Spain v USA Confederations Cup Liveblog

Woo Hoo! Here we go.

btw chris – Well done on the pic caption.

so whats the score going to be like guys?
and will altidore score?

Spain looks like it’s on the verge of choking.

YES!!!

We cant expect to hold Spain back. Have to break their spirit and score another two at least.

Except that let’s be honest we don’t have nearly the quality of Chelsea. What we can do is keep winning the 50/50 in midfield, exploit their defense, and fight for every scrap in our final third.

yeah ua re right abt the fact that we dont have that quality, however, i like the way chalie davies is closing in…one question though, can we win without the long balls?

thank god! any toughts for changes?

We made it to half time. We’ve been lucky at the back so far. If you noticed Spain has taken nearly all of their set pieces short, stretching us, looking for a mistake – which we will make.

The long balls and our pace is really giving Spain trouble. What we need to do is stop wasting our set-pieces. It’s really like Germany-Portugal during Euro 2008. Except Germany is better at finishing and Portugal is worse than Spain. In any event we need to keep our concentration up and use the few chances we have. If we can score another we will definitely win this match.

It’s best that we don’t make any changes. Our midfield has been really good and our defense alert.

Jozy Altidore anyone?

YESSSSSSS

We just need to hang on now.

I can believe my eyes we are gonna win this thing!

The U.S.A are going to gatecrash the party. Most people were expecting a Brazil/Spain Final. Remember most people were expecting a Kobe/Lebron final? It seems it’s true what they say: “anything can happen in football.”

Malawi should keep hope alive.

Well we managed our normal red card. Doesn’t matter though Spain goes home!

U.S. will win this game!! how sweet. GO USA

WE HAVE WON

Thank you.

There’s video of both goals embedded in the LiveBlog (at 3:54 and 4:25 respectively) above.

I’m simply confused at this point. What a great day.

Great decision by Bradley to “rest” Howard against Egypt. Timmy wants his starting spot!!

GET FUCKING IN!

Darkest day in football. But then again, it’s just the Confederation’s Cup, one fluke game in a stadium that’s half empty. :P

Spain’s loss was Spain’s fault, not because the US are suddenly better. Spain are still light years ahead.

Actually Seth, today the US was better. Give credit where credit is due.

Um sorry David but I won’t.

USA today = luck, cheap antics, and more luck.

Donavon is a cheap diving dolphin, and don’t tell me you did not see Altidore’s great performance when he barely got shoved by Ramos? Dude fell on the ground as if a bullet struck him.

I would give them 100% credit for a job well done if they hadn’t been Italy version 2.0 .

Like I said, Spain just had a bad day (especially Xavi and Ramos). USA are still the same team. They had 2 shots and made it count because luck was on their side.

Sour grapes, Seth. Sour grapes.

No, not really. Just giving my .02.

As soon as the US looses again (and mind you they will), everyone will go back to watching baseball. It’s just a temporary thing for now. Yanks will always be Yanks. Sore losers, cocky winners. ;)

I got goosebumps reading the liveblog. USA!

Oh Seth, I think I can understand your woes.
But then again – why does this have to keep you from being fair?
Now who the hell is a sore loser here?

Lee, I just went back and read through the whole thing again, and goosebumps on this end too! What a game for a US fan!

Spain’s players and coach gave the U.S. credit. That’s more important to me since some “fans” will not.

Well done USA. Yes, you are an OK team, but you have been extremely lucky. To qualify, after losing two of the three group games, you needed to beat Egypt 3-0, and hope Brazil beat Italy(world champions)3-0. Somehow it happened, a mix of luck and sheer determination on the American part.
However, trust me, i watch Spain whenever i can, and especially watch the players, when they play for their clubs, such as Barcalona, Liverpool, etc, and it is true that they had a bad game. Villa and Ramos played poorly, and Villa could have easily passed to Torres, giving him an open goal, but Villa blasted it over the bar. Torres’ anger was clear, and it summed up the poor performence put on by Spain.
Nevertheless, USA plated to their strengths. Before the game, they stated they were a much more physical team than Spain, and the whole reason you went 1-0 up, was due to Altidor’s superior strength in comprison to the Spainish defender.
Nonetheless, you still beat Spain 2-0, and no matter what the reasons are, for a team to beat the best team in the world, 2-0, has done very well, and done themselves credit, and gained a lot of respect. Spain were unbeaten since November 2006.
Good luck against Brazil in the final(south africa wont beat them, i predict 3-0). Brazil mauled you in the group game. I dont know what your tactics are. Sheer determination can only get you so far.

Seth who is the sore loser? Spain were more talented sure, but not when it mattered. Don’t forget Spain had cheap antics too. Lucky the ref didn’t fall for that Villa dive. We got the unjustified red card anywy – I ams ure you would have been moaning that if the situation were reversed.

Actually I am happy Spain lost, they need some rest. and also they now know that they are beatable.

I just hope that if/when USA lose in the final of the Confederations cup, they dont go into a childish romp, and begin to hate football, and turn to their poor sports like baseball and american football, for comfort.
The truth is, the confederations cup is a very low key tournement, and doesnt even make terrestrial channels in European countries. USA, if you do want to make a splash in the footballing world, do what youve done in South Africa 2009, in South Africa 2010, then you will have recognition.

DannyFromEngland, I think you’re spot on with your statement. I would like to ad that I hope that if/when the USA win the Confederations Cup that US media outlets will begin to give credence to the game and provide appropriate coverage to not only the USMNT but to the MLS (regardless of anyone’s feelings about its quality) as well. The masses in this country will not begin to pay attention or respect soccer (football) until the ESPN’s begin to tell them that the sport is worth their emotional investment. Sad, but true.