2014 World Cup

And there's the issue -- more than twice as many shots for Belgium and more than three times as many on goal.

 

Sweet mercy, that game. Three prime chances for the USMNT left wanting. And Tim Howard should never have to buy a dinner in the USA again.

 

No shame in the effort. Final 10 minutes were a thriller. USMNT can hold its head high, and all those clichés.

That said, we have zero passing.

 

And the number of poor first touches were surprising.

 

Can't say I love soccer now but I like so much more now that I've watched most of 8 games or so in this WC.

 

Way too many giveaways, and I'm not impressed with the defending, either. It's hard to give up 39 shots in a game, even a 120-minute game.

 

It was entertaining though. Several "almosts" that oh could have been...

 

Why didn't they shoot more?

 

Howard was great. Final 10 minutes were fantastic. World Cup soccer doesn't need to explain itself anymore.

Argentina-Belgium could be a goal-fest.

 

Agreed. That's the terrible thing about soccer. You can absolutely thump a team for 90 minutes and not have anything to show for it on the scoreboard.

 

I know this is an old topic by now, but for a team that had trouble finishing and possessing the ball on the attack -- and especially with Altidore injured -- Landon Donovan finds his way onto the field in that game.

 

I think that's true in every soccer or hockey game I've ever seen.