Day 14 Preview: A victory in itself
22 June 2006, 06:57
After the Italy – USA slugfest, I was enraged at the referee. How could he have sent off Mastroeni? Straight red for that? and Pope? Absurd. Once I cooled down, I read some foreign press accounts of the match. Many praised the Americans, but agreed with the referee. Some slammed the U.S. for their brutish performance (24 fouls to 13 by the Italians). I looked at the replay. The calls were not absurd.
Here in America, our boys were heroes. The ref was a villain. I was glad about this. Finally, I thought, some passion for the team. I had often lamented that we have no impassioned, critical soccer press. No one picks apart every move Bruce Arena makes, then denounces the opposition, the referees, and whoever might stand between us and victory. Now that we’ve got it, it makes me a bit uneasy. This was a good performance by the States. But it was not great soccer. It was a surreal mess.
Enzo puts it this way:
“I have not been watching too much TV, or reading a lot, but I haven’t heard anyone talking about the fact that the US has not scored a goal for themselves. People seem to be convinced that not getting our asses kicked by Italy is a victory in itself, which I guess it is, but I wish it wasn’t. I was talking with a friend Sunday and we were saying ‘Well, we have to score to get through.’ Which started me thinking, if Ghana is kind enough to score more for us than on us, we can go through with out scoring a single goal for ourselves. I thought that would be a perfect surreal or ironic compliment to that weird game the other day, and started wondering if that had happened before.
“I found the game weird or odd – in several ways- but especially in the sense that if a non-soccer loving American made an attempt to understand the game and tuned in on Saturday, soccer would be more out of reach and less understandable than before they watched. If we advance w/o scoring-or barely scoring- it would sort of be icing on the cake. The end result of all this media coverage and exposure to mainstream America the World cup provides would cement the perception ‘What the hell is this crazy game? Why are these people so nuts?’”
It’s not just scoring goals, per se. It’s a question of how you play the game. The US has chance to prove itself in another way tomorrow, not just as gritty troopers, but as a team that defends well and attacks creatively. The Ghanaian midfield is formidable, but I think we can score against them. Go USA.
In Dortmund, Brazil plays Japan. Japan’s coach, Zico, is considered by many to be the most skilled Brazilian soccer player of all time. He did not play on a legendary team like Pele or Garrincha, but he was able to do anything with the ball. Zico admits that playing Brazil is emotionally trying. ‘I support Brazil, I always have and I always will,’ he said. ‘But now I am the opponent and I have to work to find a way to beat Brazil. Of course, I want Brazil to get to the final too, preferably against Japan.’
It will be an uphill battle for Japan. They need to win by several goals in order to advance. But Zico knows something about the little guy’s struggles. On an international hall-of-fame website, we learn: “Zico needed a diet of anabolic steroids and vitamins to build himself up, but it was his natural talent that made him a superstar.”
Here’s what’s what:
In Group F Brazil is through. They will win the group unless they lose by a few and Australia wins by a few. Croatia needs to win to take second. Australia will almost surely secure second with a draw. Japan needs a Croatian win or a draw, and then they need to beat Brazil by several goals. They better take their steroids.
In Group E
Whoever wins the Italy-Czech match wins the group.
If Italy wins: Ghana needs only a tie to go through while the US needs to win.
If Czech wins: Ghana needs to win or needs Italy to lose by at least 2 goals. US is out.
If Italy-Czech draw: Ghana needs to win (they’d go through with Italy). U.S. could go through with several goal victory.
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Day 13: Elephant swansong
Day 15 Preview: Go Switzerland, seriously
I am ready for more Cup coverage! What are you doing knitting your next post? TYPE NOW. FORGET THE SPELL CHECK!
— Mike · 22 June 2006, 20:28 · #