(soccer) USA-Brazil U20 game moved to ESPN Tonight

[SirFozzie]

7:45 Eastern start.. US are pretty much through, but hopefully with Freddy and Jozy kickin ass, a win against Brazil would be nice

[Easy Mac]

Lineup for the US looks the same as the last game, with the exception of Sarkodie in for Valentin in the starting XI.

I was kind of hoping someone else could get a look on the left besides Rogers, he has not impressed me at all.

[Eaglesfan27]

My guide isn't showing it on ESPN yet. Does anyone know if it will be broadcast in HD on ESPN?

[Easy Mac]

No HD

[Easy Mac]

Zizzo punks the Brazilian left back but Bradley can't finish. Rogers blisters one.

[Easy Mac]

Joze FTG!!!!!

[Eaglesfan27]

YES!!

[Easy Mac]

Michael Bradley is currently the Tim Ward of this game

[Easy Mac]

Half time, US up 1-0. Brazil really poured it on in the final 10 minutes. We were lucky to escape the half up.

Bradley looks absolutely spent and is playing horrendously.

[Easy Mac]

Poland up 1-0 over Korea.

Current group if the games stay the same
USA 7
POL 6
BRA 3
KOR 1

[Karlifornia]

Well, shit. Wacky turn of events there

[Easy Mac]

Dammit,, Brazil draws even, shockingly off a poor Bradley clearance.

That goal went off Sarkodie, not his fault though.

1-1

[Easy Mac]

Poland-Korea are deuced at 1.

[Easy Mac]

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JOZE. Fucking Brilliant from Adu........ Good Lord.

[Karlifornia]

HOLY SHIT! GOAL ALTIDORE! What a move by Adu!!

[Karlifornia]

Oh man....close call there....too intense.

[Easy Mac]

Seitz with a brilliant save after an odd punch. He looks dead. Beltran is also worn out on the right.

[RendeR]

Holy shit we're beating Brazil????


And what does this game mean for team USA?(sorry, haven't been following them lately)

[Easy Mac]

Why bring in Tim Ward? Why not just take someone off and leave the space blank? And the ref has completely put on his yellow Brazil kit.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Holy shit we're beating Brazil????


And what does this game mean for team USA?(sorry, haven't been following them lately)

That our U-20's know how to attack and finish

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

That our U-20's know how to attack and finish

Ok, convert that from soccer speak into english for me

[Easy Mac]

USA!!!!!!!!

Brazil finishes 3rd in the group!

[Young Drachma]

Wow. A win, good job boys.

[SirFozzie]

Do you believe in miracles... YES!

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Ok, convert that from soccer speak into english for me

USA Senior team = Joakim Noah (hustle, grit, no flair, can't shoot)
USA U-20 team = Kevin Durant (skill, style, grit, can shoot)

[Easy Mac]

Shocking, fouls were two to one against the US

[SirFozzie]

USA Win the group with 7 points.

Poland finish 2nd I think (despite the USA smacking them 6-1)

Brazil finish 3rd, and have to wait to see if they make the knockout stages

Korea finish 4th and are OUT.

[RendeR]

Ok, let me see if i knoodled this out:

U-20 == players under the age of 20 years.

World Cup == world championship tournament FOR those under 20 yrs of age

USA beating Brazil 2-1 == Fucking HILARIOUSLY AWESOME!

Did I get everything right?

[Easy Mac]

why is it they go apeshit over Brazilian touches that go nowhere, but they can't even show us Adu schooling two Brazilian kids to set up Altidore? We get the cross and the finish, but not the brilliant buildup.

[SirFozzie]

because if they showed THAT clip again , everyone's head would explode

[Young Drachma]

Because the media doesn't want to talk about Freddie anymore, since he didn't dominate MLS at age 15.

[rowech]

Wow...I haven't seen these guys play. I was very impressed. Adu needs to stop whining but he looks like he's finally developing. The Jose guy was exhausted but a very good striker. Still suspect in the back in my opinion though. Don't we have any teams that can develop defenders???!!! Thought the Beltran guy was terrible but maybe just had an off game.

On a side note, Sarkodie showed up at a practice for the high school team I was an asst. for when he was in 8th grade. We salivated. Never saw him again as the local rival got him and then he was gone from them as well.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by rowech

Adu needs to stop whining but he looks like he's finally developing.

Adu did whine a lot. However, I think the reason is that he was getting freaking mugged and not getting any calls and then when he breathed on a Brazilian the foul was called. Seems like a good reason to whine.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Adu did whine a lot. However, I think the reason is that he was getting freaking mugged and not getting any calls and then when he breathed on a Brazilian the foul was called. Seems like a good reason to whine.

All you do when you start doing that is make it worse. Just have to shutup and play. If teams know they can get into his head like that, they'll keep doing it.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by rowech

All you do when you start doing that is make it worse. Just have to shutup and play. If teams know they can get into his head like that, they'll keep doing it.

Is this post some kind of joke? Every single soccer superpower is full of players that whine, dive, playact, and generally act like asshats. If doing that "makes it worse" like it does for the Italians, Argentinians, etc. then by all means let's make it worse.

[moriarty]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Adu did whine a lot. However, I think the reason is that he was getting freaking mugged and not getting any calls and then when he breathed on a Brazilian the foul was called. Seems like a good reason to whine.

Adu got lucky he didn't get a second card when he plowed into the goal keeper towards the end. He played well, but if he continues to act hot headed every time the other team gives him a few kicks, the book on him is going to be to get him PO'd ... ala Wayne Rooney.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by moriarty

Adu got lucky he didn't get a second card when he plowed into the goal keeper towards the end. He played well, but if he continues to act hot headed every time the other team gives him a few kicks, the book on him is going to be to get him PO'd ... ala Wayne Rooney.

Whatever. The Brazilians were trying to intimidate him and he had just been plowed over minutes before by a Brazilian defender when he trucked the keeper. He didn't take their shit.

And he didn't get pissed off. He got even. Then he left two of their jocks in the right corner on his way to setting up the second goal. My only problem with Adu's performance is his work away from the ball. He needs to find his own space more consistently. I have no problem with letting the ref know when he sucks and then knocking them over if they knocked you over. The ref didn't have the balls to send him off for the keeper incident because he knew that he let Adu get drilled earlier on that phantom call on Altidore that stopped his one-on-one against the keeper.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by rowech

Wow...I haven't seen these guys play. I was very impressed. Adu needs to stop whining but he looks like he's finally developing. The Jose guy was exhausted but a very good striker. Still suspect in the back in my opinion though. Don't we have any teams that can develop defenders???!!! Thought the Beltran guy was terrible but maybe just had an off game.

On a side note, Sarkodie showed up at a practice for the high school team I was an asst. for when he was in 8th grade. We salivated. Never saw him again as the local rival got him and then he was gone from them as well.

Beltran wasn't that bad. He was gassed from having to mark Jo or Pato all game while being about half their size. An admirable effort from him.

My unpatented Football Manager US ratings:
Seitz - 8 - Damn solid effort and he can't really be faulted on the goal. Did make a few curious decisions and needs to work on his game in the air.
Beltran - 7 - An ok game, he looked worse having to go against the far physically superior Jo. It tooks its toll, and he was dead at the end.
Sturgis - 8 - He was everywhere in the first half, making big tackle after big tackle. A solid if unspectacular 2nd half.
Sarkodie - 6 - He didn't have a bad game, but of all the defenders, it seemed as though he did the least. He also technically scored the goal, but he meant well.
Wallace - 7 - He also had a very good defensive game and contributed well to the defense. He occassionally jumped on the runs a bit early, which led to a few too many Brazilian breaks.
Bradley - 5 - Redeemed himself somewhat at the end with just taking the ball off Brazilian's feet. However, his horrible header led directly to the Brazil goal, and he had an absolutely terrible first half. Just really bad first half... Tim Ward bad.
Szetela - 6 - He was better than a lot of people thought. He didn't contribute to the attack, but he was a little bit of everywhere in assisting the defense. He needs to show up in the next game though.
Rogers - 8 - Wow, he hasn't shown that well all tourney. A few very good runs on the left, and he has a great shot. If we can get him and Zizzo going at the same time.
Zizzo - 7 - A tireless effort, but he wasn't as dynamic as he has been the rest of the tourney.
Adu - 9 - Wow, when he is on, he is amazing, easily the best player on the field, announcer's Brazilian lovefest be damned. Assisted on both goals, and if not for odd refereeing, would have had a few goals himself.
Altidore - 8 - Great workrate, and he's been a great scavenger for his goals. The kind of player the US needs in the future, who can just score.

Subs
Igwe - 6 - He had a nice header, but his yellow gave Brazil a dangerous chance.
McCarty - 6 - Not enough time to impress, but he seems like a nice end of game sub.
Ward - 6 - Didn't screw up

[TroyF]

Can some of you guys who watch soccer more than I do explain how the Brazilian didn't get his second yellow card when he tripped Adu at the edge of the box? It happened right before the Brazilian equalizer and about 2 minutes after the ref carded Adu for barely touching a Brazilian player. (which included that player clearly faking an injury)

Adu schooled the guy and had a clear path to the right side of the goa. If he's not going to call a second yellow for that, I don't see how anyone can say Adu got lucky by not getting a second yellow.

And yeah, I'm amazed that they continued to show the shot/cross that led to the second goal, but they didn't show making two Brazilians in a corner look idiotic. That was an amazing play and we continually got to see only the end of it.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by moriarty

Adu got lucky he didn't get a second card when he plowed into the goal keeper towards the end. He played well, but if he continues to act hot headed every time the other team gives him a few kicks, the book on him is going to be to get him PO'd ... ala Wayne Rooney.

Exactly.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Beltran wasn't that bad. He was gassed from having to mark Jo or Pato all game while being about half their size. An admirable effort from him.

My unpatented Football Manager US ratings:
Seitz - 8 - Damn solid effort and he can't really be faulted on the goal. Did make a few curious decisions and needs to work on his game in the air.
Beltran - 7 - An ok game, he looked worse having to go against the far physically superior Jo. It tooks its toll, and he was dead at the end.
Sturgis - 8 - He was everywhere in the first half, making big tackle after big tackle. A solid if unspectacular 2nd half.
Sarkodie - 6 - He didn't have a bad game, but of all the defenders, it seemed as though he did the least. He also technically scored the goal, but he meant well.
Wallace - 7 - He also had a very good defensive game and contributed well to the defense. He occassionally jumped on the runs a bit early, which led to a few too many Brazilian breaks.
Bradley - 5 - Redeemed himself somewhat at the end with just taking the ball off Brazilian's feet. However, his horrible header led directly to the Brazil goal, and he had an absolutely terrible first half. Just really bad first half... Tim Ward bad.
Szetela - 6 - He was better than a lot of people thought. He didn't contribute to the attack, but he was a little bit of everywhere in assisting the defense. He needs to show up in the next game though.
Rogers - 8 - Wow, he hasn't shown that well all tourney. A few very good runs on the left, and he has a great shot. If we can get him and Zizzo going at the same time.
Zizzo - 7 - A tireless effort, but he wasn't as dynamic as he has been the rest of the tourney.
Adu - 9 - Wow, when he is on, he is amazing, easily the best player on the field, announcer's Brazilian lovefest be damned. Assisted on both goals, and if not for odd refereeing, would have had a few goals himself.
Altidore - 8 - Great workrate, and he's been a great scavenger for his goals. The kind of player the US needs in the future, who can just score.

Subs
Igwe - 6 - He had a nice header, but his yellow gave Brazil a dangerous chance.
McCarty - 6 - Not enough time to impress, but he seems like a nice end of game sub.
Ward - 6 - Didn't screw up

I agree with most of these. I thought Seitz played well but he scared me a couple of times. I thought the Rogers kid played lights out the first half. Seemed to tire the second half.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Can some of you guys who watch soccer more than I do explain how the Brazilian didn't get his second yellow card when he tripped Adu at the edge of the box? It happened right before the Brazilian equalizer and about 2 minutes after the ref carded Adu for barely touching a Brazilian player. (which included that player clearly faking an injury)

Adu schooled the guy and had a clear path to the right side of the goa. If he's not going to call a second yellow for that, I don't see how anyone can say Adu got lucky by not getting a second yellow.

And yeah, I'm amazed that they continued to show the shot/cross that led to the second goal, but they didn't show making two Brazilians in a corner look idiotic. That was an amazing play and we continually got to see only the end of it.

It was just a "context" non-yellow. I can actually live with the call, if I were confident we'd get the same treatment going the other way. Then again, the yellow on Freddy was BS and could cost us later.

Ref rankings for US games so far:

Poland
..
..
Brazil
..











..
Korea

[RPI-Fan]

P.S. Does anyone think Rogers is a dead ringer for Lee from the British version of The Office?

[Easy Mac]

We've committed 57 fouls and suffered 33.

v Korea - 26 committed, 12 suffered
v Poland - 6 committed, 9 suffered
v Brazil - 25 committed, 12 suffered

Only Nigeria, Uruguay and Poland have suffered fewer fouls per game, with Mexico and Congo fouling more per game.

[RPI-Fan]

The Korea game was absurd. Today, the discrepancy was a bit more appropriate.

[cthomer5000]

I think any doubt that Adu and Altidore will have major roles to play on the 2010 WC team was completely removed.

[bulletsponge]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I think any doubt that Adu and Altidore will have major roles to play on the 2010 WC team was completely removed.

if adu can play like that just once in the MLS you might be right

[Easy Mac]

The only people who care about how Freddy plays in the MLS are Americans.

[GoDukes]

If that were true wouldn't he have been picked up by a bigger club by now? Hopefully yesterday was a better indication of his talent than the piss-poor MLS.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by GoDukes

If that were true wouldn't he have been picked up by a bigger club by now? Hopefully yesterday was a better indication of his talent than the piss-poor MLS.

He could not be signed by a big club until he was 18. He turned 18 in early June.