The Official US Soccer thread

[Zeno]

I have to be at a wedding in BFE Minnesota for the US opener, UGH!

 

[cardpa]

I have to be at a wedding in BFE Minnesota for the US opener, UGH!

I don't know, I think you are looking pretty poorly and might be coming down with something and have to go back to the hotel room.

 

[Stout]

A Friday wedding? Bah, they brought it upon themselves when you do nothing but drink and watch the game on your phone. Food optional, if you want it.

 

[gmabel830]

We made it!!!

 

[Adrian]

Let’s go!

 

[Lorenzo]

We made it!!!

Awesome! Let’s get those 3 points!!

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

amazing anthem

 

[Adrian]

Looks like a lot of smog around the arena.

 

[Adrian]

Too close for comfort

 

[Adrian]

Yay!

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

YEAH BABY POLISIC CREATED ALL THAT - SPLIT TWO DEFENDERS AND THEY HAD TO SEND TWO MORE

 

[Lorenzo]

So far they look brilliant tactically and great on the ball.every player under control and moving well without the ball. Their defense has looked good. I particularly enjoyed the long pass that pulisic brought down under control and dribbled back out and kept the ball as opposed to kicking it away. Those little things are something we used to never see our national team do at this level.

 

[Lorenzo]

Paraguay are playing with fire stepping up like that. No goal but living dangerously.

 

[Lorenzo]

Pulisic is ripping them to shreds. How are there more than 100 players ranked ahead of him lol.

 

[Lorenzo]

Big boy goal by Balogun. Don’t know that I’ve ever seen the USA play this well before given the circumstances.

 

[gmabel830]

Well, that's how you start a World Cup!!

 

[Lorenzo]

Freeman good lord what a half by that young man. All of the players are involved. Beautiful

 

[Lorenzo]

Gio caps it with a goal that Berhalter would have never allowed to happen.

 

[Stout]

We made it!!!

What a match to attend! You're our good luck charm and now you have to go to all the games--we'll win the whole damn thing!

 

[Stout]

Well now, THAT is how you start the World Cup, baby! Play like this in every game, and there's no limit to how far this team can go.

On a side note, I made cheddar off this game. I bet maybe, maybe once every year or two. I placed 60 dollars of wagers on the WC. For this game, I put in a prop bet for Balogun to score, 3 goals or more in the game, and a US win. That was comfortably won pretty early on! I should have put more on the bet lol

 

[cardpa]

Very impressed with the effort and the win. I don't think we have ever seen a USMNT dominate a match like this team did. A large majority of the match was played in Paraguay's half of the pitch. It certainly appeared that Berhalter was told to focus on defense and not worry about getting involved in the attack as he constantly hung back in midfield. Even with that they still created multiple scoring chances in the Paraguay third.

I truly expect similar results against Australia. I watched a Australian tuneup match and did not come away impressed by them. I'm going to watch the Turkey/Australia match tomorrow which is on at noon.

 

[ajcardfan]

I know I had low expectations going into this World Cup for the USA team. That was really impressive. I did not think we would DOMINATE any team from South America or Europe.

 

[Stout]

Very impressed with the effort and the win. I don't think we have ever seen a USMNT dominate a match like this team did. A large majority of the match was played in Paraguay's half of the pitch. It certainly appeared that Berhalter was told to focus on defense and not worry about getting involved in the attack as he constantly hung back in midfield. Even with that they still created multiple scoring chances in the Paraguay third.

I truly expect similar results against Australia. I watched a Australian tuneup match and did not come away impressed by them. I'm going to watch the Turkey/Australia match tomorrow which is on at noon.

Hate to tell you but it's at midnight

 

[Lorenzo]

I know I had low expectations going into this World Cup for the USA team. That was really impressive. I did not think we would DOMINATE any team from South America or Europe.

They are talented. I can’t remember a WC game where the USA entire 11 were so comfortable on the ball. It’s like they were playing in slow motion at times. That final goal was a master class of more than 20 passes and everyone touching the ball even the GK. It’s never happened that way for our squad since I’ve been watching. Last WC our players could not play out of the back even against teams like Wales and Iran. We were depending on our midfield to do everything in Qatar. Also have to give a shout to Freese. He had a nice 35 yard laser accurate pass under pressure. That’s something we have been missing since Howard retired.

 

[Russ Smith]

Gio caps it with a goal that Berhalter would have never allowed to happen.

I was actually surprised they took the shot but then I remembered tiebreakers include goals so I assume that's why? It was a great shot don't get me wrong just surprised me they didn't just run it out. But I guess you never know when you will need that one goal to advance to the next round.

I've mentioned before I grew up with Chris Sullivan(now goes by Christopher) who played pro soccer and was on the US World Cup team. He's still active in it as a coach and announcer. He posted something the other day of him with Claudio Reyna and Gio when I Gio was I think 8, Chris' son Michael was in the pic too. They never played together I think Reyna came in a couple of years after Chris' national team career ended but I guess they have been friends for years. He was pretty happy for Gio posted about it on FB, said as someone who never scored in a WC game I am glad he got the chance to do so.