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Mixed emotions here, folks.
On the one hand, our boys clearly outplayed the supposed 4th ranked team in the world.
On the other hand, that don't mean squat when we can't come away with the three points. And I can't help but think the Portuguese were handicapped to begin with. All that hair gel and spray tanning has to clog the pores and make sweating a laborious affair.
Still, never have I seen "the best player in futbol" look so totally pedestrian for 94 minutes. A complete non-factor. Our boys put the leather to him and it worked in a big way.
Some other positives to take from this game:
1. The USMNT is no longer happy just to be competing against the best teams in the world. It's win, or go home, and that's the attitude we need to advance.
2. At long last, the US has found itself a long shot artist. I mean, talk about range. Jermaine Jones was actually moving AWAY from goal when he let that thing rip. I'm getting hot under the collar just thinking about it...
3. Clint Dempsey can score with any and every part of his body. Literally. Next game he will score via no-look booty bump. You heard it here first, folks.
4. We still have the best goalie in the tournament. Don't let those two cheap shots fool ya. Big Time Timmy Jim is the real deal. As stout as it gets. If he can just get our back line to focus up for a full 95 minutes, we'll be a tough out for anyone.
That final goal last night was a definite WTF moment, but we still have a 75% chance of advancing, and I like those odds. This USMNT has shown time and again they aren't your poppa's soccer team. Before last night, Portugal had never lost or even tied after scoring first in the World Cup, and the US had never come back from an early deficit. But this new US team seems particularly unconcerned with history or expectations. Not only did we come back, but we dominated that game.
And now the rest of the world knows that we're not afraid of them.
Thomas out.
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