World Cup Thread
- Thread starter StuBlue270_uk
- Start date
- 2002 World Cup Group Stage: USA 3, Portugal 2 (Win)
- 2009 Confederations Cup Semifinal: USA 2, Spain 0 (Win) (huge upset, ended Spain's 35 match unbeaten streak. We lost 3-2 to Brazil in the final.)
- 2014 World Cup Group Stage: USA 2, Portugal 2 (Draw)
Retracting my England prediction. They could play Mexico in Mexico City in altitude this Sunday. Going to be the most hostile environment in the World Cup.
That'd be a fun hate watch. I loathe the arrogance and sense of entitlement around the English team, but I absolutely despise El Tri.
The Krauts are done boys! Paraguay just nuked Berlin.
That loss probably the worst thing that has ever happened to the German people.
Just as well for Germany. France was going to destroy Germany like it was 1940 and Germany was France.
And 2002 also included a 3-1 loss to Poland, then elimination by Germany in the quarters.
2006 saw a loss to the Czech Republic and a tie with Italy.
2010 was ties with England and Slovenia
2014 was the tie with Portugal, a loss to Germany and being eliminated by Belgium
2018 the US wasn't there
2022 was a tie with England, a tie with Wales, and elimination by the Netherlands.
The US has yet to beat a Euro team in the World Cup when it really, really mattered, The 2002 win over Portugal was big, but it was also an opening game upset.
If the US doesn't blow the game today, and if it ends up being Belgium, it will be interesting to see how the odds are set. I suspect the US will be slight favorites, which is pretty big progress, but then they'll need to prove that's legit.
That last one ain't likely to happen until the quarterfinals at earliest. What Brazil was 30 years ago- a nation producing so many star players that they could overwhelm all but a handful of other national teams- France is now. I will say this, though- if France is forced into PK's at any point, bet against them. The pressure will be so tremendous that I don't think they could handle it.
I was replying specifically to post made about Iberian teams, not European teams in general.
2002 we lost 1-0 to Germany. That game also included an egregious non-call on a handball that would've been a PK for the USMNT.
Does it mean we'd make the PK or hold on for a tie or even win? It's a shame we'll never know. Germany was the runner-up that year. No shame in a narrow loss to them.
2010 we won the group; England finished second. We also had the go-ahead goal against Slovenia to go up 3-2, but the ref called a phantom foul on the USA and disallowed Edu's goal. The replay showed three fouls by Slovenia on the free kick, including Michael Bradley being bear-hugged.
Would we have ended up holding on for the win? Again, who knows? Another shame due to terrible refereeing. Coulibaly I believe was sacked as a ref after that, and was even mentioned by name in a FIFA statement about ref problems at that World Cup.
In fairness, our 1-1 draw against England in 2010 was a bit lucky, as their GK let in an absolute howler from a Clint Dempsey shot.
2014, lost to eventual champions Germany 1-0 in the group stage. No shame in that. Host nation Brazil got absolutely demolished 7-1 by them later on. Losing to Belgium was disappointing but not unexpected at all.
If the USMNT fails to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, that'll be a severe disappointment. I agree that we need to prove ourselves against Euro sides in the WC knockout stages, but I think some of the results you highlighted needed context, and I don't think you can downplay the win versus Portugal in 2002 by just saying it was an opening game upset. Figo had just won FIFA player of the year, and Portugal was considered a dark horse contender.
OMG so I am not the only person who remembers that. I always thought that if that had happened to Argentina, Brazil or Germany, something different would have happened.
Of course, today that would be a red card and a penalty kick, but I will never forget that crappy non call.
We deserved that goal, or at least a PK.
I don’t know, they had national pressure on their home turf in 1998 and won it. They won in 2018, had a final against Argentina in what was one of the biggest games ever probably. They have been there a lot.
I said if it goes to penalties.
The expectations for France this year are pretty much title or bust, because this is viewed as the strongest squad they've ever had. If someone gets through 120 minutes of a game against them even, France will feel like they've blown it and the opponent will feel like they've accomplished something great, and the pressure on France on those penalty kicks will be so intense that I think at least a few players will wilt.
Yeah I know what you said, I’m saying they have had monumental pressure for a long time. I think they can handle it. That is my position. They are stacked, it doesn’t mean they will win, but they have been pretty dominate so far.
I'm taking the oldest to see England vs. Congo at noon today in Atlanta. Bucket list item for the kid, we're pretty pumped!
You mean just like US? Or just like Canada had they'd won their group? Dang if I know.
Rate things are going I doubt France will have to worry about 120 minutes. We'll see. They do look awesome.
Sorry I don't follow soccer and thought we were the only host. I badly hope you can find it in your gracious heart to forgive me for such an egregious error.
Regardless of your soccer knowledge, how could there be games in Mexico and Canada if the US is the only host?Sorry I don't follow soccer and thought we were the only host. I badly hope you can find it in your gracious heart to forgive me for such an egregious error.
Out of curiosity, how could think this when you specifically discussed the games being played in Mexico in an earlier post? Makes zero sense.Sorry I don't follow soccer and thought we were the only host. I badly hope you can find it in your gracious heart to forgive me for such an egregious error.
Do you not know what word “host” means?