- Keith Hickey

This is the first edition of a new recurring feature, the Thursday Top Ten. We hope you enjoy it!


The United States Men’s National team has played many games. Some were losses. Some were draws. Some were wins. And a select few of those wins have attained a mythological status amongst soccer fans. Here are the ten best USMNT wins.

by Matt Acconciamessa - US Soccer Daily

It's time to panic. We're awful. This team is a huge disappointment, and we're going to crash out of the first round in June. We can't overcome all of these injuries, and we're just not talented enough to beat good teams outside of CONCACAF.


I urge every fan, blogger, journalist, podcast host, and TV pundit to be very vocal with their displeasure and lack of belief towards Bob Bradley's squad. All of those sorry excuses for soccer players wearing those nifty new uniforms need to know just how little faith we have in their ability.


I mean, they might as well just save the USSF some money on airfare and forfeit all the group stage matches, right?


OK, so clearly I'm being sarcastic, but there is a point I'm actually trying to make (believe or not). As much as all of the injuries and the three straight "A team" friendly losses (Slovakia, Denmark, Netherlands) are not exactly what we'd like to see in the months leading up to the World Cup, are they really a bad thing?


Let's think about for a second: when did the USMNT turn in it's best performances over the past year? When they were facing the most adversity. After an embarrassingly lopsided loss in Costa Rica and a shaky home win over Honduras, the US went down to the Confederations Cup in South Africa, where things only got worse. A 3-1 loss to Italy and an awful showing against Brazil brought American frustration and disappointment to a boiling point, with every message board and credible soccer publication expressing serious doubt with the current coach and crop of players.


With all of that being thrown upon them and with an injury to captain Carlos Bocanegra throwing a wrench in the lineup, what did the USMNT do? They turned in their most impressive game of the year, defeating the two-time defending champions of Africa comfortably and miraculously moving on to the semifinals.


Was it a coincidence that the team turned in their most inspired performance in the wake of so much doubt and adversity? Well, when you look at what Michael Bradley had to say after the game, it's pretty clear that it did:

"To do something special like that, where everything is against you, everybody wants to say how bad you are, everybody wants to write you off, to leave all that bull s*** outside the locker room and just be committed to the team, to leave everything on the field, to run for each other, to fight for each other, that's what we did."

"All the f***ing experts in America, everybody who thinks they know about soccer, they can all look at the score tonight and let's see what they have to say now. Nobody has any respect for what we do, for what goes on on the inside, so let them all talk now."

Yeah, I think they were listening, and I think it played a huge part in bringing them together and pushing them to their strongest performance in months.
How'd they follow that act up? Just a victory over Spain and last-minute loss to Brazil. Not too shabby at all.


When their backs were against the wall, this team came out fighting, and it propelled them to one of the greatest runs in US soccer history. So maybe all of these injury woes and a few disappointing results ahead of South Africa isn't the worst thing that could happen.


Maybe they'll lose against the Czech Republic and Turkey and set the panic into full swing once again. All of the questions and doubts would fester for two weeks, giving Bob Bradley and company plenty of time to get a good earful from all the haters.


It'd be perfectly timed for another one of those "f*** the experts", determined performances against England that just might earn us another miraculous result.


So if things aren't looking up over the next couple of months and the national team looks destined for an early exit, be sure to let everyone know just how upset you really are. But, on the inside, know that this team is at its best when all the chips are stacked against them.


Cross-posted to US Soccer Daily

Happy New Year wishes everyone. The new year is only a few hours old, but I couldn't help myself. It's already time for the first post of 2010.


Apparently, everyone loves a list. I think I probably more "tolerate" lists than
"love" them (love is a strong word reserved to describe my feelings about bourbon, soccer in HD, and dreams of quitting my day job), but nonetheless I understand the appeal.


The end of the year, which happens to coincide with what most people view as the end of the decade, results in a veritable explosion of lists. Both "of the year" and "of the decade" are covered ad nauseum. In fact, there are so many lists and so many people creating them that there are few subjects left really worth covering. Anything I can think of doing has already been done, and I'm really not the type who enjoys treading covered ground. Originality is fun.


But, since people love lists so much, and the blogger's code requires the posting of a list at the end of every year/decade/century/millennium, I had to come up with something. It might stretch the definition of "original" just a bit, but oh well.


I give you MFUSA's "Top 10 Lists Covering the Year or Decade", in no particular order.


1. Top 10 CONCACAF Clubs of the Decade


From Duane over at the 24th Minute is a rundown of the top 10 clubs from our little backwater (that would be CONCACAF) of the football world. I find little fault with Duane's list; predictably and rightly, a Mexican club is number one, with a few other FMF side plus MLS and a Costa Rican (take a guess which one) team rounding out the top ten.


2. 2009: The Soccer Year in Review


Andrea Canales runs down the biggest soccer stories of 2010, with a slight and understandable lean to US subjects. I'm a big fan of No. 9.


3. Stories of the Year


Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer does the same as Canales, only with all American subjects. Lewis' biggest stories includes a nod to the National Soccer Hall of Fame and its troubles, one of the most glossed over and under-covered happenings of 2009.


4. A Personal Look Back at 2009's Top XI Soccer Memories


Peter Wilt, former Chicago Fire and Chicago Red Stars president and current head man of MISL side Milwaukee Wave, joined Pitch Invasion this year, and somehow did the impossible; he made it better when it was already great. In this contribution, he recaps his personal top soccer memories of the year, covering his own team and hiring, WPS, MLS, and Fulham's push for European football.


5. USMNT Top 10 Goals of the Year


New MFUSA contributor Matt over at his own blog, US Soccer Daily, runs down the top 10 USMNT goals of the year, with helpful YouTube clips to each. Number one is a no brainer, and I'm glad Matt got it right, or he may not have been welcome around here anymore. Kidding. Maybe.


6. Top Moments of 2009


I like this list, and am glad I went looking long enough to find it. It's got a little bit of everything, including acknowledgement of some youth championships won in 2009, and a certain handball that rocked the world.


7. The Decade American Soccer Arrived


Association Football (add to your reader or blog rotation, now) gives us four major items of note for the decade past, all of which point to continued progress for American soccer. Item number one is the of particular interest for me, and is a nice rundown of strides the US has made on the international stage, while keeping it all in context.


8. The 2000s: 11 Best American Players of the Decade


Moving on to team- and player-based lists, here's Goal.com's top American players of the decade. This list is based on form, pointing out those players that shone in a particular period. Two keepers, Donovan, O'Brien, McBride, and even Michael Bradley make the cut. Perhaps a little surprising is the year picked out for Clint Dempsey, one before his move to England and further evolution as a player.


9. USMNT '00-'09: TSG's Squad For All The Marbles


The Shin Guardian takes a different approach to their team of the decade, choosing to put together a dream squad while paying attention to things like positions and tactics, using a 4-3-2-1 formation. No Reyna, Hejduk over Sannaeh at right back, and a Howard over Friedel makes TSG's team one worthy of discussion.


10. A List of My Own


The final list here is list within a list of lists. I couldn't help myself; I have to run down my biggest stories of 2009 for you, even as I avoid the painful expounding that usually accompanies them. Remember, these are the biggest stories, not the best ones.

10. Altidore Loaned to Hull
9. Real Salt Lake Wins MLS Cup
8. Red Bull Arena Takes Shape
7. LA Galaxy Turnaround
6. Mexico Thumps US in Gold Cup Final
5. Oguchi Onyewu Signs With AC Milan
4. US Draw England in World Cup 2010
3. Success in Seattle
2. Charlie Davies Injured in Fatal Crash
1. US Finishes Shocks Spain, Finishes Second at Confed Cup

If I missed something, it's because it's New Year's and I'm spent. I had hoped to get this up earlier, when it was still 2009, but oh well. Consider it the last post in which I actively look back. It's all about 2010 now, and while there are certainly hurdles, I expect it to be a banner year for American soccer.

Cheers.

As Americans, we're all still basking in the afterglow of the USMNT Confederations Cup performance; we're analyzing our players, talking about our coach, and considering public opinion on our beloved sport on the greater national stage. As we are understandably inwardly focused these days, I thought it might be interesting to get some sense of how the Americans' efforts in South Africa are being viewed on the other side of the Atlantic.

To that end, I've asked Chris Nee of twofootedtackle to answer a few questions I had on the English perception of our boys and our success in South Africa.

MFUSA: Have you seen or do you believe there will be any appreciable change in the way the English press views the US National Team in light of their run to the Confederations Cup final?

Chris Nee: I think we were given the usual platitudes after the win over Spain. By its very nature the press likes to latch onto the big stories and hype them up, but at the core was a self-serving desire to portray the USA as a brilliant side - at least for that one game - because how else could they beat a team England couldn't touch? Of course losing to Brazil now means the USMNT is back to its plucky underdog status, but I hope a little of the residual appreciation of what they actually achieved will remain.

MFUSA: Do you believe there has been any change in the way American players are viewed?

Chris Nee: Yes and no. Seeing how Jozy and Gooch played (good at it though they were) probably reinforces the perception of American players as amazing athletes and not a lot else. Maybe Jozy's goal against Spain showed some of us the other side of his game. For many English viewers it was a first proper look at the US (the tournament was much more accessible than previous Confederations Cup games), and I think more people now appreciate that while there are a lot of big guys in the current US team, there's plenty of skill too. US players certainly seem to now be considered as full of character and determination, and deservedly so.

MFUSA: Which American increased his standing most in the minds of English observers?

Chris Nee: We're now much more aware of Charlie Davies and Michael Bradley, both of whom I thought were excellent in the USA's great run to the final. Bradley in particular is now a popular name to throw around in speculation about a Premier League move because he showed himself to be the type of midfielder we love here, a dynamic box-to-box player with stacks of energy and no problem getting stuck in. We know Jay Demerit well enough, but I think even those of us who like him at Watford were surprised at just how good he was.

But ultimately the biggest gains were made by the man every English fan is talking about today thanks to Grant Wahl: Landon Donovan. We knew he was good, and I've seen some great things from him in a Galaxy shirt, but he surprised everyone with his effort, pace and ability. His goal in the final was incredible.

MFUSA: What was the English perception of the US victory over Spain?

Chris Nee: Everybody was just surprised, but I think that's more to do with our fear of Spain. We've put them on a pedestal and didn't think the US had a hope in hell of knocking them off it. Most of us were pleased, and the fact that it was done in such an attacking, confident way really did you guys a favour. Had it been a case of smothering the game the US would've got slated in the press, but Bob Bradley set his team up to go at Spain and got the rewards. Overall it was pretty impressive stuff.

MFUSA: In your opinion, how much of any negative perception on the part of the English (both media and public) towards the US National Team and soccer here on the whole is based on fact and how much is simple dismissive arrogance?

Chris Nee: It's a bit of both. You know as well as anyone that US soccer has its obstacles, and the English media and footy public are well aware of some of them - though not all. Generally, the US is written off because of competition with NFL, MLB, NBA and MLB. Of course, nothing gets noted about Major League Soccer's internal dilemmas (parity, capping, expansion etc) and that's largely because MLS - much more than the national team - is totally ignored. The growth of MLS is completely unknown.

There is a definite arrogance about it, but it's just a magnified version of the attitude we have towards every country except Brazil, Argentina and Germany. The fact that football isn't America's biggest sport means the English simply don't see the USMNT as even the slightest threat. That has changed in the sense that we sure as hell don't want to draw you in South Africa, but the press would still just assume an English win.

Check out Chris' blog and podcast on all soccer topics at twofootedtackle, as well as his views on MLS at Soccerlens and Some People Are On the Pitch.

Goff at Soccer Insider has posted the ESPN ratings for the Confederations Cup final, and they're predictably pretty good.

2.74 overall, which per my basic match, means that 3.1 million homes were tuned to the match. That sounds pretty good, but I can't shake that feeling that it seems a little low. I've heard nothing but anecdotal stories about Americans watching the match yesterday, from both inside and outside the soccer community, and that would lead me to believe that 3.1 million doesn't quite represent the total number of TVs tuned to the game. Maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

Remember, this number is only for ESPN and does not include the Univision Spanish-language TV numbers; I would expect that Univision number will more than double the total households that watched the match.

I also don't off hand have anything to compare this to; my guess is that the number is inline with many regular-season games from baseball or basketball, and well behind even the lowest rated NFL game.

Check Goff's blog for an interesting list of the cities that watched the game in the greatest numbers (or perhaps its percentage, I'm not really sure).

Anyone have insight on this number? Do you share my feeling that it might not represent the total ESPN audience?

If you stuck with ESPN during the post-match festivities yesterday, perhaps in a mild catatonic state of shock as I was, you might have noticed that Clint Dempsey received the "Bronze Ball", the award given the third best player in the tournament as voted by the journalists covering the Confederations Cup.

Dempsey had a fair tournament, and put a few very nice goals, including the most important of any the US scored, the third against Egypt. But no only was he not the third best player in the tournament over all, he wasn't even the best player on his own team.

That distinction, and while I don't expect it to be unanimous because it is of course a subjective evaluation, belongs to Landon Donovan.

I have yet to speak with someone since the Americans ended their down-and-up Confed Cup who does not believe that Donovan is the clear choice for best US player. He was all over the pitch throughout his time in South Africa, starting attacks, clearing balls in defense, harrying opposing players in the midfield, and leading by example; if asked, I'm sure that even Clint himself would agree that Donovan played better than him throughout the competition.

So why then, did Dempsey receive an award and Donovan did not? To be fair, I'm doubtful that Donovan was too broken up about being left out of the ceremony, especially in light of the disappointing loss to the Brazilians; a trophy, bronze or otherwise, would be little consolation to a player who so desperately wanted to win.

But for us, the fans and observers of the team and the tourney, who while admittedly biased can often be harsh in our assessment, Dempsey over Donovan for a meaningless trophy is worth talking about.

My thought today, as I sift through the event of the last two weeks and attempt to put everything in the proper perspective (and I'm still working on it, no matter my earlier post), I'm struck by what I believe to be a fairly reasonable thought: Dempsey trumped Donovan for the award because Clint Dempsey plays in a "real" football league and Landon Donovan plays in Major League Soccer.

Sorry about the bold there. Just want to be sure you didn't miss it.

This isn't some grand conspiracy theory, or groundshaking pronouncement; but it is a stark reminder of the bias that both our players and our league face in the wider footballing world. It would have been almost impossible for the writers to leave an American off the podium after the run they put in to close out the tournament, and while both Dempsey and Donovan were in the running, it's clear that Dempsey's Premier League pedigree won out. If we are to assume that the collection of writers in South Africa, and I know nothing about the makeup of that group but I think it's reasonable to guess, are reasonably intelligent and well-heeled in the sport, then it's difficult for me to conceive of them missing the fact that Donovan was better than Dempsey.

Congrats to Clint. It probably shouldn't have been you.

Your thoughts? Am I crazy and just delirious for a tiring weekend and a terrible Monday at work?

It's the morning after the United States came up just short against giants Brazil in the Confederations Cup final. It's the morning after the end of a tournament that saw the Americans go from depressingly poor performances to the heights of knocking of the best team in the world and taking the most storied team in history down to the final minutes. It's the morning after some perceived shift has taken place for the fortunes for the Unites States Men's National Team, and I feel it important to try and put the last few weeks in perspective.

Before it began, we all attempted to keep our expectations in check. The US was drawn into a ridiculous group, with two of the top five teams in the world and a generally underrated Egyptian side, so advancement to the semi-final rounds was a remote possibility of which most (if not all) of us could not conceive. I stated that two points from the group stage would satisfy me, as it would indicate a team with enough wherewithal and ability to earn two draws against a collection of three good teams. Perhaps those expectations were low, but Bob Bradley's team had not given us any reason to hope that they were capable of anything more; less-than-stellar play against Costa Rica and Honduras left many of us wondering if the Americans would get even a point in South Africa.

When the Yanks fell flat against Italy in the second half of their opening match (keeping in mind that they were a man down, of course) and were then throttled by a Brazil side scoring for fun, many of us threw in the towel on the 2009 Confederations Cup. Oh well, we thought, at least they received a wake up call about what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the internationals stage. Headin into the final group stage match with Egypt, we saw little hope of progressing, much less running roughshod over the African champions after they had just stunned Italy; yet, that's exactly what they did, and aided by a rampant Brazil and a terrible Italy in the other match of the day, squeaked through to the semi-finals. Zero points became three points, and while that exceeded my expectations, it came through one competitive match rather than two as I was hoping; believing it was possible that the US could beat Spain never even entered my mind. I assumed, like so many, that they would take their three points, lose to Spain, and head home.

And then they beat Spain. Impossible.

The performance against the European champions fulfilled all of the promise that so many of us thought this team held. Bob Bradley restored our faith, to a point, that he could get out of his boys something greater than the previous month had shown. Organized and committed, they played just as American teams must if they're going to have any shot against sides with superior talent; man for man Spain was vastly superior to the Americans by any reasonable measure, but as a team, the Yanks won out. The Yanks also proved that inferior talent doesn't mean lack of it, and several players stood out as stars. Watershed moment? Perhaps, but for most of us it was more about having our belief rewarded and our dissatisfaction with previous results justified. The Americans can play, and the victory over Spain proved it.

Whether or not it was a matter of a one-off fluke or an indication of the US turning a corner was another matter. After the shocking win over Spain, we barely had a chance to catch our breath before the tournament final on Sunday. Again, the odds were stacked against the Americans, and while a few more might have believed them capable of beating Brazil thanks to the Spain result, most had them crashing back to earth. The Brazilians thumped the US 3-0 in the group stage, and although the Yanks might have turned into a different team between that first meeting and the final, superior talent will usually win out.

In the end, that's exactly what happened. For one half in a FIFA tournament final, the United States once again played with the best in the world and bettered them, leading 2-0 at the break. The storm was gathering as soon as the second half kicked off, though, and Brazil took the game over completely. Ragged, tired, and simply spent after the effort of the past week, the American couldn't keep up with a motivated Brazil in the second half, and succumbed 2-3.

The loss was disappointing. Leading by two goals only to have the trophy snatched away hurts, no matter the excitement we feel even getting there. I, and I'm sure many other, are of two minds: we're over-the-top ecstatic that the team pulled themselves together and gave us a magical week that we could have never expected - but we're also, as passionate fans with an emotional investment, capable of analyzing the final in a way that leads to criticism. No one gets, or should get, a pass simply because the run to the final was unprecendented; call it unrealistic expectations if you must, but the nature of passion leads to calls for continued improvement. The United States is not as good as Brazil. Fine. But if the team is going to continue to improve, continue to reach the levels it did this week and do so in the World Cup, then complacency should never be allowed.

Still...

Proud and heartened doesn't begin to describe the way USMNT fans should feel today. We should be thrilled to have a team that is suddenly and unexpectedly coming together in a way that seemed impossible such a short time ago. We should be proud and heartened that so many of the young Americans on the field this week are now the focus of rampant transfer speculation. We should be proud and heartened that a team made up of middling European league players, Major League Soccer stars, and youngsters with no recent club playing time, not only defeated the number one ranked team in the world, but threatened to steal a trophy that so many believed they had no real chance of winning.

Hell of a week.

The future is tricky now. Expectations will be raised. Casual observers will now see any failure as proof that the team got lucky in South Africa, and that they're still not more than a big fish in a small pond masquerading as a decent soccer team. Those that wish to cut down either the USMNT or American soccer in general will look for any reason to suck away our belief, to steal away our excitement, and to kill our buzz.

It's a delicate balance. Expecting good consistent performances is one thing; suddenly believing that they are World Cup contenders or even shoe-ins for the knockout stages is another. Finding that perfect point, where demand that they play to their full abilities meets recognizing that it might not always be enough, is difficult.

I'm still trying to grasp it myself.

Now it's onto the Gold Cup, with only a few holdovers from the Confed Cup "A" team. It will seem like an utter letdown after the excitement of South Africa, but it is an important part of the program's evolution. The future of the team, and players that may fill in gaps on next year's World Cup squad, will be on display around the country.

But it's Azteca that we're truly focused on, as that's the game that will show if past week as just an ephemeral hot streak or a true indication of improvement. If ever the Americans had a chance to go to Mexico City and beat El Tri on their soil in a World Cup qualifier, it would seem that this would be the year.

And now I believe it can happen. I'm trying to maintain that perspective, and we have never won in Mexico City...

But Mexico? Who are they? WE BEAT SPAIN!

On this week's Match Fit USA Soccer Show, it's all about the US National Team. Zach and Jason eat some crow on Bob Bradley after the shocking American turnaround, discuss the Yanks that made a name for themselves at the Confederations Cup, talk about the team and the future with Noah Davis of Goal.com, and continue with Noah to ponder that "effect" of the week as well as the mainstream media response.

The Match Fit USA Soccer Show, part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

LISTEN in the CSRN Media Player (up midday Monday)

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You can get the show in iTunes by searching "Match Fit USA", clicking here, or by subscribing to the CSRN iTunes feed (search "CSRN"), which includes the Match Fit USA Soccer Show, Winning Ugly Radio, the Glory Glory Leeds Show with Twiggster, and Over to England with Lord Gadsby.

*Just a note: Apparently, I said "Michael Orozco" when talking about players with dual-citizenship rather than "Edgar Castillo", which is obviously who I meant. Wish I had gotten it right the first time around, especially in light of this news today.

I think we're all wallowing in disappointment right now. Not only were the United States in the final of a FIFA tournament, they had shocked the world to get there. The first half didn't help, of course, as the US jumped out to a 2-0 lead after forty-five minutes.

They lifted us up and gave us hope, only to let us crash back down to earth when the final whistle blew and the scoreline read 3-2.

But it was one hell of a ride. They greatest victory in the modern history of the United States as a soccer nation took place in this tournament, and that alone should give us solace.

So we're not quite there yet. S0 we don't have the horses to finish it out, especially against a team as skilled as Brazil. But what we've clearly shown is that the future is bright for American soccer, Confederations Cup in our trophy case or not. A new bar has been set for the national team, and while that means a new set of expectations, it's also a significant step on the road to becoming a player on the world stage. If this is what the United States is after only twenty years of significant commitment to the game, then we're really not doing too badly.

Today is a day to be frustrated, crestfallen, and yes, perhaps even a little angry. It's difficult to celebrate the overall effort immediately after a loss, especially when victory was so tantalizingly close. Maybe that will come tomorrow.

Perspective is better found from a distance. We have none yet.

Brazil 3, United States 2, damn it all to hell.

And now I have to somehow get myself ready to record the new podcast.

I, along with the all-star roster of contributors to the newly formed Epic Footy live blog depot, will be live blogging the USA-Brazil Confed Cup final today. Start time is 2:15 Eastern.

Here we are, only a few hours ahead of the United States Men's National Team's first shot to win a trophy in a FIFA tournament. My head is still a little foggy, so I probably won't have any profound statements or biting insight; but what I do have, and in abundance, are butterflies.

The backlash has already begun, with the old guard of American sportswriters lashing out against a sport they don't understand. While I think it's easy to overstate the impact a victory today might have on the relevancy of soccer in the United States, it's clear that there has already been an effect. Making the final of a competition that includes Brazil is enough to raise the eyebrows of many.

As for the match, I've promised myself that I won't make a prediction. I don't want to color my expectations of the match with any preconceived notions of what might happen. I simply want to watch the game, root hard, and let the result be what it is. No punditry today, because nothing I could come up with will be any more original or insightful than what anyone and everyone else says. The talking points, the things the Americans must do if they're to have a chance to win, are well known at this point; I won't bore you or stress my brain by rehashing them.

So. Only hours away now, and the American soccer community is just beginning to really get itself worked up. Twitter is abuzz with comments about the game, discussions on the treatment it's getting by the traditional media, and exhortations of exciting and anticipation. Whether this will be a tipping point for soccer in America is a discussion for another day; today is just a day to be a fan, to revel in the Americans making a final in a world tournament for the first time, and to do everything in our power (lucky shirt anyone?) to help our boys get another shocking victory.

The word "anxious" doesn't begin to describe how I, and so many other USMNT fans, feel today, twenty four hours ahead of the Confederations Cup final in Johannesburg. I can't remember the last time I wanted a weekend to go by faster, rather than creep along.

What a victory over Brazil tomorrow might mean for soccer in the United States is debatable, and we can't really know for sure if it would make a significant difference in the way most of Americans views the sport. What's not debatable is the satisfaction all of us who live and die with our national team will feel if our Yankee Boys* are able to finish off what has been one of the most shocking weeks in our international footballing history.

The turnaround from the low brought on by flailing mightily against Italy and Brazil has not only restored our faith that this nation can compete with the best soccer playing countries in the world, not to mention lessened the heat on Bob Bradley from the soccer community, it has also brought the question of the game's "mainstream" potential back into play. Many wouldn't imagine it possible that soccer could even be a topic of conversation in many of the places that it showed up this week outside of a World Cup year. So many Americans simply ignore the sport unless it's being played on the grandest stage.

The Confederations Cup is certainly not the grandest stage. But with several international powerhouses including the number one team in the world participating, and with their full strength squads called up, it's not exactly a series of international friendlies, either. Spain, Italy, and Brazil didn't bring along their stars just warm up for qualifiers; they brought them because the intended to win the competition.

I find myself angry with Europeans or American Eurosnobs who imply that the US is in the final because Spain didn't really care. Watching the match, it seemed obvious that the Spanish were putting into the match everything they had, and were simply unable to break through on a resilient American team. Whether or not Spain is far and away the better side means nothing when the scoreline doesn't reflect it. Say what you want about the American style of play and whether or not it will lead to future success; the point of sports it to win, no matter what it takes to do so.

Even if the USMNT doesn't gain international respect from their performance in the tournament, a victory tomorrow will make a mark here greater than anything we've seen since the World Cup quarterfinal appearance in 2002.

I know I'm rambling without a point here, but I just had to get some thoughts out. We're all on pins and needles, hopeful and full of trepidation at the same time. I guess that's what happens when you suddenly look up to see your national team in a FIFA tournament final against the most storied soccer country in the world.

So if you're feeling anxious as well, feel free to use the comments of this post to commiserate with your fellow fans; less than twenty four hours to go now.

*Sorry about the crap nickname; I'm one of those who thinks the USMNT needs one, and with the "Eagles" already taken by the national rugby team, I thought I'd try something out. Why not? Besides, "Yankee Boys" is better than "Yankees", and fits with "Samba Boys" and "Reggae Boys".

I'm not sure there could be any two shows more different than last week's and this coming week's. The USMNT total turnaround will be the focus of the entire show, as Ginge and I attempt to shake the heat we received for our strong words last week.

We'll recap the groundbreaking victory over Spain, talk about what it means for soccer in the US, review the tournament final after it happens (who says we don't learn from our mistakes?), and bring in Noah Davis of Goal.com to get his insight on where the USMNT stands after the first part of a busy summer.

Look for the new show coming Monday.

The Match Fit USA Soccer Show, part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

There's also a new way to listen to the show, by dialing into a phone number set up through Podlinez.com. If you find yourself unable to download the show or stream it online but still want to get it the moment it comes out, dial (641)453-0073 to listen to it in its entirety over the phone.

A beautifully hit free kick goal by second half substitute Dani Alves helped Brazil defeat hosts South Africa 1-0 in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup yesterday. The Brazilians will now go on to face the high flying Americans in Sunday's tournament final.

For the USMNT, its fans, and the profile of soccer in the United States, it was the best possible outcome.

For me, there were two distinct ways to look at the Confederations Cup final as a USMNT fan. Either you hoped for South Africa to pull off a massive upset, setting up a USA-South Africa final, and while playing in Johnannesburg would make Bafana Bafana tougher than usual, the US would have a better chance to win, bringing them their first ever FIFA trophy. Or you hoped for a Brazil win, the expected result, because it would both give the US a chance at redemption against the Samba Boys, as well as test them with the strongest challenge possible. Beating Brazil in the final would only make the Confederations Cup triumph that much sweeter.

That was the goal before the tournament, right? To run the side through a gauntlet? The competition was talked up as a test of the squad as it is currently constituted, and as a chance for Bradley and his staff to gain a sense of their readiness ahead of next year's World Cup. Brazil, a team that ran roughshod over the Americans in the second game of the tournament, is simply a better measuring stick than the South Africans.

The win over Spain, win or lose against Brazil, will remain the USMNT's watershed moment for 2009 (even a victory at Azteca won't measure up); so for a team whose biggest achievement is behind them, what else is there? Beating Brazil and hoisting the Confederations Cup, of course.

If it was South Africa, no matter how difficult it might be to play them in front of a partisan crowd in Johannesburg, it just wouldn't live up to the standard of intensity the Americans have reached.

The Americans thumped the Egyptians when they had to and sneaked into the semi-finals. They rose up as one and played a near-perfect game against the top team in the world when no one thought they stood a chance. How fitting would it be to finish their streak by beating the team that made them look so bad in the group stage? How better to announce to the world "We here and we're good, so don't take us lightly"?

It had to be Brazil.

In the aftermath of the still stunning US victory over Spain, I'm struck by the sudden about-face that so many are doing in regards to American soccer's designated whipping boy, Landon Donovan.

Donovan takes more than his share of abuse from American soccer fans, and does so for a variety of reasons. His seeming lack of ambition, his somewhat frequent diving, his kissy-hand routine before penalty kicks: it all conspires to make him an easy target, despite his clear and abundant talent.

But Landon has clearly won over some of his critics with his tireless efforts to get the United States into the Confederations Cup final. Donovan has been a thorn in the side of opponents throughout the tournament, running himself ragged all over the pitch, working to win balls on defense and keying attacks on offense.

While the "Landycakes" moniker will probably never completely disappear, it seems that some have questioned themselves when it comes to its use.

David Wilson at Soccer Tickets Online says about Donovan: "I have criticized LandyCakes for not showing up when it counts in big games for the U.S., but Donovan has been terrific all during the tournament."

Bill Archer of Big Soccer "fame" entitled a post "Landycakes No More", before the Spain match.

Randall at Soccer Tickets Online weighed in with his thoughts on "Landycakes" after the Italy match, saying: "I am guilty of making fun of Landon Donovan on occasion. Well, on many occasions, actually. But, after today’s performance, I think it’s time for myself (and everyone else) to just stop spewing hate and ridicule on our only real attacking player. Our team leader. So, I will never call him 'Landycakes' again. I am retiring the nickname for good, and I hope everyone else will do the same."

There's bound to be many undocumented examples as well, people who have long held disdain for Donovan that have been swayed by his rising-to-the-moment performances in South Africa. While haters will continue to hate, and Donovan will never change the mind of many that hate him simply because it fills an empty void in the souls to do so, it's interesting to see some reversal.

More than likely, it will take a move to Europe (a successful one that includes playing time and goals) and a equally as impressive return to South Africa next year to remove most of the criticism that Donovan receives. Even then, not all will back down from their "Landycakes" attitude; as the saying goes "You can't please all of the people all of the time".

So here's the question to you, MFUSA readers who may have been in the "Landon sucks" camp; has his performance in the Confederations Cup over the past two week changed your perception of him at all?

Today's stunning American victory over the number one ranked team in the world deserves more than a piddly recantation of my earlier call for Bob Bradley to resign.

It deserves an opus, a glowing ode, a flowing, flowery, over-the-top missive extolling the virtues of every player that contributed, the direction of Bob Bradley, and the collective will of a team that refused to be cowed by conventional wisdom.

But that's not what I'm going to write today.

Instead, I'm going to attempt to frame today's victory in terms that might sometimes tilt towards hyperbole, but which will always be based on a desire to be level-headed. The win is being trumpeted as a seminal moment in the history of American soccer, and it certainly is; but what it means on the larger scale, the one that includes soccer as a relevant sport in the United States, is tough to determine. Americans always seem to struggle with fully embracing the beautiful game en masse, and there's no reason think that this victory, no matter how impressive, will change that in any noticeable way.

But onto to happier thoughts. Who cares about those people that don't get it anyway? What they missed today is not only what makes soccer such a great game, but what makes following your national team passionately such a worthwhile endeavor. We're all exultant today, one community of Americans who understand just what it means for a bunch of American players to beat a full-strength top-ranked team in the world. It's not just about rooting for the underdog, though that's certainly a component; it's also about supporting a team that represents what America is about. Varied and diverse in both background and origin, the United States National Soccer Team is a collection of men more like the makeup of our country than any other that wears the colors of our flag.

Bob Bradley, the man whose leadership abilities I questioned just a few days ago, masterfully positioned and inspired his team today. Questions about Bradley's ability to lead the US to success in the World Cup next year shouldn't stop based on only two games, and I think it healthy that they continue; but after today, there is little reason to believe that Bradley can't get the job done. Why his side played so poorly for two matches, then so well for two, is a mystery that may be beyond our abilities to solve. Give Bradley credit, however, for turning things around when they looked the most bleak. While so many of us were calling for his head, asking him to resign, or decrying his decisions, Bradley stuck to his guns and led his team to one of the more important wins in this nation's international soccer history.

Sunday's final against Brazil (probably, though today illustrates that nothing is a foregone conclusion) is almost an afterthought now, a game that if won, will bring the US its first ever senior international trophy of any real significance, but if lost (barring a completely and utterly embarrassing performance) won't really do any damage to the massive high that the program and the fans are on today. The team will end the Confederations Cup riding an incredible wave of confidence, something that can only serve them well when the "A" reassembles for the World Cup qualifying match against Mexico at Azteca in August. If that confidence can be leveraged into a first ever victory in smoggy Mexico City, then we might be able to say that the team has turned a corner, is headed in the right direction, and could realistically be called "dangerous" ahead of next year's World Cup.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Today's win redefines the word "big" for the USMNT, and perhaps we should leave it at that. Whether it helps the sport penetrate the stubborn American sports culture, or whether it means that the team is now reaching the potential we all believed they had, still remains to be seen. For now, and for at least the next few days, story after story and blog post after blog post will be written on the victory, with some perhaps even showing up in the "mainstream" non-soccer media. For me, that's enough. For now.

I'm exhausted. Wake me up for the final.

I'm ready for my crow. I've got my "I Was Wrong" bib on, my plate is set, and my fork is at the ready.

Let me show you how it's done.

I was wrong.

That's it, and that's everything. I thought Bob Bradley had lost his team. I thought they had tuned him out. I thought he was incapable of getting them to play to their full potential.

About all of that, I was wrong. My call for Bob to step down is officially rescinded. No matter my feelings on his ultimate ability to put together and direct a successful World Cup team, there's no chance that Bob is going anywhere now. He has a free pass through the summer of 2010, and rightly so.

I followed along at work the best I could, getting an assist by the live blog that Kevin McCauley ran here.

So I'm off to watch the game. I'll be loving every minute, and snacking on crow the whole time.

I'll be back as soon as I can with post-match thoughts, Bradley-thoughts, what-does-it-mean thoughts, and why-the-hell-didn't-we-play-like-that-in-the-first-two-matches thoughts.

Apparently I can't drum up enough interest to merit a dedicated live blog, so I'm putting up a post just for your comments on todays USA-Spain match.

As I've mentioned, it will be extremely difficult for me to see much of the match live, so I'll be depending on you that can see it to provide real-time updates.

I'm not quite sure how the Disqus comment system will handle this, but you know know unless you try, right?

Anything and everything goes in this thread, so go ahead and kick it off with score and lineup predictions.

*UPDATE*

Here's your lineup for the Americans:

---------------Howard------------------
Spector---Onyewu---DeMerit---Bocanegra (C)
Dempsey----Bradley---Clark----Donovan
----------Altidore---Davies------------

**UPDATE**

Kevin McCauley from All Things Footy is looking for a place to park his live blog, so I'm giving him MFUSA for the match.

As we creep towards zero hour, towards the United States National Team's biggest test in a somewhat meaningful competition in years, I'm getting that "hopeful yet scared shitless" feeling comes with supporting a massive underdog.

The sliver of hope that the Americans can pull off the gargantuan upset is just large enough that I'm a nervous wreck; I'm not so convinced of a Spanish victory that I can just let myself relax and simply hope for a encouraging performance from my team. Blame it on Egypt, blame it on Bob, or blame it on the players who showed so well on Sunday that we as fans have managed to work ourselves up to the belief that they can beat the unbeatable.

I'm fairly certain that we're the only ones that can even conceive, no matter how remote a possibility we recognize it to be, of a US victory today. In fact, I know we are.

A quick scan of odds for the US-Spain match today (and imagine my shock when the site wasn't blocked at my office) shows the Americans as 12/1 (I think; I'm not enough of a gambler to be comfortable with my understanding, but that's not stopping me from forging ahead) to win. Meanwhile, the Spanish are 1.28 to win, meaning they just a hair over even money. Those aren't encouraging odds, even as we keep in mind that they're set in such a way as to drive betting on each side, making money for the bookies either way, and that bettors outside of the United States are likely to have little respect for the Americans (hence the enticement of long odds).

Nevermind the actual odds, the simple way to put it is to say that the Americans have a snowball's chance in hell of beating the top ranked team in the world. It's going to take a perfectly played game, a herculean type of effort, and the match of a lifetime from more than one individual to keep the Spaniards from scoring more than the Yanks. Weapons abound for La Roja, and it's difficult to even pick out one Spanish player that is more dangerous than any other, simply because they are that talented.

But the Americans are dead in the water if they come out scared. If they play like massive underdogs, if they run and chase and do the football equivalent of curling into the fetal position, it will be over before it starts. If they're to have any chance, they have to assert themselves immediately, letting the Spanish know that it's not going to be a walkover, but a hard fought battle. Pushing up and pressuring Spain's back line while doing their best to defend away from their own goal seems somewhat counter-intuitive against a side as offensively adept as Spain; but if the Americans sit back and attempt to absorb attack after attack, they're likely to concede and find themselves without even that small sliver of hope we believe they have.

Don't play like underdogs, play like equals. Easier said than done, I know, but it's the only chance they have.

We'll know, within the first fifteen minutes, if our boys have a shot. If the Spanish feel no pressure, completely dominate, or score, there's not likely to be much to look forward to for the remaining seventy-five minutes.

If Bob Bradley is a better manager than I have given him credit for, if the victory of Egypt represents a turning point in the evolution of the USMNT, and if the quality of play is at a higher level than in the first two games of the tournament, then the Americans really do have a shot. But if that last match was just a blip, was just a aberration aided by hookers and Egyptian fatigue, then we have no shot. Determining which is real and which is a mirage is the difficult part; either way, I hope the players truly believe it's the former and not the latter.

Here's to hoping that I'm eating a healthy helping of crow served by Mr. Bradley come, 4:30 Eastern Time today.

I'm still trying to decide if I should run a liveblog today; since I'm unable to really watch the game and I am supposed to be working, I won't be able to run it properly. If you are a regular, would like to help, and will be able to watch the game, let me know if you want me to run a liveblog; you guys can run it yourselves while I attempt to follow the match and chime in when possible.

Leave your name and email in the comments, or send me an email directly.

matchfitusa at gmail dot com

I just can't help myself. The last time I pulled out the "Fun With Translation" post, I promised that it wouldn't come back until the Americans head to Azteca in August.

But tomorrow's Confederations Cup semi-final match with Spain provides a just-too-perfect opportunity to pull it out again; the Spanish press is bound to have stories on the match, and it's always fun to see what a foreign nation's media has to say about our cute little national team.

Most of the stories I've come across present it as a foregone conclusion that Spain will meet Brazil in the final if they are able to take out the Americans. This El País story is no exception, and it also includes a few interesting statements. Of interest is a comment on how the inclusion of European-based players has "strengthened" the American team, while at the same time the story notes that the US offense is improved but that the "defense is still weak".

I've seen this piece in several places, so it would appear that it's a wire story; "The Honor of Bradley" gives a bit of background on the American head man, while framing it with some of the typical filler on the condition of soccer in the United States. The final two sentences of the story echo the sentiments of our first translation: "Back are very vulnerable. A bargain for Villa and Torres".

El País also has a nice writeup of Jozy Altidore, calling him (among other things) "strong as a bull", "very American", and "contour of (her?!?!) neck reminiscent of a defense in the NFL rather than a soccer player". Also included in the article is a mention of the infamous poorly phrased Spanish text message Jozy sent to Joan Capdevila, something fairly ironic considering the poor translations I'm linking to here.

Another profile, this time of Michael Bradley, also from El País, notes the massive amount of ground covered by Bradley, Dempsey and Donovan. The followup to that note is the (mostly correct) statement that the Americans "have trouble controlling the game". I would point out to the El País writer that the Americans have faced two of the better possession teams in the world, but it doesn't subtract from the truth of his statement. The glowing review of Bradley is nice, and even includes a reference to the midfielder being compared to Michael Ballack.

Nothing really of note in this story, another that I believe to be a wire piece, except for the projected lineup; while Guzan started against Egypt, I think it's been fairly evident that Howard is the US number one keeper. The Spanish press seems not to have gotten that memo, and looks to have just rolled over the Egypt lineup to tomorrow's game.

Either I'm looking in the wrong places, or the Spanish press is entirely too nice when it comes to the USMNT. Color me just a little disappointed.