Confederations Cup run provides glimpse of future

The United States men's national soccer team turned the rest of the football world on its head over the past two weeks at the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa by finishing runner-up to Brazil after advancing to their first final in a FIFA international tournament.

The Yanks entered the competition with modest hopes of making it out of the "group of death" (which they have been accustomed to drawing in recent FIFA tournaments), and after putting up stinkers in their first two games against world powers Italy and Brazil, they needed a miracle to advance.

The U.S. had played so bad, and the odds were so long that they would advance, UK bookmakers took them off the board, and you could no longer bet on them to reach the next round.

But, such is international soccer that the U.S. shocked the world by defeating Egypt and somehow squeaking by on goal difference and into the semifinal stage in dramatic fashion.

They pulled off an even bigger shocker the next week by outplaying FIFA's No. 1 ranked team in the world and reigning European champions Spain to reach the final and another match-up against Brazil's Seleção.

Drawn in a group with defending World Cup champion Italy, South American champions Brazil, and African champions Egypt, the U.S.'s chances of advancing were believed to be fairly thin from the start.

They first played Italy and the initial signs showed promise. After a pretty dubious red card was shown to Ricardo Clark in the 30th minute, the U.S. powered on and Jozy Altidore won a penalty kick for the Yanks a few minutes later that Landon Donovan coolly slotted past Gigi Buffon that gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead at halftime.

But, in the second half Italy used their numbers advantage to pass the U.S. to death; and a spectacular individual performance by American-born attacker Giuseppe Rossi scoring a brace lead the Azzurri to a 3-1 triumph over the U.S.

If the Yanks play against Italy was uninspired, the way they played against Brazil was just down right bad.

The Samba Kings barely let the Americans touch the ball in an easy 3-0 win.

Brazil showed just how many ways they can beat a team by scored off a set piece early, on a lightning fast counter-attack off a U.S. corner kick, and on a point blank shot from right back Maicon.

The drubbing was so bad analysts and internet discussion boards were lit up criticism calling for some heart and fight from the U.S. squad, and some even calling for head coach Bob Bradley to be fired.

And then something happened.

With their chances of advancing so slim, (The U.S. needed to beat Egypt 3-0 and have Brazil beat Italy 3-0) the U.S. came out relaxed and Charlie Davies put them in front with a scrappy goal that lead to a 1-0 halftime lead.

In the locker rooms, they were informed that Brazil had gone up 3-0 to Italy, and with the reality of advancement in their grasp they came out firing in the second half.

Michael Bradley scored after playing a very slick give and go with Donovan and a late Clint Dempsey strike put the Yanks through as Brazil held their 3-0 advantage over Italy.

And what did the U.S. get for their troubles, a match-up with the No. 1 ranked team in the world Spain in the semi-finals.

The U.S. was again given little chance against La Furia Roja, but they came out with fire and aggression and it paid off when Altidore put a screamer off the arm of Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The U.S. defense absorbed wave after wave of Spanish attacks before Dempsey added another late to put the US into the finals for the first time in FIFA tournament.

After the game, Michael Bradley hit back at the critics saying, "All the critics and analysts back home that think they known about soccer don't known what goes inside this team. We know what we are capable of and we showed it tonight."

They would meet Brazil after a late free kick from Daniel Alves lifted them over host nation South Africa in the other semi-final.

In the final the U.S. again took control of the game when Dempsey steered in a Jonathan Spector cross, and then Donovan put them up by two after finishing off a Brazilian-esque counter-attack.

But it was not to be for the Americans, and after two Luis Fabiano goals pulled Brazil level, captain Lucio put a late header past U.S. keeper Tim Howard and Brazil lifted the Confederations Cup for a record third time.

Up next for the U.S. is the Gold Cup, the championship for North and Central America where coach Bradley will take an experimental squad to evaluate role players ahead of next years World Cup.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.