One of our regular readers requested an article about the USA and their progression into the last 16 of the World Cup.
Here at Soccernews we don’t like to disappoint!
Unsurprising
To be honest I never underestimated the States and knew all about their qualities.
They have confirmed everything I already knew. They have heart, passion and quality running throughout their team.
Love
American’s superb World Cup campaign has raised the profile of soccer in the United States. World Cup 2010 has been viewed by more American’s than any of the previous World Cup’s. Could it be that Landon Donovan and Co. are helping to change the attitude of everybody back home towards the beautiful game?
Heart
In their game against the Algerian’s the USA showed tremendous passion. They fought for every ball and nobody could tell those players that American’s don’t do soccer. You could see what the World Cup means to the American players by the way they celebrated Landon Donovan’s injury-time winner against Algeria.
These players showed the sort of qualities that are worthy of a team heading into the knockout stages of the World Cup.
In all three group games they showed fantastic energy. It was an energy that the likes of France and Italy lacked. This energy makes them hard to beat and they never stop running.
Never-say-die
The American’s are famous for their never-say-die attitudes and this group of players optimise that spirit. The American’s have a winning mentality and don’t stop trying until the final whistle blows. That was perfectly illustrated by Donovan’s late strike against Algeria.
This attitude was also shown in their comeback from two goals down against the Slovenians. They never gave up and that’s such an important quality in a successful team.
Decisions
The American’s have progressed into the last 16 despite some awful refereeing decisions. First they had a perfectly good goal disallowed in the Slovenia match. Then they had another effort ruled out against the Algerian’s. They must have thought the whole officiating world was against them, luckily enough though those poor decisions haven’t effected their final placing in group C.
Top Dogs
The USA went into the World Cup as second favourites in group C. They were regarded by many as underdogs to England. I wasn’t so sure that the England team were that superior to the Americans before the tournament and it showed in the 1-1 draw in the opening game of group C.
Football has come a long way in a short time in America and years of hard work behind the scenes is paying off. The USA can longer be considered international lightweights. They have quality players who have experience of playing at the highest level of European football.
Hero
The hero of the Algerian win was the ‘All American’ Landon Donovan. He is the poster boy of American football. He is already his nation’s top goalscorer at international level at just 28 and is only adding to his ever-growing reputation in South Africa.
He is the guy that the other American players look to for inspiration and he so often delivers. Donovan has been superb in this tournament and a move back into European football could soon materialise.
He spent 10 weeks with Everton on-loan last season and endeared himself to the Goodison Park faithful with his positive attitude and willingness to take-on opposition defenders. Everton fans are hoping he will be back this summer.
As an Everton fan I would welcome him back with open arms. Everton can’t offer him European football next season and I can see him moving to a team playing in the Champions League. However he suited Everton and Everton suited him.
He said he had never experienced anything like playing at Goodison Park. So you just never know. Everton fans now have a great affinity with the USA team because of the presence of not only Donovan but also keeper Tim Howard.
Knockout Stages
The USA now face an interesting match against Ghana in the last 16 later today. Both sides will be thinking that their opponents are there for the taking. It’s hard to separate the two teams and just like all of the USA’s games so far it promises to be a fascinating watch for the neutrals.
The USA have become a favourite of the neutral for their spirit and verve. The Ghanaian’s will have the bigger support due to the home fans cheering them on as the only African nation left in the competition. It should be some game.
Whatever happens in the next week or so the USA have been involved in some of the most entertaining and enjoyable games to watch at this World Cup. I just hope they can make it to a deserved quarter-final appearance.
I just have one last thing to say and that’s USA, USA, USA!
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