Two Points Dropped, or a Point Gained?: USMNT 2 - Portugal 2

24 hours after the Cristiano Ronaldo cross that rocked the USMNT, the crack analytical team from farlieonfootie breaks down the game and looks forward to Thursday's action.

Mark:  To revisit our pre-cup theme, did we really take Alejandra Bedoya over Landon Donovan? Bedoya apparently did not complete a single pass yesterday.

The one thing we have lacked so far is precision in front of the goal, and the most precise player in American history is making funny commercials while we are missing the goal by a foot to the left and a foot to the right.

Who thinks that Donovan misses that tap in that Bradley missed yesterday. I don't think Donovan has ever missed on of those. That would have been Donovan's spot yesterday.

It's a real shame because we seem to have a real team here, except that we need a second forward or wing player. And we left the best one in the history of the country at home.

Scott:  I’m still in denial. It can be a cruel game. But then you can make it even worse by not hanging onto the ball for another 30 seconds. At least twice in the last couple of minutes I saw times we could have easily bled off 15 seconds or so, but instead we gave it right back to them so CR7 could have his one moment. A botched clearance, a missed open net, and inability to waste 30 seconds… I wish I could go back to bed.

Mark:  I think this is hard to let go of because we know this is going to come back to haunt us. In American soccer it always does. There are never happy endings. It's like what happens to the Central American teams. Some how even when they should win, they lose, usually by some call where the ref gives the game to Argentina or Germany because they are the teams that are supposed to advance. I am hoping Portugal wins. I don't have a lot of confidence that we can take Germany. I think we are capable of a devastatingly close loss to them, but not a win.

The one thing I am happy about is that US soccer is clearly better than Portugal and that's no small feat, and Costa Rica is better than a lot of people so our group now has some respect.

Pedestrian Crossing: More Thoughts on Euro 2012

photo by iboy_daniel	via PhotoRee

The Euro express rolls on:

o Although they won on Wednesday, Portugal looked rather pedestrian for the supposed 7th best team in the world. If not for Silvestre Varela's 87th minute strike, the European papers would have been sharpening their knives on the stunningly poor effort turned in by Cristiano Ronaldo. Instead, Varela saved his compatriot's bacon with a world class winner.

o Although Twitter was filled in the game's aftermath with regular fans and even media types lining up to label the game a classic -- due to the Dane's fight back from 2-nil and then the late Varela winner -- in truth the contest was anything but classic to my eyes.  Filled by long portions of ugly and thoroughly uninspiring football, the game was punctuated by two brief periods in which multiple goals were scored, leading to a score line that made the game seem more exciting than it actually was. Here's an important lesson for you: don't confuse close final scores with "classic" games. This one was rather ugly, plain and simple.

o For all of their supposed "superstars" -- Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Raul Meireles and Pepe among them -- Portugal has never struck me as a great team. If I remember correctly, they barely made the last World Cup, and -- including yesterday's narrow victory -- they've done nothing in Euro 2012 to disabuse me of my opinion.

o Ronaldo looks as if the weight of the world is hanging on his slight shoulders. Every shanked shot or lost ball was met with hands in the air or that faraway wistful look. His complete and utter bollocksing of a virtual empty netter in the game's 78th minute made it look as if the ghost of Fernando Torres was possessing the Real Madrid man's body.

o On the other hand, Michael Ballack is having a much better tournament, albeit off the pitch in his role as a commentator for ESPN.   The Leverkusen man is growing on me -- he's not afraid to speak his mind, in contrast to many other athletes who toe the politically correct line.  Acting like Johnny Miller, Ballack -- seemingly having found his feet while calling England's win on Monday "ugly" -- is a breathe of fresh air on the airwaves, and I would rather listen to him for days at a time than have to hear another second of Alexi Lalas.

Argentina and Messi Take Out the Euro-Trash

Photo by DrabikPany on Flickr

Several thoughts, but not many, after a hard couple of days watching Euro 2012:

o Including the action in Europe, easily the best football game of the day was played in the United States -- Argentina's 4-3 victory over Brazil was fun to watch, fluid and dynamic, with goals, footwork and fancy passes galore.  Anyone that didn't enjoy that one won't enjoy football.

o I'd like to see Pele repeat his assertion that Neymar is better than Lio Messi with a straight face. Neymar may be good, but his game is nowhere near as good as Messi's and his haircut is patently ridiculous.  Maybe Messi can lend the Brazilian the hat (trick) that he scored to cover up the My Little Pony look.

Neymar Coloring Pages, by Coloringpagesforkids on Flickr

o Speaking of world class, does anyone still think Wojciech Sczcesny is that kind of 'keeper?  Let's hope not, after his ridiculous display against Greece on the Tournament's opening day.  Although neither of his mistakes cost his team points, it's only a matter of time: the kid is not ready for Prime Time.

o Robert Lewandowski looks good.  His first half goal was a textbook illustration of how to put the ball in the back of the net.  With thirty goals in 2011/2012, his skills shouldn't come as a surprise, but if you weren't watching the Bundelsiga, you may not have realized that guy is bringing his 'A" game.

o Germany looked decent, but not great -- but beware.  Teams that grind out three tough points early on in a tournament usually raise their game as the matches get more important. 

o In contrast, Portugal never really got started.  Cristiano looks as if he spent more time working on his hairdo than his ball skills, and Nani was a complete non-factor.

A Thing of Real Beauty

photo by bobu	via PhotoRee

Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Argentina vs. Portugal
34,000 feet
Somewhere between New York and Florida, courtesy DirecTV and Continental Airlines

It's red, white and blue on display in Geneva, as Portugal enter in their familiar maroon, and Argy Bargy show up in the famous sky blue and white, the latter color matching the smattering of snow still on the pitch Wednesday evening in Switzerland for the international friendly.

The game opens as if poetry in motion, both sides showing majestic fluidity in attack, with Lionel Messi tiptoeing through the Portuguese defense like tulips, and Cristiano Ronaldo showcasing pace with the ball at his feet that makes him one of the game's most exciting and feared attackers. From the outset, both Argentina and Porutgal play breathtakingly beautiful one touch football, the ball pinging back-and-forth and side-to-side as the teams trade opening jabs. Both Di Maria and Ronaldo find the net in the opening twenty minutes, the game exploding into non-stop, end-to-end action. Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex must be wincing slightly to see their all-stars playing their hearts out for their respective countries, keeping fingers crossed that no one gets hurt, and wondering if by any means they could all slow it down just a bit and save some strength for the upcoming weekend's exertions.

The contest offers countrymen and neutrals a clear view of the world's best pure footballers, and Cristiano (he of the artfully coiffed, slicked back hair), and Lio (showcasing his two-day unshaven, gruff look) don't disappoint, the two men absolutely riveting to watch. Like great NFL running backs, there's very little side motion in their movement, only forward, broken field running and hurdling with the ball attached to their feet as if by super glue. These two are playing a different game than other mere mortals -- with the possible exception of Dimitar Berbatov --  both in terms of their goal output and sheer footballing brilliance, playing the game as it must have first been imagined by God.

Portugal Toast Spain, and Reclaim Iberia

photo by das farbamt	via PhotoRee

farlieonfootie is happy to introduce our newest football correspondent, Todd.  Fresh off a weekend in Ibiza with his supermodel girlfriends, Todd recently took the time to check in with a compelling description of Portugal's 4-nil rout of arch rival Spain:

Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa / Leira, Portugal / November 17

While it may have been Spain's worst defeat since 1963, the Portuguese have been reeling  ever since Pope Alexander IV’s Line of Demarcation (codified in the Treaty of Torsedillas) divided the world between Spain and Portugal more than 500 years ago. For you conspiracy theorists, Alexander IV was himself a Spaniard.  

Oh, and more recently, the Portuguese played the blandest of matches against Spain in South Africa, and were handed a well-deserved elimination for their efforts, complete with tickets to the Algarve to ponder yet another disappointing exit from the world stage. 

On this night, though, the Portuguese avenged those set-backs with, well, a vengeance.  Four goals from four elegant passing combinations, combined with a dash of super-human wizardry from Ronaldo (called back due to an unfortunate offside position by Nani), sent Spanish players back to their villas where their supermodel girlfriends canceled bottle-room reservations at nightclubs in Barcelona and instead ordered take-out tapas.