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Biggest U.S. win ever? You better believe it ...
FIFA Confederations Cup
It was also unbelievable.
This was the victory American fans have been dying to see. It was against a major team, in a major tournament, and on foreign soil. Tonight's result was the biggest win ever in American soccer's long and fitful history, and the first time the USA had downed a No. 1 ranked team since that famous 1998 win over Brazil in the Gold Cup. That night, keeper Kasey Keller was the hero, stopping some 35 shots.
Tonight, it was a team effort, and it was arguably the best game the American senior team has ever played start to finish.
Even more remarkable was the fact that this win came on the heels of two dismal games to open a tournament seemingly headed for disaster. This side looked cooked. U.S. Soccer was flooded with angry emails, and for perhaps the first time, the team was put on notice just how many people were paying them serious attention.
Let's put this in perspective. The Americans have never before won a big game away from home quite like this. Yes, in 2002, they made the World Cup quarterfinals in Korea — but the team they beat was Mexico, an opponent they were familiar with.
The opening night win over Portugal in that Cup was perhaps the signature win before tonight, but even that one didn't look quite as great after the Portuguese nose-dived out of the Korean event in the first round.
And, in 1998, a spectacular Gold Cup victory over Brazil came in a tournament that the South American giants were invited to as guests. And that 1-0 win was staged on home soil, in Los Angeles.
Even the best result in recent memory is a bit underwhelming. Arguably, it was the 1-1 draw against eventual world champions Italy in the 2006 World Cup. We praised a nine-man team's courage that night more than anything else.
Maybe you have to go all the way back to the 1950 World Cup, and the USA's upset of England in Belo Horizonte, to get a comparable result to tonight's. And that was 59 years ago, before U.S. Soccer was the organization it is today. And remember, as has been so often reported, the result made no impression on the American sporting public whatsoever.
This, tonight, is very different. There was live television coverage and there will be post-game talk on sports radio and TV. This is now the Internet age and the web will be filled with reactions — applause, not silence, will greet the winners this evening.
The Americans are now assured of having their best-ever finish in a FIFA tournament at the senior level in the modern era. And even if they come in second, it's a huge achievement for a program that finished dead last in the 1998 World Cup and last in their group in 2006.
USA vs. Spain
The question remains — was this a one-off? Is this a sign of growing maturity for a team that has too often underperformed and been wildly erratic? And what does this mean for next year's World Cup?
Because the Americans have built up so many hopes over the years, only to flame out, the fact is that until the USA puts together a solid streak of wins, some of those doubts will remain.
Yet as it happens, the USA's finish in the Confederations Cup has been a remarkably accurate predictor for future World Cup success.
When the USA have played well in the Confederations Cup — 1992, 1999 — the Americans have gone on to some World Cup success. When they have flopped, such as in 2003, they have gone on to stink out the house at the big show.
Fans should keep in mind that this group represents the core of the squad. It's a radically different eleven from the side which started a "prove it" month with a 3-0 loss in Costa Rica and even began this event with back-to-back losses. The changes have been gradual — some forced by injury, some by players' form costing them their jobs. Coach Bob Bradley may finally have hit the right combination with tonight's group, especially the back four that performed so well under pressure.
If Bradley and his group can build on today's success, the future is bright. That said, this team now will be held to a higher standard. Now they will have to keep winning big ones to carry the momentum into next year's World Cup.
But back to the game. It took a gutsy 3-0 win against a tired Egypt side — combined with a shocking 3-0 collapse by Italy against Brazil — to put the Americans into tonight's game through the back door.
That was lucky.
Tonight wasn't.
Perhaps riled up by insistent criticism of their style of play and their seemingly indifferent manner, the Americans came out attacking from the whistle, startling a Spanish side that probably thought they were in for an easier night. Some of their fans will try to call it an off night for the champs. To be sure, Spain didn't look as sharp as they could have. But, given that they had an extra day of rest, the onus was on them. And the scoreboard is plain.
Landon Donovan, the player of the tournament for the USA, was again the man of the match, steering the USA calmly through the Spanish midfield, and using Charlie Davies to great effect.
While the USA mainly employed "Route One" soccer and attacked right down the gut, the Americans grew more confident as the game went on and started to play the type of possession game Spain is feted for. Ricardo Clark and Michael Bradley linked up well in midfield, pushing off one another and covering a great deal of ground out wide and down the gut.
But the revelation of the evening had to be the use of Carlos Bocanegra at left back. Employed at that position by his club team, Rennes, and earlier on the national team by former U.S. boss Bruce Arena, Bocanegra has often looked at sea alongside Oguchi Onyewu in the middle.
Due to what now appears to be a most fortuitous hamstring injury to Bocanegra, Jay DeMerit seized that central position in this tournament and has clearly stolen it, forming an unbreakable tandem with the burly Belgium-based defender. Having Bocanegra out wide opposite Jonathan Spector finally gave the USA some speed and bite down the flanks, allowing them to play the kind of countering game not seen since 2002.
We lost count of the times that either DeMerit or Onyewu got a boot in just in time to cut off a Spanish cross. But we never failed to notice that both men stayed on their feet most of the game, were never in danger of fouling near their goal and read the match with impeccable precision.
Oh yes, they both won just about everything that came their way in the air, foiling a frustrated Spain whenever their crafty play did create space wide and made room for a cross.
Jozy Altidore, who scored the game-winner in the 27th must be elated. The burly 19-year old, left on the bench at not one but two Spanish clubs, flung aside his teammate Joan Capdevila to score on a breakaway created by Davies and passed along by Clint Dempsey. It was a feat of sheer strength and willpower, and it was the goal that broke the game wide open. Suddenly, the Americans were ahead, to stay.
And how sweet is it for Dempsey, who has come under intense, and often unfair, scrutiny for his supposed lack of defensive effort? The Fulham man nailed the capper, reeling in a ball from Donovan, and tipped by Gerard Pique, to slam it home through Sergio Ramos' legs. His goal didn't totally deflate the Spanish, but it did ice the game.
FIFA Confederations Cup
The Americans would not have been able to hold on if not for that back four. DeMerit and Onyewu were tireless, and spent 20 minutes under heavy siege by an increasingly desperate Spanish side. Goalkeeper Tim Howard, who had sat during the last match, turned in an virtuoso effort in a start not everyone thought was fully deserved after the performance Brad Guzan turned in on Sunday. Howard made five critical saves to preserve not only the win, but also a clean sheet, by stonewalling David Villa and Fernando Torres.
But it all comes back to Donovan. In this tournament, he has shone. In the losses, he was the man urging his team to wake up. In the wins, he has been the man pulling the strings. Donovan's been the architect, and he deserves credit for the wins, just as he has been willing to publicly shoulder the losses. Tonight may finally allow him to shake off the naysayers who have dogged him his entire career.
There are still problems, though. For the third time in four games, an American player was sent off. Michael Bradley was shown the exit in the 86th for a tackle on Xavi Alonso and will now miss the final. That didn't matter much tonight, but it may hurt the Americans badly against Brazil (who should beat South Africa on Thursday in the other semifinal).
The USA is likely to appeal the red — also, likely, to no avail — for the tackle was neither reckless nor dangerous. But, seeing as the USA has made a habit of bad tackles in this tournament, refs have been keeping a close eye on matters, and the coach's son, unfairly, paid the price.
Tonight, however, the USA is sure to celebrate. They deserve it. For once, they've been able to put together the pieces and play a complete game. And look what happens.
Jamie Trecker's newest book, "Love and Blood: At the World Cup with the Footballers, Fans and Freaks" is out now from Harcourt. Jamie is assisted by Jerry and Janice Trecker. Contact Jamie at jamie.trecker@gmail.com and visit his blog and website at www.jamietrecker.com.
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