USMNT Gets The Job Done: Advances To the Knockout Round for the 2nd World Cup in a Row

It was not a memorable match by any means since the U.S. men's national team basically held on for dear life the entire time, but when the final whistle blew at Arena Pernambuco in Recife this afternoon that hardly mattered. The Americans had booked a spot in the knockout round of the 2014 World Cup via a 1-0 loss to Germany coupled with a 2-1 Portugal win over Ghana.

The Americans finished in second place in Group G (behind Germany) with four points and a goal-differential of zero. Portugal and Ghana both go home while the U.S. meets Group H winner Belgium on Tuesday (4, ESPN) in the round of 16. Germany plays Algeria on Monday with the elimination games beginning on Saturday while we all get a welcome day off tomorrow following two straight weeks of incredible soccer.

This is the first time ever that the U.S. has made the knockout round in back-to-back World Cups so there is plenty to celebrate, especially when you consider the supposedly great teams that are already gone: Spain, Italy and England to name a few.

Germany controlled the ball the entire way but at least had nothing to show for it in a scoreless first half. The one real good chance for the U.S. came on a curling shot from the top of the box by Graham Zusi that just went over the crossbar. Unlike fraudulent Portugal which was ranked No. 4 for no good reason, Germany is legitimately recognized as the No. 2 team in the world.

At some point, the talent of a team like that will eventually take over. Tim Howard had just made a diving stop when the rebound went out to Thomas Mueller. His one-timed rocket from distance went into the corner of the net. It was a breathtaking strike, his fourth of the tournament which ties him for the lead with Brazil's Neymar and Argentina's Lionel Messi.

From there, it didn't matter that much if Germany scored again. It was more about what happened in the other match (going on at the same time) which makes it even tougher to take. Ghana was the bigger threat to the U.S. since Portugal buried themselves with the opening 4-0 loss to Germany. Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal for Portugal basically sealed the U.S.' fate so I guess we have to take all the nasty stuff we said about him.

After defending the whole game against a superior opponent, in the pouring rain, credit to the U.S. for conjuring up a couple near goals in the dying minutes. Their best passing sequence of the group stage almost resulted in a beautiful goal by Alejandro Bedoya but it was stopped by the sliding German defense. Clint Dempsey had a header from feet away that somehow went over the net. Oh well, bring on Belgium.

I don't fear Belgium nearly as much as I did Germany. They are one of the top teams in the world these days but they are new to these lofty heights so as far as the national team goes, they really don't have much big game experience. We'll see if that plays a role on Tuesday but I feel like if the United States plays up to their capabilities, they could surprise Belgium since make no mistake, the U.S. will be the underdog.

The winner of U.S.-Belgium meets the winner of Argentina-Switzerland (12, ESPN) which precedes it on Tuesday. That quarterfinal match is on July 5. The U.S. lost in the round of 16 to Ghana in 2010 and they've only reached the quarterfinals once in the modern era (2002). Therefore the next few days' worth of hype is well deserved and it would really be something for the sport in this country if they can get past the Belgians to possibly have a shot at Messi (the best player in the world) and Argentina-another top team.

UPDATE 6/27: Jermaine Jones broke his nose yesterday in a collision with teammate Alejandro Bedoya but the good news is that it sounds like he'll still be able to play vs. Belgium. He is carrying a yellow card along with Kyle Beckerman and Omar Gonzalez into the Belgium match. Those only clear when you reach the semifinals.

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We'll Always Remember The 2013 Gold Cup (Slight Exaggeration)

I was actually looking forward to the 2013 Gold Cup final this afternoon: U.S. men vs. Panama so shame on me for having any type of expectations that it would be a good match. Sure, I'm happy that the Americans came away with a 1-0 win at Chicago's Solider Field for their fifth Gold Cup title (first since 2007; 2nd most behind Mexico's 6) and extended their team record win streak to 11 games but I must say that it was a really dull event.

As seen above in the video clip, substitute Brek Shea scored less than a minute after he came onto the field in the 69th minute, his second international goal-both in this Gold Cup. True to this match, it was a rather ugly goal-yes they all count the same-as Landon Donovan (Golden Ball winner for the tournament) whiffed on Alejandro Bedoya's cross which it allowed Shea to sprint to the goal-line and touch it in (it was going in anyways).

The U.S. outscored its opponents 20-3 in the 2013 Gold Cup and went 6-0-0. They also tied their longest home win streak (10 games) in team history. They earned a spot in the playoff vs. 2015 Gold Cup winner for a spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup. If the Americans also win in 2015 then they'll automatically qualify.

U.S. goalkeeper Nick Rimando only had to make one save for what had to be one of the easiest shutouts of his life. Eddie Johnson could have ended it with a goal in the 84th minute but somehow he put Shea's perfect cross over the crossbar from a few feet away. Oh well, the reason I don't take the Gold Cup seriously is that if you watch the World Cup next summer I'll bet that only one or two players (Donovan and Johnson or DeMarcus Beasley) will start from this B-squad team and competition.

Jurgen Klinsmann was relegated to watching this match in a press box since he was suspended one game for his bizarre outburst vs. a referee in the semifinal on Wednesday vs. Honduras. The only thing that probably bummed him out was another possible serious injury to Stuart Holden's knee. After an awkward challenge caused him to bang his knee with a player from Panama, he came out in the 23rd minute with a limp. Even worse, he was very emotional on the bench and sidelines-showing that he knew it was bad. It was reported to be a sprained knee but we'll see about that. After the match, Klinsmann admitted that it could be serious. Remember Holden missed most of two years with separate knee injuries. Ugh, seeing him hurt again made me sick. Poor guy.

The A-squad is back in action on August 14 at Bosnia-Herzegovina (2:30, ESPN2) in an interntaional friendly. 2014 World Cup qualifying starts up again in September.

UPDATE 7/30: Terrible news for Holden as he tore the ACL in his right knee during Sunday's match.

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U.S. Men Cruise Into 5th Straight Gold Cup Final With 3-1 Win Over Honduras

The U.S. men's national team continued to roll along in 2013 (11-2-2) as they won their 10th straight match overall (extending a team record), a 3-1 victory over Honduras in the Gold Cup semifinals at Cowboys Stadium. Unfortunately, their bitter rival Mexico couldn't hold up their end of the equation as they lost 2-1 to Panama in the other semifinal meaning it'll be U.S. vs. Panama on Sunday (4 p.m. EST, Fox) for all the Gold at Soldier Field in Chicago. That's a rematch of the 2005 final, won by the U.S. in penalty kicks.

This outcome was never really in doubt as the U.S. jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half and improved to 14-4-3 all-time vs. Honduras (11-2-2 at home). The intrigue over the next few days will have to do with whether head coach Jurgen Klinsmann will be on the bench or in the stands since he was sent off in the 88th minute for arguing with an overzealous referee about what should have been a foul called on Honduras.

I'm surprised it took me this long to mention him but Landon Donovan has been playing outstanding soccer this entire tournament (5 goals, 7 assists in 5 matches). He continued his torrid pace with two goals and an assist vs. overmatched Honduras-a little payback (emphasis on little, for the 2-1 Honduras win in February during World Cup qualifying) for the U.S.' A-team.

The other American to stand out from the rest has been Eddie Johnson. He opened the scoring in the 11th minute after Donovan played him through then the Sisqo lookalike darted past his defenders and blasted a shot into the upper netting. Former Boston College star Alejandro Bedoya had his best game in a U.S. jersey as he recorded the first two assists of his career. After goalkeeper Nick Rimando's goal kick was headed along by Johnson, Bedoya passed the ball to Donovan in the 27th minute and Landon settled it off his chest then hit it into the corner for a 2-0 U.S. lead.

It's hard to argue with their goal-differential (19-4) but if the U.S. has shown one weakness in this Gold Cup, it's been on set pieces. Once again, they were victimized as Honduras scored their lone goal in the 52nd minute when Nery Medina impressively headed in Marvin Chavez's cross. Oh well.

Well before the time he was subbed off, Donovan answered a minute after Honduras' goal with the final blow. It started with Clarence Goodson's long ball found Bedoya who crossed it to Donovan and he was right in front of the net so all he had to do was redirect it. Along with Klinsmann's transgression, Johnson picked up a needless yellow card in stoppage time (something to remember for the Final).

The U.S. will be looking for its fifth Gold Cup title: 1991, 2002, 2005 and 2007 were the champions so it would be the first in six long years. Panama has never won it since only the U.S., Mexico and Canada have captured the crown. Keep in mind that the 2013 Gold Cup winner will meet the 2015 Gold Cup winner for a spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup (as CONCACAF's representative).



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Maurice Edu Takes His Talents From Scotland (Rangers) To England (Stoke City)

Well it is safe to say that Stoke City has solidified its place in the hearts of U.S. men's national team's fans in just a few short weeks.

Coming on the heels of the news that defender Geoff Cameron had signed there, today we found out that midfielder Maurice Edu was leaving Rangers-bankrupt and banished to Scotland's third division-for greener pastures in the English Premier League. There had been rumors of Edu looking at Ipswich (which plays in The Championship) but I felt all along that he could play at a higher level than that.

From The Sporting News
"After Rangers filed for bankruptcy, Edu announced he would leave the club. He turned down offers from Bursaspor, Evian, Trabzonspor and Valenciennes before accepting the move to Stoke City."

The former University of Maryland star and native of California will never wow you with his flashy moves or impressive statistics. His best attributes as a center midfielder (or center back where he had to play last week against Mexico) include work rate, high fitness level and being a capable two-way player. He is very consistent and you know what to expect from him which is always a good thing.

He also follows the path of Alejandro Bedoya, who left Rangers for Helsingborgs IF (Sweden). Edu had been practicing with Rangers but he didn't suit up in their league games this season. On the other hand, U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra so far has chosen to honor his contract and stay in Scotland. There is only six days left until the transfer window closes (August 31) so I wish I could get to Scotland and convince him that is not the best route for his career. I'm pretty sure that if he wanted to, he could still compete in the EPL or at least a higher level than Scotland in Europe.

MLSSoccer.com reported that Edu (who is 26) became Stoke City's fallback option once Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone wasn't signed. I could care less the reasoning and semantics behind the move, I'm just happy to say that another American is playing in what I consider the top soccer league in the world: the English Premier League. That will never get old in my book.

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With Rangers Dropping To The 3rd Division, Bedoya Elects To Go To Sweden

It was only a matter of time before the U.S. men's national team members on Rangers went elsewhere to play this season since the Scottish club is being punished for its financial problems by getting dropped to the third division.

Midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, who has 13 CAPs for the U.S., was the first to break the ice as he announced earlier today that he's headed for Helsingborgs IF in Sweden. The Boston College product was only in Scotland for one season and while he scored but one goal in 13 appearances, his future is still bright because he's only 25.

With players leaving Rangers left and right, he would have received more playing time but he probably weighed that against the fact that they wouldn't be on the biggest stage for at least a few more years. We'll have to see what happens with U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra and midfielder Maurice Edu, the two other Americans that called Rangers home.

The roster for the U.S. vs. Mexico friendly next week will be announced on Sunday at 4 p.m. Jurgen Klinsmann hasn't called Bedoya into training camp in a while so it'll be interesting to see if he gets some love any time soon from his country. In the limited amount that he has played for the U.S., he has looked good. I'm not sure why he seemingly fell out of favor.

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Alejandro Bedoya Moving On Up: From Sweden (Orebro) To Scotland (Rangers)

Other than Freddy Adu, nobody on the U.S. men's national team improved their stock more than midfielder Alejandro Bedoya during last month's Gold Cup.

Today, the former Boston College star agreed to terms with Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers. He's signed a pre-contract and will join the club in the January transfer window on a three-year deal.

Bedoya joined the U.S. Gold Cup squad after midfielder Benny Feilhaber (of the New England Revolution) went down with an injury right before the tournament started. Life is all about making the most of opportunities and Bedoya did just that. He worked his way up from a substitute to starting later in the tournament.

He had been playing for Swedish club Orebro (where former BC teammate Charlie Davies made his mark) and having the best season of his three-year pro career. Bedoya is only 24 and now he gets to play in the Champions League. Even better, his U.S. teammate Maurice Edu is still with Rangers so any culture shock shouldn't be too bad while Edu can tell him what to expect about the underrated Scottish league.

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Alejandro Bedoya after practice

"It's unfortunate that Benny got injured (opening up a spot for him), he's a good friend of mine, but things like that happen in football. You always have to be prepared, I'm here ready. My first major tournament. For me, its just keep on developing: learning from every training session and game."

-How he got the call to the team. "I was in Sweden on summer break (from his club season) and my girlfriend had just flown out there. We had a vacation set already for Barcelona. Already packed and ready to go so just changed my plans. Had to book my gf a ticket and came to the States. It's all for the better."

-"This is my opportunity, I have to show I belong here and hopefully I get the chance to play."

-"Disappointed not to make it initially but coach has some hard decisions to make. Good competition. See what I can do. We didn't go over it. Keep moving forward, gotta work hard."

-"Started out well in Sweden, 4 goals and 3 assists in 9 games so far in Sweden."

-"I have an agent for a reason (transfer rumors)."

-"I've had some texts and phonecalls in the area, nice to see my college coach Ed Kelly today. Some of the people will be coming to the game tomorrow so it's going to be fun to see them. I love this area, Boston, so it's nice to be back."

Bedoya in U.S. camp for injured Feilhaber

When one door closes for the U.S. men's national team, another opens in every sense of that tired cliche.

New England Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber went down on Saturday night with an ankle injury against the Los Angles Galaxy. That puts his status in serious jeopardy heading into the friendly against Spain this week, not to mention the Gold Cup later in June.

The positive side of that is it gives Boston College product Alejandro Bedoya, a chance to get back with the national team.

Bedoya, a midfielder, has made seven appearances for the U.S. and was on the preliminary roster for last year's World Cup. He has spent the last two years in Sweden with Orebro, scoring four goals in nine matches this season.

Feilhaber is being evaluated after injuring his ankle in New England's 1-0 loss to Los Angeles. Teams have until 24 hours before their first Gold Cup game to replace injured players. The Americans begin group play June 7 against Canada.

The U.S. also faces World Cup champion Spain on Saturday in an exhibition.

It would be the best of both worlds if Feilhaber's injury isn't that serious while Bedoya flourishes in camp and gets a real shot to show what he can do with the U.S. in June.

The next Charlie Davies?

Alejandro Bedoya is drawing a lot of comparisons to injured U.S. forward and former Boston College striker Charlie Davies. Like Davies, Bedoya rose to prominence in Chestnut Hill and also like Davies began his European playing career in Sweeden.

Bedoya, who plays for Orebro, had a breakthrough performance late last July coming off the bench and scoring two goals to help his team come back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a point.

After primarily being held to a subbing role, Bedoya finally did enough to earn a place in the starting lineup and started 11 of the final 14 games for his team, which only lost one game in the stretch.

Bedoya did feature in the recent Honduras friendly, again as a subbing role. Much like the familiar theme in the U.S. play, Bedoya did not have a memorable appearance, but it was not nearly as disastrous as some other MNT players.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/4876989/ce/us/another-former-eagle-flies-high-sweden?cc=5901&ver=us

Speaking of which, here is an update on Charlie Davis recovery, who just recently had elbow surgery.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=735832&sec=us&cc=5901

Although the previous article states Davies is not expected to be ready for the World Cup after suffering a broken elbow, broken right femur and tibia, fractured bones in the face and a lacerated bladder, don't tell Davies that. But the fact he did not suffer any significant ligament damage was perhaps biggest break (no pun intended).

He recently proclaimed he wants to be back for his French side Sochauxm, which come as early as April, and can easily be back for the World Cup. And he is not looking to be on the bench, he expects to be good and ready to score goals.

Read Ives Galarcep terrific in depth article for all the specifics on Davies amazing recovery to date.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/4856256/ce/us/davies-remarkable-path-recovery?cc=5901&ver=us