onyewho onyewuuu
So the United States Mens National Team or USMNT (14th in the FIFA rankings) just beat the World’s number one team, Spain, in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup. Amazing. Amazing? Not really. Lets put it this way, its like Portsmouth beating Manchester United (or any other clubs in the bottom-half of the table for that matter). It rarely happens but it can happen.
The way the US team set themselves out against Spain are similar to the way teams who lacks creativity and flair play against the top four in the English Premier League. A prime example of this is Bolton, especially during the period when Sam Allardyce was in charged. You hustle them enough, the superior team won’t be able to play but that doesn’t mean an automatic three-points though, or in this case a place in the final.
You have to be lucky too. As were the Americans. I’m not too sure what the final possession percentage was, or the number of shots by the Spaniards compared to the US team but lets just say it was one-sided for sure. Saves were made in the near proximity of the gifted and impressive Tim Howard, goal-posts got in the way, shots narrowingly close and last ditch blocks were made. The two goals were goals but on a different day, it might not have gone in. Iker Cassilas got a hand to the Jozy Altidore goal, and Sergio Ramos forgot he had an opposition by his side in the second. A number of the Spanish players looked lacklustred and tried to change the game by themselves but failed miserably.
The US team didn’t win the game by playing football, but that doesn’t mean their win is invalid. They played with their heart and the will to win. One thing that was amazing in tonight’s game, actually there were two including Tim Howard but most of us already know about the shot-stopper, is the defender with the name Oguchi Onyewu or “Gooch” as he is lovingly known by his admirers. Playing alongside Jay DeMerit, he was a man possessed. His head was like a magnet to the ball. Pretty sure you’ll see his name in the back pages of newspapers soon if he keeps this up. Apparently he played 11 times for Newcastle United in 2007 but I don’t remember seeing him in the Premier League, which is impossible with his built.
Don’t get me wrong, the USMNT played well and rightly deserves to win after the work they put in but that does not mean they’re better the Spain. Amazing is not the right word for it. Surprising is.
Onyewu was certainly on fire tonight, he’s one of those great FM players and I agree, I think he’ll probably be plucked from Standard Liege this summer.
On another note, whenever I see the USA referred to as the USMNT I can’t help but picture some sort of bizarre hybrid between Landon Donavon and Donatello, the purple Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Alas though, attempts to team Landon Donatello up with three similarly conveniently named compatriots remain a pipe dream for the moment, though he, Michaelowengelo, Raphael VDV and Leonardo Franco could form some sort of international crime fighting football squad.
that was exactly my first thought when i saw people twittering about USMNT, after dismissing the TMNT connection it dawned on me that it stood for united states mens national team. wouldnt US be must easier to say and type? it took me awhile to get the acronym right. these guys, football not soccer. and z’s instead of s’s in words like recognise.
ps. USMNT just gave me a great idea for a day of fun with photoshop.
I keep missing* these confed cup matches! but I remember Gooch’s stint in Tyneside, it was like watching a pre-Wigan Titus Bramble playing alongside, well, a pre-Wigan Titus Bramble.
Judging from your semi complimentary match report I would assume that the states adopted the now widely accepted mantra of ‘parking a bus in front of goal’ approach that Chelsea deployed agaisnt Barca.
I had suspected, and I am fairly certain that most out there did as well, that if the states had any chance of going through they’d have to defend, defend, defend. But never in a million years did I think they would be able to pull off a win so congratulations. Really should have put some money on my pre-tourney prediction =p
*evolution of the tank was showing on History. They put cannons! on elephants!
Oh my god. I just found out that the score is 2 – 0.
Serves me right for checking wdkf before real new sites haha
i wouldnt say the americans “parked the bus” totally, maybe for most of the second half when spain was looking to get one back. thru-out the match, they stuck to most of the spanish’s potent players. xavi had 88% successful passing rate before the match, its probably 50% now. there was a moment where xavi made 5 consecutive passes to the opponent.
in the first half the americans did as much attacking as they did defending, but with very few clear chances. oh, and landon perfected the rooney-on-the-left-flank role.
The mighty Spain brought down by 2 missiles from the Americans :D, fink Obama must have talked to the players before the match :P
Brazil to lose as well today, huh??
so far, its 0-0 at half time. but with last night’s pigs flying about, i wouldnt put it pass south africa to beat brazil. where theres a will, theres a way. we could end up with the most unlikeliest final. ever.
where ever theres a will, theres a hill?? cor!!
I bought the Gooch on FM several times. Always a good buy! and I do remember his stint in Newcastle. I don’t think he was given a proper chance because I rem getting him at the start of the season for fantasy team but he never played much!