<p>Bradley should not have lost the ball like that in the midfield… I honestly wonder if he perhaps wouldn’t have done that if he was still playing in Serie A instead of MLS (the MLS game is slower and players have more time on the ball to make decisions).</p>
<p>That said, the U.S. had plenty of players in the box to defend the cross. It was a world class cross, but one of those defenders MUST be first to the ball.</p>
<p>Dempsey played well as the lone attacker.</p>
<p>3rd games will be played simultaneously…</p>
<p>If USA wins: we advance (1st in group)
If USA ties: we advance (2nd in group)</p>
<p>If USA loses it gets complicated.
USA loss + Ghana/Portugal tie = USA advances
USA loss + Ghana win = USA advances IF a better goal differential in group matches
USA loss + Portugal win = USA advances IF a better goal differential in group matches</p>
<p>Current goal differentials are:
USA +1
GHA -1
POR -4</p>
<p>there are infinite scenarios with goal differential, but (for example) if GER beats USA 1-0, and GHA beats POR 2-0, then GHA will advance over the USA… or if GER beats USA 2-0 and GHA beats POR 1-0. POR needs to make up 5 goals on the USA to advance.</p>
<p>the second tie breaker is goals scored</p>
<p>^Thank you!</p>
<p>Here’s even more detail:
<a href=“What tie against Portugal means for the United States moving forward | For The Win”>http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/06/usmnt-tie-moving-forward</a></p>
<p>Nobody likes to kiss his sister… but if a draw with the Germans means a date with the master chocolatiers in the round of 16… pucker up, Gretel.</p>
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<p>I can’t believe you said that before the final whistle, Pooch. I don’t mind that karma bit you, but it bit the rest of us too.</p>
<p>I made that statement about 5 minutes before that cross kick. Definitely bad karma.</p>
<p>The analysts pointed out that the US added another defense man late in the game to prevent Portugal from scoring. One even said the cardinal rule at the end of games is to never let an opponent get behind you. Portugal had one player inside the box and the US had three defenders to contain him. The replay show two other unmarked Portuguese players in good positions to drive home a rebound too. If we had one defender with great instincts they would have covered the goal scorer and prevented him from scoring.</p>
<p>I would have liked to have seen the US use a “prevent defense” like they do in US football. Keep one defender back near the goal.and have the other defenders stay closer to their goal. </p>
<p>It just amazes me how the stars can produce when they need to–Messi, Suaraz, and Ronaldo. I think there must be something physically wrong with Ronaldo, but he still produced in the clutch.</p>
<p>The team mom should have given Bradley orange slices at halftime. I haven’t seen a WC player that useless in the second half of a game since that Brazilian had to play with a broken leg (1964?). </p>
<p>He couldn’t muster much more than a slow jog for the last 20 minutes. Every time he got the ball he gave it right back to Portugal. All he had to do on that last play was pass the ball and not get stripped, or even kick it down into the corner. And that shot - hitting it at a defender from 5 yards out? Horrible, a Bill Buckner moment for US Soccer.</p>
<p>I thought that once Bradley gave up the ball the counter attack was so fast it became very difficult to run with the attackers. That’s the essence of a counter-attack: it develops so fast the defense can’t mark their men. It was a terrific cross and that’s that. </p>
<p>The US should have kicked the ball toward the Portugese goal and let them bring it up. The risk is always a quick strike after a take-away and you negate that by making them work the ball upfield. </p>
<p>That said, best game I’ve seen the US play at a high level, thought Portugal isn’t what they were, especially with C. Ronaldo not in top shape. (Remember the original Ronaldo (Brazil)? Klose tied him with his 15th goal in WC play. That made this guy “C. Ronaldo” for years.)</p>
<p>^ ^ ^ ^</p>
<p>Shouldn’t the US have kept one or two defenders back just in case something like this happened? Why were all three defenders running towards their goal and not even communicating with each other?</p>
<p>This was a classic case of what to do when you are a goal behind with less than one minute to play. But, it was also a classic case of what NOT to do when you have a goal lead with less than one minute left to play beginning with Bradley’s poor play. I can’t see any US football team letting a receiver run past them on the last play of the game. They move their corner backs and safeties back to their goal line. They aren’t caught up field and having to turn around and sprint to their goal lines.</p>
<p>We might have been better off having Howard and three defenders stand in front of the goal. I’m sorry but I think the defense is as much to blame as Bradley was. </p>
<p>Wow, what a great run by Robben in stoppage time! Is he really that fast or did it just appear that way?</p>
<p>Robben has been my favorite player so far.</p>
<p>Robben is that fast. His game is based on speed and his left foot. He’s particularly fast on the dribble when most players slow down. That play allowed him to use both his skills. He often plays on the right side, gets the ball and then runs across the front of the defense so he can play with his left. </p>
<p>BTW, if you watched how the play developed, it may have happened because the Chilean player was too busy diving to contest the ball that ended up downfield. There was a ton of diving in this game. Soccer at its worst. Both teams did it and kept doing it though the referee made clear he wasn’t going to call fouls on iffy plays, particularly in or near the penalty box. On the key play at the end, the ball came up in the air and the Chilean player did a shot from a gun fall as the Dutch player touched him from behind. That left him on the ground as the ball was played to Robben. BTW, Robben is a big diver too. His standard dive was seen a few minutes earlier when the ball was taken from him and he threw himself forward as though tripped. He managed to draw a free kick on a dive near the touch line earlier. When you watch how strong Robben can be on the ball when he wants - well, when you watch any of these guys keep their feet when they want - you see how much intentional falling occurs. This game was full of it despite the ref saying no, no, no, no. </p>
<p>Somebody pointed out when Germany’s Muller was laying on the ground in game one and writhing in pain, all it took for a miraculous recovery was Pepe of Portugal to bend down and head butt him. Up popped Muller like a Jack In A Box ready to go toe-to-toe with Pepe.for 15 rounds. </p>
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<p>I get that flopping on the ground is done to draw a foul, but as you point out, it also completely takes that player out of the game at that moment if the ref doesn’t fall for it. </p>
<p>I’ve also seen plays develop when players STOP PLAYING to cry for a handball or other foul. Meanwhile, the opposition uses that moment to press towards the goal. At this level, why aren’t the coaches nipping that?</p>
<p>In that infamous US vs. Brazil women’s game in World Cup 2011, Brazil was able to take the lead when Shannon Box, guarding Marta, decides to call offsides up the field. Unfortunately, the linesman did NOT call that; while Box is protesting rather than marking, Marta is able to capitalize and scores. Fortunately, the Rapinoe cross to Abby Wambach equalized the score and the US was able to win on PKs. </p>
<p>These non-handball calls are ticking me off.</p>
<p>Way to pour it on, Mexico. Fun ending.</p>