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Lt Tanaka
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#21 Post by Lt Tanaka »

James J. Walters wrote:How can a tournament that is held every four years that features the winner of the six FIFA confederation championships, the previous World Cup, and the current World Cup host country be "ignored"?
Because nobody will remember the winner in six months time. Can you name the winner of the last Confederations cup without checking? I can't and I can name both finalists in every World Cup back to 1930. In the sports sections of the newspapers in Europe almost all the articles are dealing with transfers and who is being bought and sold. The confederations cup is getting results only treatment or short run downs. Unlike the World Cup next year which will dominate the news even outside the sports section and have every game shown live in almost every European country, only a handful of nations have bothered to show any games or highlights of this tournament.

If nobody cared about it, why do the teams bring their A-List players (Kaka, Robinho, Torres, Pirlo, etc.)?
International teams bring their "A-list" players for even friendlies these days because if they don't they risk losing ground in the constant tug-of-war with the clubs.
Also Spain, Italy and Brazil are genuine contenders for the title next year so it's a chance for them to test the squad in the country that will host the World Cup. For the smaller nations such as Egypt, America and NZ it's a rare chance to play the big boys and so they may take it a bit more seriously but still the priority is using it as a test run rather than winning it as a serious competition.

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#22 Post by Lt Tanaka »

Doc Ibold wrote: I could care less about football.
Don't you mean you "couldn't" care less. You "could care less" means you must care. :P
Stirring the pot is fun!
I agree. :wink:

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#23 Post by J.J. Walters »

Well sure, no tournament measures up to the World Cup! It's the cream of the crop. There are, however, many other soccer tournaments that are fun, exciting, and important - UEFA, Copa America, African Cup, Asian Cup, Club World Cup, Gold Cup, Copa Libertadores, and yes, even the Confederations Cup.

By the way, Brazil won the Confederations Cup in 2005!
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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#24 Post by Lt Tanaka »

Now I see why you like it.
Spain 0-2 USA

The United States will contest the Confederations Cup final after causing a huge upset in Bloemfontein tonight by inflicting a first defeat on Spain since 2006.

Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey scored the goals as underdogs USA, having lost their opening two games in the tournament and only squeezed through Group B by the skin of their teeth, set up a final showdown against either Brazil or hosts South Africa on Sunday.

The result was one of the biggest shocks in recent international history, with the all-conquering Spanish having broken the record for consecutive wins with their 15th on the trot against South Africa at the weekend.

The European champions would also have claimed the record for the longest unbeaten run if they had avoided defeat tonight, having drawn level with Brazil's run of 35 in that South Africa match.

Even the 86th-minute dismissal of Michael Bradley - son of coach Bob - could not deny the USA, who were left to celebrate a famous victory.

The Americans started brightly and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas found his goal under threat from Altidore and Charlie Davies early on.

Davies' then threatened again with a glancing header across the face of goal, and when Dempsey drilled a 25-yard shot just wide in the eighth minute, the Spanish must have wondered what was going on.

The world's top-ranked side did not take long to fashion some chances of their own though.
Cesc Fabregas sent a dipping shot over the bar and then the Arsenal captain threaded over a superb cross that Fernando Torres was just unable to convert at the far post.

That was all in a breathless opening 12 minutes, and both sides continued to push forward before the US took a shock lead through Altidore in the 26th minute.

Dempsey played the ball into his strike-partner on the edge of the box and the 19-year-old was allowed to turn Villarreal team-mate Joan Capdevila far too easily before firing in a shot that Casillas got his hand to but could not keep out.

That was the first goal Spain had conceded in their Confederations Cup campaign and only the third since Vicente del Bosque took over last summer, with this being the 14th match under the former Real Madrid boss.

The Spanish were under real pressure and, after David Villa had blazed a half-chance over the bar, the US had a great chance to make it 2-0.

Two US players were unmarked at the far post as they raced in to meet Landon Donovan's free-kick, but while captain Carlos Bocanegra was probably the better placed, Dempsey stretched to get his head to the ball and could not get it on target.

Despite that wasted opportunity, the US still held onto their 1-0 lead until the break, with Tim Howard sticking out a foot to deny Torres at his near post just before the interval.

With their proud record in danger, Spain came out at the start of the second half with all guns blazing. Just two minutes after the re-start Howard produced a superb save to tip away Villa's effort, before Xabi Alonso fired a rising shot just over the crossbar.

It was all one-way traffic and Villa and Albert Riera both tried their luck, while Xavi had a good shout for a penalty following a challenge by Donovan inside the area.

The shots continued to rain in on Howard's goal, with the Everton custodian doing well to keep out efforts from Fabregas and Sergio Ramos in quick succession.

Spain could not find the breakthrough though, and their hopes of reaching the final were crushed when the US netted their second goal in the 74th minute.

Donovan's low cross should really have been cleared by Ramos at the far post, but Dempsey showed quick reactions to prod the ball away from the Real Madrid defender and past Casillas.

Spain got a brief glimmer of hope when Bradley was shown a red card for a heavy challenge on Alonso, but Del Bosque's side could not take advantage as the slumped to their first loss since going down 1-0 at home to Romania in a friendly in November, 2006.

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#25 Post by J.J. Walters »

Shocker! USA ends Spain's 35-match unbeaten streak! :shock: It surely must goes into the Top 5 of USA's biggest wins ever.

I gotta tell ya though, Spain pretty much dominated the game. They controlled the midfield and were attacking like crazy! I don't know how many Shots On Goal they had, but it must have been a ton. Great play from our central defenders and Tim Howard in goal. We played our hearts out, that's for sure.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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#26 Post by Lt Tanaka »

James J. Walters wrote: I don't know how many Shots On Goal they had, but it must have been a ton.
29 to 9 for America. Of course it's only the ones that go in that count :D

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#27 Post by J.J. Walters »

That would be, 29-9 for SPAIN! ;)

Well, it looks like we get Brazil in the Final. Oh, boy!
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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#28 Post by gmt16750 »

Yes i saw that exploit! and living in Italy i saw the match they lost 3-1 too even if i think referree did send off an US player too easily...and Italy surely would have found some more difficulties to win the match in 11-11 players game! (we saw it against Spain)
USA team is getting better and better : you have the same tactics as basket ball , once you have the ball you go out trying to build up some good attack situation, very interesting to watch! and great athletic form!
Us players like Onyewu, Dempsey or Donovan were amazing!
I hope they'll play like that next year during World cup ;)
Sunday i'll be an US Football team fan!
Agatha: Why does he always do that, Jonathan?
Higgins: I don't know, Agatha. I think sometimes our creator is testing me. Indeed it could be for no other reason. If i thought otherwise i believe i truly would go irrevocably irretrievably mad!

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#29 Post by gmt16750 »

Too bad 2-0 after 1st half and then...2-3
but they really played well untill they had stamina.
Good luck for next year World Cup :D
Agatha: Why does he always do that, Jonathan?
Higgins: I don't know, Agatha. I think sometimes our creator is testing me. Indeed it could be for no other reason. If i thought otherwise i believe i truly would go irrevocably irretrievably mad!

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#30 Post by Lt Tanaka »

James J. Walters wrote:That would be, 29-9 for SPAIN!
You read my post wrong. 29 shots (for Spain) to 9 shots for America.

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#31 Post by J.J. Walters »

What a heartbreaker! Up 2-0 and we give up three second half goals to lose by one! Some dubious strategy and substitutions in the second half. We should have been in a defensive shell the entire second half, and the substitutions came way too late (and with the wrong players)!

No biggie though. We had a great tournament. Definitely something to build on for next year.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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Tom_Magnum
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#32 Post by Tom_Magnum »

What is everyone's fav soccer clubs here?

FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Chelsea FC (1/2)

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