The talk in several media outlets around the world was the same. Many were in agreement. The US were robbed unjustly and they should have made history coming back from 0-2 down.
The media both domestically and internationally have given them the respect that they have earned in their performances over the past year.
I really don't want to talk about what wasn't. I would rather talk about what is. The US did not win, but there was no need to do so in order to send the message loud and clear to the rest of the soccer world. The Stars and Stripes are the real deal. Sometimes messages do not have to be sent with resounding victory, but with gutsy performances.
If the win against Spain and the heroic performance against Brazil weren’t enough last year, the draw against Slovenia was more symbolic than both of those wins. The match had another fabric to it. The US was not in this situation against a European side with the track record that Slovenia had coming into this World Cup.
What many did coincide is the fact that if the US would change their first half doldrums and come out of the shoot the same way they did in the second half; they are a team to be reckoned with. If they find a way to be as intense in the first 45 minutes, the team has potential for greater things. This battle-hardened side US is slowly becoming a team that other teams would like to avoid. What makes this the case is the fact that the spinal column of the team is solid- when focused. When players like Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit are not at their best they accelerate the onset of any stomach ulcers on a coach.
Teams now realize that they have to play a full 90 minutes against the Stars and Stripes. Lots of credit has to be given to the US side for continuing their fight despite falling behind by two goals just before the halftime whistle. There is also lots of blame to send over the way of the Slovenians for taking the proverbial foot off the pedal very early on. This allowed the US to take advantage of lapses that led to the Donovan goal as well as the Bradley equalizer. Oh and How could I forget... the goal that wasn't.
Although the team does not have names that make opponents knees knock, as a collective unit they do have the pieces in place to upset a few big time players in this tournament. No longer are they the team that underestimates squads because of lack of knowledge of other leagues or the faux security that the FIFA rankings offer many teams in the world. Just ask Portugal and England.
Ok, there is no need to get into that pseudo-Mexican media triumphalist attitude. There is still lots of work to be done. What we can say now is that this was the day US soccer finally arrived to the fray. Hey, it happened in the very first Rocky movie where the prize fighter was able to stand up to the big boy. I am not calling Slovenia one of the big boys, but their performance against them did catch the eye of the big boys- as if they hadn't scared them before.
I really don't want to talk about what wasn't. I would rather talk about what is. The US did not win, but there was no need to do so in order to send the message loud and clear to the rest of the soccer world. The Stars and Stripes are the real deal. Sometimes messages do not have to be sent with resounding victory, but with gutsy performances.
If the win against Spain and the heroic performance against Brazil weren’t enough last year, the draw against Slovenia was more symbolic than both of those wins. The match had another fabric to it. The US was not in this situation against a European side with the track record that Slovenia had coming into this World Cup.
What many did coincide is the fact that if the US would change their first half doldrums and come out of the shoot the same way they did in the second half; they are a team to be reckoned with. If they find a way to be as intense in the first 45 minutes, the team has potential for greater things. This battle-hardened side US is slowly becoming a team that other teams would like to avoid. What makes this the case is the fact that the spinal column of the team is solid- when focused. When players like Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit are not at their best they accelerate the onset of any stomach ulcers on a coach.
Teams now realize that they have to play a full 90 minutes against the Stars and Stripes. Lots of credit has to be given to the US side for continuing their fight despite falling behind by two goals just before the halftime whistle. There is also lots of blame to send over the way of the Slovenians for taking the proverbial foot off the pedal very early on. This allowed the US to take advantage of lapses that led to the Donovan goal as well as the Bradley equalizer. Oh and How could I forget... the goal that wasn't.
Although the team does not have names that make opponents knees knock, as a collective unit they do have the pieces in place to upset a few big time players in this tournament. No longer are they the team that underestimates squads because of lack of knowledge of other leagues or the faux security that the FIFA rankings offer many teams in the world. Just ask Portugal and England.
Ok, there is no need to get into that pseudo-Mexican media triumphalist attitude. There is still lots of work to be done. What we can say now is that this was the day US soccer finally arrived to the fray. Hey, it happened in the very first Rocky movie where the prize fighter was able to stand up to the big boy. I am not calling Slovenia one of the big boys, but their performance against them did catch the eye of the big boys- as if they hadn't scared them before.
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