US soccer coach is psychic!!!

[Gob]

Bummer....

Goals by Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku in extra time broke United States hearts and sent Belgium into the quarter-finals of the Fifa World Cup.

Keeper Tim Howard pulled off a string of saves for the USA to send the game into extra time before De Bruyne beat him with a low close-range shot.

Lukaku's strike made it 2-0 but Julian Green pulled one back with a volley.

But Belgium held on, despite late American pressure, to seal a last-eight tie with Argentina on Saturday.

[TPFKA@W]

Ok this turned into a way bigger deal than I would ever have imagined and thank dog it is over.

[Guinevere]

So how 'bout those Sox ....

[BoSoxGal]

The World Cup was fun - it's neat that the US did so well.

As for the BoSox, they've been such a disappointment this season that I was actually rooting for the Cubs to win last night. After all, we've won three Series so far just this century - they've been waiting 106 years, poor bastards!

[Long Run]

The U.S. goalie kept them in it. World Cup is one of the great sports events; glad it has finally gained traction here.

[Gob]

Just to keep rubato happy....

Partisan politics seems to be everywhere, even when watching soccer and this year's World Cup.

And according to YouGov.com poll published hours before the U.S. plays Belgium on Tuesday, liberals and moderates are tuning in far more than conservatives.

YouGov reports that 35 percent of liberals, 34 percent of moderates and just 27 percent of self-described conservatives are watching the World Cup.

As for soccer viewing when the World Cup is not being played, 24 percent of liberals, 21 percent of moderates and a tiny 14 percent of conservatives watch the sport.

Overall, 28 percent of the nation considers the sport the “most boring to watch.”

Strip politics out of the equation, and just 30 percent of the nation is paying attention to the World Cup, with 70 percent watching it "not closely" or "not at at all."

[Lord Jim]

When the player who has the most time of possession on your team is the goalie, you really can't expect to win...

[Guinevere]

Ok this turned into a way bigger deal than I would ever have imagined and thank dog it is over.

I think I may actually miss it. Surprisingly. It enjoyed watching it more than I expected (and I may even take the boys to a New England Revs game when I have them for Auntie Camp next month). But it still isn't baseball, or lacrosse, or hockey, or football …..

[Lord Jim]

I found some of it exciting, but yesterday's game was mostly painful to watch, the way we were almost constantly back on our heels the entire playing time...

Tim Howard has certainly got some mad skills, it's just a shame he had to demonstrate them so many times...

[rubato]

Best performance by a goalkeeper ever in a world cup:

http://www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf ... n_net.html

So we won something after all.


yrs,
rubato

[MajGenl.Meade]

Tim Howard did an amazing job but it's a bitter-sweet thing to cheer. He had to be a hero because his defense was overwhelmed, not to mention the mid-field. I'd rather hear that the goalie had nothing to do but take goal kicks and pick up the occasional header back from the centre halves.

Somewhere lost in all this is that the USA could have and should have won, despite Belgian territorial dominance. Howard kept 'em out but the offense was pathetic*. The winning goal was totally blown in the very last minute of regulation+injury time. They had two or three golden opportunities to draw or even win in extra time. Fact is, Belgium didn't "win" (thanks to Howard) - the USA "lost"

*Thanks to being an England supporter, I know pathetic when I see it

[Daisy]

Some good news about USA losing, hubby had a £20 eight way that paid out £156 after it.

[Lord Jim]

Some good news about USA losing, hubby had a £20 eight way that paid out £156 after it.

Gee, I can't begin to tell you how much better that makes me feel...

[Guinevere]

Buy something nice and bubbly to drink and *I'll* fell better, anyway!

[Sean]

Best performance by a goalkeeper ever in a world cup:

http://www.nj.com/soccer-news/index.ssf ... n_net.html

So we won something after all.


yrs,
rubato

I'm afraid that nobody except you is claiming 'best performance ever', just 'most saves in a single game'. Which isn't really the kind of stat a team wants to have...
It was a great goalkeeping performance which was unfortunately enabled by a poor defensive one.

I wonder how close Belgium came to the 'most shots on target' record...

[Econoline]

https://twitter.com/TheTweetOfGod/statu ... 3991433216

[MajGenl.Meade]

FIFA clamps down

[Guinevere]

Did none of the footie fans here watch the last few games???

I actually watched the final -- was happy to see Germany win, and a German (Tony Martin) had won the stage in Le Tour that morning!

[MajGenl.Meade]

Of course, Guin. I thoroughly enjoyed the demolition of Brazil by Germany and then by the Dutch in the meaningless 3rd/4th place game which usually is more entertaining than the Final (and managed that feat again this year).

The Final was an absorbing tactical duel with little actual excitement to recommend it. I wanted Germany to win until I found out that half of Brazil would try to swim from Copacabana to Kaapstad if the Argies won - then I switched to Argentina in the hope of an interesting wet t-shirt documentary to follow but........ My hope for the drama of penalties was dashed by the late goal at 117 minutes or so - a very well taken goal that.

Of course, Germans playing Argentina is almost an intra-mural event after the recent European unpleasantness was concluded in 1945.

Then I read an interesting article in the SA Sunday Times (I subscribe) explaining that this World Cup had been blighted by the blatantly sexist objectification of women by both cameras and commentators. I immediately wrote a letter of complaint to both ABC and ESPN for failing to meet the standards of whoever had the broadcast rights in Mzansi.

Real sports are just about to begin again! Yay! (Oh I forgot that rugby's done for the Cheetahs who at least didn't finish dead last - just next to dead last like England).

Never mind - Spurs play the Seattle Sounders next Saturday and then on to Chicago and Toronto in their bid to be humiliated in both North American countries. It's either EPSN2 or streaming on my Spurs channel to the laptop.

[Lord Jim]

Like most Americans, I completely lost all interest in this after the US team was eliminated...Though I wound up watching some of the final, because my Mother-In-Law's boyfriend (Who I may have mentioned is a German fellow) invited us over for a little game party...

Real sports are just about to begin again!

Right you are!

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200000 ... n-schedule

Spurs play the Seattle Sounders next Saturday

A basketball team is going to play a soccer team? How's that going to work? Are they going to dribble on the field, or kick the ball around the court?