USA WC headlines?

Moddy just got a woody and doesn't know why... or how.

 

I'd say "Miracle" is extremely strong in this case. The U.S. was the favorite, regardless of how dramatic the goal was. Especially when your headline obviously compares this to the Miracle on Ice, in which a bunch of college kids beat arguably the best hockey team in the world.

If the Americans had taken out Brazil, say, the headline makes sense. For a 1-0 victory over Algeria in the group stage? No.

 

The U.S. won its group for the first time in 80 years -- that's EIGHTY YEARS -- by scoring in stoppage time against a team that was basically playing for the tie. And don't forget the group the U.S. is in also includes England. I think that provides proper context for why this is considered so huge in the U.S. soccer community.

Let's also see what happens in Group D. If Germany takes care of business as expected, the U.S. would get either Ghana or Serbia in the Round of 16. Certainly not easy, but winnable, I'd say.

One other point: In a sport where goals are at a premium, the U.S. has had two goals disallowed by bad calls. Today there was a bad offsides call after the mystery call that took away a goal against Slovenia. So the U.S. has had to overcome what I think has been more than its share of tough luck. Good for them. Two goals in three games...that's like taking 150 yards offense a game away from the Colts, isn't it?

 

Big win, sure. Near the top of U.S. soccer history, debatable but OK.

Miracle on Grass? No.

 

Minor quibble: I doubt Algeria was playing for a tie. Not only did it have some very good chances, it needed a 2-0 win to even stand a chance of advancing.

 

I don't know my soccer well enough to be able to judge visually. I just know the bloke with the English accent who was calling the game on ESPN commented several times that Algeria seemed content to play for the tie. I'm taking his word for it.

 

"Fuck yeah!"

 

Couldn't have drawn that up

 

Local team wins

 

I don't think it's wise to downplay the magnitude. This was a big, big deal.

They won their group for the first time since 1930.

They were all but dead, in fucking stoppage time, when this goal happened. That alone makes this an amazing game. You rarely see momentous game-changing scores in extra minutes.

Most Americans were bracing and even expecting disappointment because, again, you rarely see goals this late.

The England game had wrapped up, what, two minutes earlier? At that point, U.S. had to score or else.

The star player and the only player most Americans know the name of scored the winner.

Algeria was eliminated already by this point, their "victory" would have been keeping the U.S. out of the second round, and that's what they were playing for.


"Miracle" is a pretty big word, but it's not far off from that.

 

The U.S. went from completely out to winning its pool for the first time in 80 years on a stoppage play goal.

This was big.

Definitely not a miracle, but epic for the manner in which it happened.

 

God bless you.