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Posts Tagged Confederations Cup

Blatter praises Confed Cup, but problems persist

Jun 30

Posted by sophie in Uncategorized

FIFA president Sepp Blatter gave Confederations Cup organizers an encouraging grade of 7.5 out of 10 on Monday while stressing work remains on transportation and housing for next year’s World Cup.

The Confederations Cup, in which Brazil rallied past the United States 3-2 in Sunday’s final, was a dress rehearsal for the World Cup and was considered a major success on the field. But Blatter and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke say the tournament revealed problems that must be resolved in 11 months when the World Cup makes its debut in Africa.

By the time of the World Cup draw in Cape Town on Dec. 4, Blatter says the organizers may merit a score of 8 and possibly 10 by the end of the monthlong, 64-game showcase.

“I am a very satisfied and a very happy president of FIFA, together with our friends in South Africa,” he said. “We know there are logistics that we have to work on. There are problems and transport linked with accommodation—we don’t intend hiding behind compliments.”

“This is a special matter,” he added, “because South Africa is expecting 450,000 visitors for the World Cup, fans from all round the world who want to find somewhere to sleep and it’s not easy to go to camping sites because it is winter time and they have to be transported from one venue to another. This is a big challenge.”

Valcke said a successful World Cup depends on overseas visitors being satisfied with facilities. Organizers are still 15,000 hotel rooms short of their target and could accept offers on lodging from neighboring countries.

“Transportation is an issue, accommodation is an issue,” he said. “These are things that have to be done. Yes, the park and ride does not work. Yes, the media shuttle system has not worked. Yes, the signage has not worked. It was difficult to come in and out of the stadium.”

Still, Valcke is confident organizers can fix these problems.

“We have to take into consideration that hundreds of thousands of people will be coming to South Africa for the World Cup,” he said. “But there’s not a single issue where we have the feeling that in 11 months we might not be able to solve them.

“Around the final draw I am sure we will be able to tell you exactly what are our solutions are to all these issues we are facing from the Confederations Cup.”

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Target Man: The U.S. Are Getting Closer … Much Closer

Jun 30

Posted by sophie in Uncategorized

There’s a moment in any game against Brazil when they seize the momentum. It’s as inevitable as the hangover is after a night of caipirinhas. Sometimes it comes at the opening whistle, at which point the game is all but over before anyone has even broken a sweat. Sometimes it comes in the last minutes, arriving in frenzy of motion and vicious attacks.

Whenever it comes, you can’t help but think of Maximus’s directive in Gladiator: “On my command, unleash hell.”

In the Confederations Cup final against the United States, Brazil unleashed hell 41 seconds after halftime, when Luis Fabiano spun with lightning speed and flashed a shot through U.S. defender Jay Demerit’s legs and past goalkeeper Tim Howard. From then on, it felt like just a matter of time before Brazil wore down the suddenly reeling U.S. defense and got the equalizer. And once Luis Fabiano put away the second goal, the winner was fully expected.

Now, there is no shame in losing to Brazil. This is a well-worn refrain in the soccer world, uttered by the likes of Italy and Argentina as often as it is by the likes of South Africa and the United States. And considering what the U.S. did at this tournament, Bob Bradley and his players are rightly holding their heads high. “The boys are proud,” captain Carlos Bocanegra told Goal.com. “This was a special night for us. These things don’t come along too often for us.”

Nonetheless the U.S. players were also incredibly frustrated not to get the win after holding a 2-nil lead. As U.S. striker Landon Donovan told me after the game, holding your head high and receiving the respect of the world doesn’t put any hardware in the trophy case.

“Respect doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “We need to get to the point where we’re winning in these kinds of tournaments.”

Donovan and his teammates are sick of moral victories. If the U.S. showed anything against Spain in the semifinals, it’s that the time is coming very soon when they no longer merely endure against the superpowers, but actually prevail, to borrow a sentiment from William Faulkner. The U.S. did everything right against Spain in terms of handling the pressure, both physical and mental. They executed a perfect game plan: close down the space defensively, attack intelligently, never let Spain’s vaunted midfield dictate the game. And the Americans were justifiably praised from every corner of the world.

The next leap in the evolution is the ability to put in these kinds of superior performances consistently, to beat Spain and then still have enough in the tank to beat Brazil. Because international tournaments like the Confederations Cup and the World Cup, with many games in a short period of time against top-level sides, are as much about consistency as they are about talent.

“It’s not good enough just to go for 45 minutes,” Donovan said. “It’s not good enough to lose 3-2 and say ‘Good try.’ If we were a little better in a few areas, we would’ve won this game.”

The U.S. is close. So close. Which is why this loss hurts so much. Clint Dempsey, who played like a man on a mission in the last three matches, wept as he received his runner-up medal. Bocanegra spoke to the press in a daze, the dejection thrumming in his voice. “We’re going to be disappointed for a little while,” he said. “But that’s football. You have to pick yourself up and get over it.”

How the U.S. reacts to this loss will ultimately be the measure of this team. What lessons will they learn? What will the do differently so as to be “a little better in a few areas” the next time some footballing giant unleashes hell?

The answers to these questions will only emerge over time. But the questions themselves show just how far the U.S. have come in these two weeks. And just how close they are.

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If you believe in more miracles, here’s how U.S. can beat Brazil

Jun 28

Posted by sophie in Uncategorized

A collection of miracles has allowed the United States to reach the final of the Confederations Cup. Bob Bradley’s side will need one more to stand any chance of success in Sunday’s championship game against Brazil.

Just over a week ago, a dispirited and disjointed group was torn apart 3-0 by Brazil in group play. Against that same opponent, the Americans will try to complete one of the unlikeliest tournament turnarounds in recent soccer history.

Here we take a look at what the USA can do to slightly increase its chances in what appears to be an impossible task against one of the world’s greatest sides.

1. Don’t be afraid.

The level of fear the U.S. showed against the Brazilians last week was embarrassing and gave them the victory without even breaking sweat. A repeat of that miserable mentality will result in another thrashing.

2. Attack, attack, attack.

The instinctive reaction against a team with the awesome attacking capabilities of Brazil may be to put up the shutters and defend in numbers. However, a negative approach merely allows the South Americans’ fluid offensive machine to do whatever it likes.

3. No stupid mistakes.

No team in the world can punish an error quite like Brazil. The USA found that out last week when it took the Brazilians just 15 seconds to turn DaMarcus Beasley’s giveaway on the edge of the Brazil penalty area into a counterattack goal and 2-0 lead.

4. Be like Mike.

Michael Bradley’s red card in the final minutes was the only lowlight in the United States’ semifinal upset of Spain. Bradley will be missed in the center of midfield, with Benny Feilhaber likely to get the call to replace him. Feilhaber and Ricardo Clark will need to show the same kind of intensity that Bradley and Clark managed in the semis.

5. Believe in destiny.

So much has gone right for the Americans since these teams last met that surely they can’t help but feel this is their time. Belief can accomplish great things, but trying to beat Brazil is still an almighty task. Logic suggests the five-time world champion will surely be too strong.

Share your thoughts and comments below.

Who should the U.S. start in place of suspended midfielder Michael Bradley?
Freddy Adu
Benny Feilhaber
Sacha Kljestan
Jose Francisco Torres

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Is the U.S. victory in the Confed Cup like the Miracle on Ice?

Jun 25

Posted by sophie in Uncategorized

In the aftermath of the United States’ stunning 2-0 victory over Spain in the Confederations Cup, some are equating this remarkable upset with the Miracle on Ice. And, it’s true, there are plenty of similarities.

The U.S. was given virtually no chance in either game, the win came against the undisputed best team in those respective sports and both victories came in the semifinals of a tournament. But let’s not get crazy, folks. Likening today’s win with the 1980 U.S. hockey team beating the U.S.S.R. is like comparing making a paper airplane with walking on the moon. These things aren’t in the same solar system, let alone the same ballpark.

The Miracle on Ice involved a ragtag bunch of college players from across the nation coming together to defeat a state-sponsored machine that had won four straight gold medals and had just come off a 10-3 victory over the Americans three weeks earlier. It was literally men versus boys on the biggest stage in the world, the Olympics.

Conversely, the soccer team pitted professionals against professionals in a third-tier tournament played before a half-empty stadium in South Africa. This takes nothing away from the win, just from the comparison.

This also doesn’t feel like as much of an upset because, really, there’s no reason that the U.S. should be demonstrably worse than Spain in soccer, other than the fact that our country doesn’t value the game as much. The players on the 1980 U.S. hockey team were underdogs to the Soviet Union because the odds were almost completely stacked against them in every way. The 2009 U.S. soccer team was underdogs to Spain because they’re not as good at soccer. There’s a big difference.

The reaction to the victory is also completely different. Most people probably found out about today’s win on a sports website and thought, “Oh, nice. Way to go U.S. soccer team,” before clicking on a link and forgetting about it completely.

Ask anybody who was alive during the Miracle on Ice where they were when they found out about the result (the game was shown on tape delay), and I guarantee they’ll remember. (I just asked my next-door neighbor: “At the airport and a random man came up and told me that we had beat the Russians.”)

And that’s the other, much bigger reason, today’s soccer victory can’t touch what happened in 1980. The Cold War backdrop made the game about much more than who would advance to the gold medal game. It was years of atomic bomb worry, space racing and ideological battles playing itself out on the hockey rink.

Today was our soccer team beating a country that we are friendly with. There’s no conflict with Spain, other than the fact that we’re jealous of their beaches and siestas. There was nothing on the line today, other than a soccer game. It was a great and monumental victory for the United States soccer team, to be sure. But the Miracle on Ice it wasn’t.

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In USA’s redemption song, Bob Bradley can sing the loudest

Jun 23

Posted by sophie in Uncategorized

Finally a tale of good fortune for a United States team that so often returns home bemoaning its bad luck.

Somehow on Sunday night, a cluster of stars all aligned for Bob Bradley’s team, as every improbable permutation needed for it to remain in the Confederations Cup slotted neatly into place during a 3-0 win over Egypt.

On countless occasions, the postscript for the USA has been a sob story. The under-23 squad felt it at the Beijing Olympics, when its inability to hold on for a few extra seconds against Holland cost it a trip to the knockout stage. World Cup campaigns also have been littered with misfortune, excuses and mishaps that prevented the U.S. from deeper progress.

Bradley could not have wished for a better time for fate to smile upon him. Bracing for a barrage of doubt and conjecture surrounding his future when he returned home, the head coach now can view this tuneup for South Africa 2010 as something of a success.

No one is pretending that the Confederations Cup is an event which resonates strongly through the soccer world. But it is far better to still be around and get a crack at a semifinal than an early exit, which looked all-but-guaranteed for the Americans heading into the weekend.

One win doesn’t erase the memories of a series of sub-par performances that began in the last round of World Cup qualifiers. However, one of the biggest criticisms of Bradley was that he seemed unable to lift his players when the occasion demanded it.

Well, he sure did this time.

Gone were the nervousness and inferiority complex of the matches against Brazil and Italy. Suddenly, the USA had gained some courage, organization and spirit.

Now we will see once and for all if the Americans’ panic only sets in against high-profile teams because no side in the world is better than Spain right now. With another stuttering, timid performance against the European champions on Wednesday, the U.S. will be back to square one.

But somewhere in the Egypt game lay some genuine reason for hope. There was a sense that this U.S. team might just possess a bit of gumption, which is one of the most vital commodities come World Cup time. Sure, this is not a side that is ready to start beating the world’s best, but nor, perhaps, it is languishing in a backbone-free zone.

Italy and Egypt may wonder how they are the ones preparing to go through airport customs while the USA looks ahead to a final-four clash with the magnificent Spaniards. The Italians will be shell-shocked at losing two straight games, one an enormous upset against Egypt and the other a comprehensive shellacking by Brazil. The Egyptians, so entertaining throughout, fluffed their lines when it mattered and were virtually unrecognizable against the U.S. from the side that looked so lively and inspired in its first two games.

Do the Americans deserve their place in the semifinals? Based on their overall body of work at the Confederations Cup, probably not. Yet the character that was on display Sunday night — a fierce determination to prove they were not as bad as everyone thought — shone out of every player.

On this night, Bob Bradley got things right, very right. That, combined with a healthy dose of luck, means he is off the hook for now.

Share your thoughts and comments below.

Is Bob Bradley the right coach to lead the U.S. into the 2010 World Cup?
A)Yes
B)No

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In USA’s redemption song, Bob Bradley can sing the loudest

Jun 22

Posted by sophie in Uncategorized

Finally a tale of good fortune for a United States team that so often returns home bemoaning its bad luck.

Somehow on Sunday night, a cluster of stars all aligned for Bob Bradley’s team, as every improbable permutation needed for it to remain in the Confederations Cup slotted neatly into place during a 3-0 win over Egypt.

On countless occasions, the postscript for the USA has been a sob story. The under-23 squad felt it at the Beijing Olympics, when its inability to hold on for a few extra seconds against Holland cost it a trip to the knockout stage. World Cup campaigns also have been littered with misfortune, excuses and mishaps that prevented the U.S. from deeper progress.

Bradley could not have wished for a better time for fate to smile upon him. Bracing for a barrage of doubt and conjecture surrounding his future when he returned home, the head coach now can view this tuneup for South Africa 2010 as something of a success.

No one is pretending that the Confederations Cup is an event which resonates strongly through the soccer world. But it is far better to still be around and get a crack at a semifinal than an early exit, which looked all-but-guaranteed for the Americans heading into the weekend.

One win doesn’t erase the memories of a series of sub-par performances that began in the last round of World Cup qualifiers. However, one of the biggest criticisms of Bradley was that he seemed unable to lift his players when the occasion demanded it.

Well, he sure did this time.

Gone were the nervousness and inferiority complex of the matches against Brazil and Italy. Suddenly, the USA had gained some courage, organization and spirit.

Now we will see once and for all if the Americans’ panic only sets in against high-profile teams because no side in the world is better than Spain right now. With another stuttering, timid performance against the European champions on Wednesday, the U.S. will be back to square one.

But somewhere in the Egypt game lay some genuine reason for hope. There was a sense that this U.S. team might just possess a bit of gumption, which is one of the most vital commodities come World Cup time. Sure, this is not a side that is ready to start beating the world’s best, but nor, perhaps, it is languishing in a backbone-free zone.

Italy and Egypt may wonder how they are the ones preparing to go through airport customs while the USA looks ahead to a final-four clash with the magnificent Spaniards. The Italians will be shell-shocked at losing two straight games, one an enormous upset against Egypt and the other a comprehensive shellacking by Brazil. The Egyptians, so entertaining throughout, fluffed their lines when it mattered and were virtually unrecognizable against the U.S. from the side that looked so lively and inspired in its first two games.

Do the Americans deserve their place in the semifinals? Based on their overall body of work at the Confederations Cup, probably not. Yet the character that was on display Sunday night — a fierce determination to prove they were not as bad as everyone thought — shone out of every player.

On this night, Bob Bradley got things right, very right. That, combined with a healthy dose of luck, means he is off the hook for now.

Share your thoughts and comments below.

Is Bob Bradley the right coach to lead the U.S. into the 2010 World Cup?
Yes
No

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