Everything I hate about soccer was experienced in that game yesterday

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Originally Posted by hacker

Everything I love about soccer was experienced in that game yesterday. It was exciting, had awesome goals, and completely heartbreaking at the end. I watched every second of the game, glued to the screen. I haven't felt so emotionally invested in a game since <any MSU football game>.

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3 to 2 ??

I'm gonna have to agree with those that think H2H should be the first tiebreaker between TWO teams. I can see that point of goal differential showing an inherent negative overall BUT.... we already have a a way to decide amongst the "overall" and that's the point system. If two teams are tied in points, the issue ONLY involves those two and there is no better way to differentiate between the TWO than the actual on field results. To say otherwise cheapens the accomplishment of the victor. There is no better way to determine which is the better (or if you prefer- "more deserving") of two teams than to play an actual game between them and see who wins.

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Originally Posted by Percho

3 to 2 ??

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Not sure what you're getting at, but yes, even that game

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a fan of soccer, but I can support the USA in anything...

But the point I want to make, is that of all the games you can complain about being boring, the USA-Portugal game wasn't.

A nil-nil tie? Sure.... complain away. I went to London a few years back and watched Arsenal-Chelsea play to a nil-nil tie in person. Never been more pissed off about two teams I could care less about... But a 2-2 game in which the home team scores to go up late and then gives up a late equalizer wasn't boring. It was heartbreaking, but that's part of sports.

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Originally Posted by missouridawg

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a fan of soccer, but I can support the USA in anything...

But the point I want to make, is that of all the games you can complain about being boring, the USA-Portugal game wasn't.

A nil-nil tie? Sure.... complain away. I went to London a few years back and watched Arsenal-Chelsea play to a nil-nil tie in person. Never been more pissed off about two teams I could care less about... But a 2-2 game in which the home team scores to go up late and then gives up a late equalizer wasn't boring. It was heartbreaking, but that's part of sports.

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Nailed it. And it made the tie feel like a loss, even though it wasn't. That was the outcome most of us were hoping for before the game, as 4 points is *probably* enough to get out of group play to the knockout round. Sure, it would've been awesome to advance Sunday and have no pressure for the game on Thursday. But really, we're right where we were hoping to be at this point.

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Originally Posted by War Machine Dawg

Nailed it. And it made the tie feel like a loss, even though it wasn't. That was the outcome most of us were hoping for before the game, as 4 points is *probably* enough to get out of group play to the knockout round. Sure, it would've been awesome to advance Sunday and have no pressure for the game on Thursday. But really, we're right where we were hoping to be at this point.

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THIS^ ....I stayed up late to watch it on DVR. It was exciting. We took a lot of early shots and missed. Then finally we tied and it felt relieving. Then took the late lead and it felt big. Then give up the late score and it deflated me like a loss but a tie still has us in a pretty good position to advance and what we were at least hoping for. The only thing we couldn't do was lose.

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Originally Posted by curmudgeon

This is not to start another soccer debate, but I want to convey my thoughts.

I watched the entire USA-Portugal game yesterday. Every second. Here are my thoughts.

Portugal has the best player in the world, huh?
Wow, they look so much faster than us.
That was quick. (Portugal's early goal)
For the rest of the first half, it looked like we were the better team, but couldn't score.
USA first goal - All those great attacks and chances and we score on a fluke?
USA second goal - Wow, haven't won our first two games since 1930. This is huge.
Stansbury stall. What the hell. This never works.
Five minutes extra time. What the hell? Why don't they stop the clock for injuries and stuff - this seems like it could be abused by officials.
And that was a sweet goal by Portugal. Tie that feels like a loss. Crap.
But we still should advance. We have Portugal on goal differential and we beat Ghana head to head
Wait, head to head doesn't mean anything? So Ghana could go over us despite us beating them? That's stupid.

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I quit reading when you stated that our first goal was a fluke. It's one of the best goals of the tournament.

I can't believe you watched an entire soccer game.