged now and can beat a more meaningful opponent for the first time at a place we've never won: Mexico in the Azteca. A victory there this time would be as good as a win in a Mickey Mouse tournament like the Confederations Cup.
You're right on a number of counts, Gooner. The U.S.'s performance was one of the most dramatic turn-arounds in international football that I can remember since the French team in 82 or the Argentinians in 90. Abject losses in the first two games and then a run to the final.
Like you, I'm hoping that Bradley learned his lesson about certain players; i.e., that DaMarcus Beasley is done and that Jay Demerit is the guy for the center back spot. We may have to live with Gooch, though, sadly. He did well in the last three matches.
I'm hoping that Bradley can get a memo across to his son, Ricardo Clark and the other hot-heads about rash challenges. We can whine all we want about harsh red cards, but if they go lunging in next summer, the U.S. will facing an uphill battle.
Roll on the Azteca!
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