OT: Copa America Centenario - USA vs. Colombia 8:30pm CDT, FS1
And here come the lads! USA (ranked 31st in the FIFA rankings) versus a strong Colombia team (ranked third) in the opening match of the Copa America. The game is at the 49ers' stadium in Santa Clara, California. I don't think the line-up is out yet, but I see (on Bigsoccer.com):
G - Guzan
D - Johnson, Cameron, Brooks, Yedlin
M - Bradley, Jones, Bedoya
A - Wood, Dempsey, Zardes
GO USA!!
Ranked 31st. What the hell.....
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Turns out losing a lot is bad for your ranking
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The Gold Cup clusterfuck last summer didn't help.
FIFA rankings mean nothing
They mean nothing until they mean something
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Honestly, where would you rank us right now?
We SHOULD be no worse than 15-20 ever. I know we're not a "Soccer country" but 31 is bullshit.
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Opponent's FIFA ranking in parentheses.
- W Honduras (86)
- W Haiti (74)
- D Panama (56)
- W Cuba (126)
- L Jamaica (47)
- L Panama (56)
- L Mexico (16)
- W St. Vincent (148)
- D @ Trinidad (64)
- L @ Guatemala (91)
- W Guatemala (91)
That doesn't look like a top-20 resume to me. There are some brutal results on there and it's almost all at home.
The last time the US won a competitive match against a team currently in the top 30 was the win over Mexico in WC qualifying three years ago. The last such win outside the US was confederation cup seven years ago.
I don't disagree with our ranking. My post was regarding my expectations.
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Not a huge Zardes fan and would prefer to see Nagbe and Pulisic included, but this is the best lineup Klinsmann has put together in a long time. The positioning and formations actually make sense and Bradley is FINALLY a 6. It might've taken Jurgen 6 years to figure out that Bradley shouldn't be a 10, but better late than never I suppose.
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Yeah, Bradley should be the DM and the Hessian should be the box-to-box, I guess. Dempsey is looking like a 10 (or false nine, as Brian had pointed out in his post).
Holy crap. The starting XI actually makes sense. And has continuity from previous games! What's going on?
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The line-up I posted is not official - it's from Bigsoccer.com. The official one comes out in a few minutes.
Stuart Holden tweeted out the official one. It matches yours
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That lineup is official.
I like the lineup (minus Zardes' horrendous first touch and maybe even Guzan). Not real optimistic for tonight's match.
64,000 tickets sold through yesterday (67,000 capacity)
They have the lineups up before anywhere else. It was great during the WC and they seem to be keeping it up.
Helluva first post!
He/She has been holding onto it for 8 years, I'd hope it would be a good one.
Colombia:
Este es el once inicial de nuestra Selección: Ospina; Arias, Murillo, Zapata, Díaz; Torres, Pérez, Cuadrado, Cardona, James; Bacca
Why did you give the Central time for the kickoff? That might confuse some folks given that our community has to be heavily based in the Eastern time zone.
Cuadrado is so good. I hope Juventus can find a way to keep him.
Chelsea nearly ruined him.
He was lucky to escape their bus-wreck of a season
At least someone on Chelsea won something this season
Geez, really should have lowered those ticket prices...
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Lots of fans wearing red at the stadium tonight
The blood of angry men
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I see this being very ugly, 3-0. Hope I'm wrong.
Woo Cameron spin move
that's how not to defend a corner
The audio on FS1 is about a half-second ahead of the video...annoying.
while the ball was in the air
Yeah that's annoying. Good thing fox has the 2018 World Cup
Ok. So it's not my tv then. Good. And it's more like a full second.
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What shit defending on the corner, could see that coming from a mile away.
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lol Guzan
The shaving cream line on free kicks is one of the greatest things they ever thought of. The days of the wall creeping in to 5 yds are over.
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Zardes first touch is probably the worst I have seen from a starter
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So, so bad
He is not used to the constant pressure on his back.
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Worse than Altidore?
That wasn't offside. Getting CONCACAFY already
can't be offside there, no one is near you
will end up coming in earlier and playing more if this score holds
is good at falling down
Bedoya
Bedoya has been invisible thus far. I'd expect Nagbe or Pulisic shortly after HT
His first touch is borderline awful and he has given away like 6 midfield passes already. I know he's liked because the dude will run and run all day but man, 2-3 times just a better touch would give us goal chances.
then time of possession will go up, the opponent will chase more, they will get bamboozled more, and the US will score more back door tap ins. until then it looks like we have to settle for fast dribbles to the corners and hopeful crosses. that's prolly smart when you are the USWNT playing a substantially shorter Japan side but i don't see it being the answer for USMNT vs. Cola.
sunovabitch