With obscenely brilliant goalkeeping by Tim Howard and a Bill
Buckner-esque blunder by Robert Green, the U.S. avoided
disappointment on soccer’s biggest stage once again.
That the Yankees did not fold under the weight of their
much-anticipated World Cup opener versus England, or an early
one-goal deficit, easily makes Saturday’s 1-1 tie in Rustenburg,
South Africa, the most memorable draw in American soccer
history.
With obscenely brilliant goalkeeping by Tim Howard and a Bill Buckner-esque blunder by Robert Green, the U.S. avoided disappointment on soccer’s biggest stage once again.
That the Yankees did not fold under the weight of their much-anticipated World Cup opener versus England, or an early one-goal deficit, easily makes Saturday’s 1-1 tie in Rustenburg, South Africa, the most memorable draw in American soccer history.
How big was it? We will know in two weeks.
Not to take anything away from what was gained; the U.S. wrestled away a point in Group C play against a superior club that remains one of the favorites to win this year’s Cup. But it’s been done before.
The Americans accomplished the same result under tougher circumstances at the World Cup in Germany four years ago. They outperformed and tied eventual-champion Italy 1-1 on June 17, 2006, despite having nine men for most of the match. The U.S. scored the equalizer on an own goal, a stroke of luck similar to Green’s mishandled save on Clint Dempsey’s shot in the 40th minute Saturday.
The Americans played with more heart than the Italians, but U.S. fans seldom recall the match. They prefer not to. That’s because the Americans — ranked as high as fourth in FIFA that year — lost 2-1 to Ghana the next week, wrapping up a winless Cup run that included an opening 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic.
If there is one thing the U.S. has learned in nine World Cup appearances, it’s that disappointment can overlap the greatest feats.
Saturday’s tie was a moral victory for the Americans. They played well enough offensively against the Three Lions but could easily have lost 3-0 if not for Dempsey’s break and the mystifying saves by Howard, who may have had his ribs bruised or broken when England’s Emile Heskey slid into him during the 29th minute. The U.S. could have won just as well with Jozy Altidore’s breakaway shot in the second half.
Even a true three-point victory would be tarnished if the team does not fulfill its realistic goal of reaching the quarterfinals. That would strike a significant blow to the U.S. Soccer Federation — now one game into the coda of its Project 2010, a blueprint that U.S. Soccer executives created in 1998 to make the U.S. a legitimate World Cup title contender by this year.
With England set astern, pool play lightens up for the U.S. much like it did after Italy in 2006. The Americans will play Slovenia at 7 a.m. Friday, then face Algeria on June 23. They cannot let up. Slovenia smells blood after beating Algeria 1-0 Sunday to climb to the top of Group C. The Algerians will be desperate next week; they play England on Friday.
To avoid upset, a task the U.S. has struggled to fulfill historically, the Americans need to create more scoring opportunities and do a better job maintaining possession. England trumped them on both fronts but woefully lost the head-to-head battle in net.
The U.S. will not face as tough of an opponent until the round of 16, when the Group C winner and Group D runner-up square off and vice versa. The Americans will likely force an intriguing rematch with Ghana if they take first, which they should.
Fresh off an enormous tie, the room for opportunity and disappointment is at its peak once again for U.S. soccer.
