Two points.

One point from a draw with Egypt, one from a draw with either Italy or Brazil (probably Italy); that's just about the best we can hope for out of the United States' sojourn to South Africa for the Confederations Cup. And, amazingly enough, we should all be excited about those two points.

There are problems with the American team as it is currently constituted. Players that are expected to contribute are rusty from not getting playing time with their clubs. Obvious starters at several positions are as yet undetermined, and the depth of the squad is in question. Bob Bradley doesn't seem settled on an effective strategy, and his direction in recent games has left a lot to be desired.

With a team in flux, two points represents two competitive performances. Against Egypt, it means the Yanks kept pace with the African Cup of Nations winner; against Italy or Brazil, it means they played up to superior competition and defended well enough to get a point. Both outcomes would be heartening; few, if any, of the well-reasoned observers I know expect the Americans to proceed out of such a difficult group. We know that the Americans are supreme underdogs, and we know that the chances of even one victory aren't great.

What we care about, what we want to see out of a team that has disappointed recently, is effort, passion, and a feeling of cohesion. If the US lines up in South Africa against some of the world's best nations and folds, then something is extremely wrong and it may be time to seriously discuss major changes. If they manage to play with heart and energy, but still lose, we'll be able to take something away from the tournament heading in the final qualification run. Even two points would go a long way towards giving us hope ahead of 2010. Although the expectation is that the soccer media (such as it is) and the respected blogging world will downplay American chances for the World Cup, and rightfully so, an encouraging Confederations Cup might temper our pessimism.

I'm not usually much for moral victories. I'm generally disdainful of being encouraged by losing, no matter how much better the competition may be. Perhaps I'm just too American that way. But I'm making an exception for the Confederations Cup, if only to a point. Instead of moral victories earned in losses, I'd like to see a few moral victories earned through the much-more-palatable draw. We can stomach what most of the non-soccer public will call a "poor" showing under those circumstances, because we, as passionate and intelligent fans, would understand exactly what those draws might mean.

Progress? Maybe, but not necessarily. Potential. That's what we want to see. Potential. Just give us a reason to hope that the future could be better than the past.

Two points is all it takes.