The Soccer Thread (Version 8)

US Open Cup insanity last night. Red cards aplenty and Dempsey might get a three-month ban for ripping up the ref's notebook.

ASN article: Will Clint Dempsey Be Suspended for 3 Months?

 

Contact with a ref like that deserves significant punishment, especially from the national team captain.

 

Five years has flown by ...

 

Here's the 2015 Gold Cup roster ...

GK- Guzan, Rimando, Yarbrough;
D- Alvarado, Brooks, Chandler, Evans, Gonzalez, Johnson, Ream
MF- Beckerman, Bedoya, Bradley, Davis, Diskerud, Morales, Yedlin, Zardes, Zusi
F- Altidore, Dempsey, Johannsson, Wondolowski

 

On the Donovan goal, what still amazes me is that: 1) the Algeria player had a free header from the 6 and even had another player free behind him. Not that a loss was different from a tie in terms of advancement, but still;

2) Howard's throw was amazing -- so huge and underrated;

3) Donovan's first touch froze the defender. It was just loose enough that the defender stopped his retreat for a split second and considered stepping forward for the challenge. That hesitation allowed Jozy to make a cross without the defender between him and Dempsey; and

4) to this day, and after hundreds of viewings, I still don't know whether Dempsey touched the ball, shot it or whiffed.

The reaction shots from the bars are so great because the anticipation builds so quickly, then deflates when everyone thinks that the keeper has it and then goes to pandemonium.

 

Gonzalo Jara went all Boots on Vidal during tonight's Copa America match.

 

Resignation? What resignation!?!

BBC Sport - Sepp Blatter: Fifa president says he did not resign

 

Interesting that Bradley gets the armband with Deuce on the field. IMO, he should have been the captain in the post-Boca world.

 

After watching the USWNT's defense, it is almost painful to watch the USMNT's defenders in action.

 

Awful defense...Honduras also getting screwed by the refs on offsides calls.

 

Holy crap, that was horrible on so many levels.

 

U.S. got screwed on the goal line save that should've been a third goal. Poor marking on the back ... But a win is a win. Got to look better against Haiti.