[!@#$%!]

i forgot to put in halliche for abate and lost 8 points. ha ha ha ha ha ha.

a commentator here said that belgium seemed to play better when, in desperation, they broke the tactical plan & formation and played more freely.

the last 10 or so minutes were pretty great. and van buyten had a good day, no?

[demonrail666]

The rumours about Ronaldo dropping out were obviously crap

USA: Howard, Johnson, Cameron, Besler, Beasley, Bedoya, Beckerman, Jones, Bradley, Zusi, Dempsey.

Portugal: Beto, Joao Pereira, Bruno Alves, Ricardo Costa, Andre Almeida, Joao Moutinho, Veloso, Meireles, Nani, Postiga, Ronaldo.

[Gulasch Noir]

vamonos, estados unidos
!

[!@#$%!]

José, can you see???

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Live by Time Howard, Die by Tim Howard, personally, I've always felt like Tim is overrated, he is such a fucking gambler, and while I know every goal scored against you is more or less on your keeper, it always seems like Tim gives up the kind of ones that could have been prevented..

[demonrail666]

/klinsmann will have to get you to push forward and support dempsey/ He's having you play like you're a goal up.

[Beautiful Plateau]

Wow! Go USA!

What a game!

[Beautiful Plateau]

Oh my God. In the dying seconds. Gutted.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Live by Tim Howard, Die by Tim Howard. Guy had some miraculous saves in this match, but Ronaldo is Rondaldo for a reason.

Great match!! USA can still be proud, even if they feel like they left something on the table. We're still alive, and we've played well against this Group of Death. Had USA won, not even just because of my being a total homer, but because it would have eliminated Portugal this would have been the best game of the Group stage. Still an epic game, and I am sure Portugal is feeling real nice about it.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Portugal is Portugal for a reason, USA can be very fucking pleased with our play, we held up for a loooooooooong time in this match, and drawing was as good as winning considering we knew Portugal would play for it all since they were facing elimination. Now its on Ghana and Portugal to beat each other to a draw or better, if Portugal wins but we draw or lose well (e.g. maintain a better goal differential) we are alive.

Portugal has to beat Ghana by THREE goals to get the tie breaker unless US totally shits the bed against Germany, but I definitely don't see us beating Germany but shit, a draw is possible. Even a loss if Portugal wins but by 2 or less goals takes us to the Round of 16. Ghana also has to win by two goals to get the tie breaker.. Group of Death is surprisingly looking like an advantage right now since those dudes have to play hard against each other to advance..

[!@#$%!]

i almost puked my beer in that last minute

Originally Posted by Robert Schunk

USA Portugal 2/2 tie!

USA stays in. Portugal, ahjeeyoosh!!!

that's not how the math works

anyone can make it through right now

[!@#$%!]

ps- i feel terrible for poor geoff whatsisname

pps- cameron. oyyy! poor guy.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

that's not how the math works

anyone can make it through right now

USA 4 points, +1 goal differential
Ghana 1 point, -1 goal differential
Portugal 1 point, -4 goal differential.

I like those odds even if USA lose against Germany, and honestly, I don't see Portugal losing to Ghana in an elimination game, but even if they beat Ghana, they have to win BIG..

 

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

USA 4 points, +1 goal differential
Ghana 1 point, -1 goal differential
Portugal 1 point, -4 goal differential.

I like those odds even if USA lose against Germany, and honestly, I don't see Portugal losing to Ghana in an elimination game, but even if they beat Ghana, they have to win BIG..

USA has +1 **BEFORE** playing germany

we don't know where we'll be at the end of thursday

as klinsi said, germany has an extra day to rest and USA just played in manaus, they don't have to travel, etc.

maybe ghana gives portugal a thrashing

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

USA has +1 **BEFORE** playing germany

we don't know where we'll be at the end of thursday

as klinsi said, germany has an extra day to rest and USA just played in manaus, they don't have to travel, etc.

maybe ghana gives portugal a thrashing

That is true, but what if Portugal beats Ghana, do you see Portugal beating Ghana by 5?? Or if Ghana beats Portugal, do you see them beating Portugal by 2 AND US losing by more than 1??

I think USA can lose by as much as 2, Portugal can win by as much as 3, it will be good games for Germany AND Portugal and yet USA will be the lucky receiver. Like I said to begin with about Spain, it always comes down to capitalizing on some good luck. Look at how Portugal had that post AND Ronaldo missed that wide open kick right in front of the goal. It was like fucking Angels in the Outfield in that motherfucker....

 

USA got lucky and yet earned it by capitalizing on their good fortune, and truly Portugal proved to be the better team and being THAT good because even with a lot of bad luck (the refs were letting USA play and Portugal missed to great opportunities to score) they used their talent to capitalize and stay alive.

In other words, this whole damned group is coming down to who can use their talent to capitalize on some good luck. Portugal would need Germany to BRUTALIZE the USA similar to how they beat down Portugal. Ghana would need that too.. Meanwhile USA needs Ghana to beat Portugal, yet still be a close game. Meanwhile USA has to at the least not get creamed by Germany..

Yes, though technically ALL these teams are alive, in fact, we're facing that scary opportunity for 3-way ties..

[!@#$%!]

ghana is only 2 goals behind us. if this world cup has shown us anything is that there are no small teams in global football (well, okay, there's still honduras, but such teams are becoming rarer).

i don't want to paint doomsday scenarios which anyone can figure out in their head, but everyone has to play their best for the last date.

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

as klinsi said, germany has an extra day to rest and USA just played in manaus, they don't have to travel, etc.

Jogi and Jurgen both know it's in neither teams' interests to risk going for the win. A draw would keep Germany top and you 2nd which both sides would've taken at the start. If either team goes all out there'll be Italy fans shaking their heads at their tellys at the sheer naivety of it all.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

ghana is only 2 goals behind us. if this world cup has shown us anything is that there are no small teams in global football (well, okay, there's still honduras, but such teams are becoming rarer).

i don't want to paint doomsday scenarios which anyone can figure out in their head, but everyone has to play their best for the last date.

Agreed completely, but you GOT to at LEAST like our odds.. That is the beauty of futbol, a draw can be as good as a win, and indeed, why I always like the Group stages best of all because every play and possession counts that much more since it can as in this group literally come down just to differentials..

By the way, also got to love the more balanced game tonight, USA was down most of the match yet the possession was more or less 50-50 as were the attacks plus we played slightly better defense than Portugal..

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

If Portugal gets eliminated then this game sneaks into my top 3, either way its somewhere in the top-7..

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Jogi and Jurgen both know it's in neither teams' interests to risk going for the win. A draw would keep Germany top and you 2nd which both sides would've taken at the start. If either team goes all out there'll be Italy fans shaking their heads at their tellys at the sheer naivety of it all.

well they both speak the same language so i do have a real hope for a highly illegal but reasonable agreement from both *cough* parties *cough*.

that was my expectation from day 1, remember? ha ha ha ha.

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

also got to love the more balanced game tonight,

let's see what cheeto sez about the USA passes now.