Did It Really Matter?

Yesterday's game was a good effort by the U.S. team. The bottom line is, they made it to where they should have, and anything more would have been icing on the cake. It's probably better that they went out valiantly against Ghana, because quite frankly, I think it would have been ugly had the U.S. had to play Uruguay in the quarterfinals. We saw it happen in three out of the four games that the U.S. played; they gave up the early goal, and it's extremely hard to come back in soccer. The fact that they managed to come back two of the three times is pretty incredible in itself. Yes, it's hard to accept defeat against a team in consecutive World Cups, but sometimes that's just the way things go. I'm not sure how much this will help soccer in the long run, but it certainly hasn't hurt the popularity in the U.S. like another early exit in the group stage would have done.

On the bright side, at least we won't have to wonder "what could have been" for the next four years as England and Mexico will likely have to do. Both were the victim of missed calls by the referees; in the England game, a shot by Frank Lampard that clearly crossed the goal line was not ruled a goal. This would have tied the game at 2-2 in the first half, and although Germany went on to win the game 4-1, could have had an impact on the game. According to England coach Fabio Capello, "We could have played a different style" had the goal counted. So, are you saying that had the goal gone in, you would have changed your style of play from that point on? Since we're in the knockout stage, I'm pretty sure the name of the game is to aggressively attack and try to win instead of play for a tie. How exactly does that style of play change whether the game is 2-1 or tied? The fact of the matter is, England did not play well throughout their stay in this World Cup, and one goal was not going to change the way they played. Germany was the better team, and that was evident by the fact that they scored four goals for the second time this World Cup.

Mexico on the other hand was victim of those all too common offside calls that aren't called. In the 26th minute, Argentina's Lionel Messi headed the ball to Carlos Tevez, who was clearly behind all the Mexican defenders, and Tevez promptly put the ball into the back of the net. However, like the England vs. Germany game, you're splitting hairs if you argue that the missed call was a game changer. Argentina won the game 3-1, and was in control for most of the game other than the first couple of minutes. With this being said, what we have here are a couple of cases of overmatched teams on the wrong end of a call arguing that they were cheated. Sorry guys, but regardless of the calls, you didn't deserve to win.

Tomorrow I'll begin with my "Live from Omaha" posts. It's not really anything special; basically, I'll just be writing about my experience at the College World Series finals in addition to the other topics that I would originally cover. Other than the actual baseball part, I'll also comment on the waiting in line, the food, the atmosphere, and of course, the ladies. I'm looking forward to it, and hopefully this lighter tone in my writing will attract more than my usual readership, which typically maxes out at about four.



- K. Becks

Some People Are Missing The Point

Okay, so the United States didn't get the win today, even though it was pretty clear to everyone but Koman Coulibaly that they had scored the go-ahead goal in the 86th minute. However, many people are missing the bigger picture; the U.S. is still in great position to move on to the next round. Sure, they only have two points, but with all the parody in Group C, they still control their own destiny. With a win against Algeria, the U.S. will move on, regardless of what happens in the England vs. Slovenia game. The only reason that a tie was unacceptable going into today's game is because everyone thought England was going to pick up three points against little Algeria. After England's nil-nil snorefest with Algeria, every team but Algeria has the capability of propelling themselves into the knockout round without help from another team. So, before we start grilling Mr. Coulibaly for his mistake (because trust me, I think the rest of the world can pick up the slack for us), let's remember the more important thing; we did enough today to assure ourselves of moving on with a win against Algeria. In the long run, that's all that matters.

While on the topic, here's another thing. The late game foul call was not the sole reason that the U.S. didn't win the game today. Go back to the first half, when Slovenia somehow snuck not one, but two, goals past the U.S. defense, and there lies why they didn't win the game. Here's what I don't understand; if the U.S. has the ability to play like they did in the second half, then why don't they start playing that way...oh...I don't know...when the game starts? Instead of trying to rely on their supposed superior athletic talent to carry them to a win, maybe they should play with the tenacity of a team that is down 2-0 for the entire game. If they did that, then their superior athletic talent would actually show up, and they would run away with games against teams like Slovenia and Algeria.

If the U.S. does manage to move on the knockout round, they may have a better chance of moving on further than most people would have thought when the World Cup started. Serbia's 1-0 win over Germany created as much parody in Group D as there is in Group C, with three teams (Germany, Ghana, Serbia) sitting atop the group lead with three points. My prediction is that after tomorrow, Ghana will be alone at the top with six points (they play Australia tomorrow), but the Germany vs. Ghana game next week will be very important concerning the final standings. If the U.S. finishes second in their group, they may very well have a rematch with the Black Stars of Ghana; a game that is much more winnable for the U.S. than a game against Germany.

I feel that this post was very short, so if you're looking for a little more substance when you sit down to read, I'm am sorry. However, if you would like to converse about U.S. soccer, the World Cup in general, or anything else sports related that is on your mind, leave me a comment in the comments section or shoot me an email at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Also, thank you to all of you who joined the fan page on Facebook.



- K. Becks

World Cup Preview: Groups C and D

Yesterday night, one of the ambassadors of college basketball, a mentor and idol to many, passed away. John Wooden was 99 years old. I won't go into too much detail, because ESPNEWS has been covering the story the moment they received word that Wooden had passed away, but I will end this topic with a quote from Wooden himself: "Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters." Mr. Wooden, I think you'll be fine in that regard. Rest in peace, Wizard of Westwood.

In other news, Garret Wittels, who I mentioned yesterday, continued his hitting streak, which now stands at 56 games. Unfortunately, he will have to wait until next year to continue it, as Florida International was defeated by Dartmouth today, and is now out of the tournament.

Now, for my Groups C and D preview.

Group C
Teams: England, United States, Algeria, Slovenia

Match to Watch
England vs. United States (Saturday, June 12th)

For U.S. fans, this is undoubtedly the biggest game of the World Cup. Not only is England the team to beat in Group C, but this is the first time that the rivalry with the team from "Across the Pond" has been played in 60 years. Supporters will get to see right off the bat how good the young, aggressive U.S. team really is. The game is just as important for England; losing to the United States would not sit well with the English faithful.

Player to Watch
Wayne Rooney, England

Okay, so if he doesn't perform well, he probably won't end up in a trailer park eating baked beans like the Nike commercial suggests. However, England's chances of doing exceptionally well in this year's World Cup do depend heavily on how Rooney plays. England is a serious contender to win their first World Cup in 44 years if Rooney is on his game.

Final Standings

1. England- Barring a colossal meltdown in one of their games, the only team in this group that will give England trouble is the United States.
2. United States- After the England game, they will need to stay focused and take care of business. Even a tie against Algeria or Slovenia could potentially mean that their fate rests in someone else's hands, which is not ideal.
3. Slovenia- This team could sneak up on someone, as they have not really been receiving a lot of attention leading up to the tournament. Although they don't have a lot of flashy players, they are a tough team and not an easy out.
4. Algeria- Algeria's defense is questionable, which will probably hurt them when playing the likes of strikers such as Rooney and Donovan. However, they are also capable of scoring, and if an opposing team's defense slips up, Algeria will capitalize on the mistake.


Group D
Teams: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana

Match to Watch
Australia vs. Ghana (Saturday, June 19th)

This game will be extremely important, as it will probably determine who finishes second in the group. The crowd will be behind Ghana, playing on their home continent, which will make things difficult for the Socceroos. The last thing either team would want to do is lose this game, as it would put them in a very precarious position heading into the third game of the group stage. However, they will have to be aggressive, because a draw likely won't put them in a much better position.

Player to Watch
Tim Cahill, Australia

On a defensive oriented team, Cahill carries the offensive load for Australia. He will play a significant role in determining how Australia fares, creating offensive chances for other players as well as himself. If he doesn't perform well, it will be hard for Australia to score goals.

Final Standings

1. Germany- They aren't the team that they would have been with Michael Ballack and Rene Adler, but they are still a talented team. They can't take any of the other teams in their group lightly though; this is arguably the second toughest group in the World Cup.
2. Ghana- As mentioned earlier, the game against Australia will likely determine whether or not Ghana moves on. They will miss the leadership of midfielder Michael Essien (out due to a knee injury), but the combination of their aggressive play and the fact that they are on their own continent gives them the edge over Australia to move on to the knockout stage.
3. Australia- Australia is a very good defensive team, but that's only half the battle. You have to be able to score too, and the offense is a question mark for the Socceroos. They must get something working on the offensive end if they want to move on.
4. Serbia- Looking to avenge their poor showing as Serbia and Montenegro in the last World Cup (they went 0-3), Serbia has experienced players such as Dejan Stankovic and will try to surprise someone in their group. No better place to start than their opening game against Ghana, where a win could open the door for them to advance.



- K. Becks