Brazil Destroys US Men's National Team 4-1

It had been a mostly positive 2015 for the U.S. men's national team with signature wins over Germany and the Netherlands counterbalancing a tough loss to Jamaica in the Gold Cup semifinals. This obvious progress came to a screeching halt at least for one night though as Brazil came into Gillette Stadium and embarrassed the Americans 4-1 in a friendly that wasn't nearly that competitive. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has to hope that the after-effects are short-lived since his team's next game is Oct. 10 vs. Mexico at the Rose Bowl to decide who gets the final spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup.

Tim Howard was on the bench all night, Clint Dempsey remained in Seattle to rest and Fabian Johnson continued to rehab from an injury and all of their collective absences added up. Granted, the U.S. could have fielded their best players of all-time and they still probably would have lost by a few goals. Brazil is no longer the powerhouse that they used to be (they haven't won a World Cup since 2002 which to them is a long slump) but they brought back the glory days for 90+ minutes in front of a partisan crowd that was mostly wearing yellow.

Hulk got the party started in the 9th minute after Willian's cross hit the post and the striker was able to crush the loose ball in the box past Brad Guzan. Still, after a rough start the U.S. started to gain some possession and find their way back into the game. Trailing only 1-0 at halftime gave the Americans some hope for a second half comeback. That is until early in the second half when their defense went down in flames. First, Neymar (who came on as a substitute to start the 2nd half) drew a clear penalty kick on hometown hero Geoff Cameron and converted it in the 51st minute for a 2-0 lead.

Two American players (Michael Orozco and Danny Williams) were issued yellow cards two minutes apart and then Rafinha scored a sweet goal (if you are a fan of Brazil) in the 64th minute (seconds after entering the game). Neymar topped it with his second goal three minutes later where he beat at least three U.S. defenders then poor Guzan. Williams salvaged the only shred of dignity for the U.S. with a golazo in garbage time-the 91st minute. He hit a shot from at least 25-30 yards out that cleanly went by Brazil's goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe. It's hard to believe that was only his second goal in a U.S. uniform because he clearly has a special ability to hit the ball.

A win against Mexico will erase most of it not all of the negativity stemming from this terrible performance. It's important to keep in mind that as ugly as this was, it really doesn't mean a whole lot (assuming of course that the U.S. shows up vs. El Tri). That is the weird world of international soccer for you where there are so many matches year-round with varying degrees of importance that are affected by a million different factors. It simply wasn't the U.S.' night while Brazil looked dominant, (checks calender) it's 2015 right? Oh well, see you in a month. PS beat Mexico!

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Belgium Defeats U.S. Men 2-1 in Extra Time to Advance to 2014 World Cup Quarterfinals

We knew this day was coming but that didn't make it any less disappointing as the U.S. men bowed out in the round of 16 for the second time in a row. The U.S. went to extra time with Belgium scoreless but the Belgians scored twice in the first 15 minutes to take a commanding 2-0 lead. The Americans valiantly battled back and cut it to 2-1 but ultimately ran out of time in Salvador.

Belgium will meet Argentina on Saturday (12, ABC) in the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the U.S. failed to reach that stage for the third straight World Cup. Tim Howard proved that he's still one of the top goalkeepers on the planet. He made 16 saves, a modern record, and he was the only reason that the U.S. even had a chance to steal this. Belgium had 18 more shots on goal (27-9) and 15 more corner kicks (19-5) which is absurd.

Still, the U.S. could have pulled this out a couple different ways. Chris Wondolowski completely bungled a wide open shot in stoppage time to end regulation. Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku was the difference maker as he came on as a late substitute and assisted on Kevin De Bruyne's goal in the 93rd minute then put the dagger in the U.S.' hopes with a backbreaking tally in the 105th minute.

Julian Green's first ever World Cup appearance was more than a footnote for the U.S. as he scored a sweet one-time volley from Michael Bradley in the 107th minute. Suddenly the Americans had life again and it was remarkable how many other chances they had before the final whistle. The best was a perfectly executed free kick from outside the box that ended with Clint Dempsey one-on-one with Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois but his shot was stopped.

I am not making excuses but simply stating facts that lack of depth certainly hurt. Jozy Altidore's injury along with Fabian Johnson going down with a similar hamstring strain in the first half tonight (what's with that?) really hurt the U.S. Without Altidore, Dempsey had to play out of position and Johnson gave the U.S. defense an offensive spark that they lacked without him.

This World Cup served to magnify the quite obvious strengths and weaknesses of the Americans. When we play top countries, our lack of technical skill and time of possession make it virtually impossible to win. We can count on having a great goalkeeper-that's been a given for years-but field players are another story. Also, our spirit and compete level is off the charts good. We never give up which sounds like a stupid cliché until you watch all these other supposed great teams (England, Portugal, etc.) that crumble or go in the tank immediately when things aren't going their way. This is Year 3 of Jurgen Klinsmann being in charge and I'd have to say he's been wildly successful for the most part.

Do you really believe an American head coach would have steered them out of Group G with Ghana, Portugal and Germany? I think not. I don't believe in moral victories for adults and I am frustrated along with everyone else that they couldn't get further but you have to understand how far we've come and also still how much we have to improve to legitimately challenge for a World Cup in our lifetimes.

I am a realist, I know that soccer will never be the most popular sport in America and I'm fine with that. I never try to force it on anyone but I am always psyched when people come around to it naturally and realize all the things that we love about the beautiful game. In fact, I will be the first to criticize many aspects of the game (flopping, low scoring, lack of action). However, you can't tell me there is a better sporting event in the world than this. With each successive World Cup that we do well in, that surge in popularity and interest can only help our national team progress beyond the Round of 16 and always being the underdog against top teams.

Klinsmann's job is no simple task: revamping the national team along with the young programs and general mindset of our top players. I have the utmost confidence that he's the right guy to do it and I'm happy that U.S. soccer realizes they have to let him (hopefully) work his magic.

Record numbers of viewers tuned into all the U.S. games and it's clear that soccer is more popular in the States than ever before. So how do we keep that momentum going when the next World Cup won't be for another four years? I can't say that MLS will receive a big boost since who cares about that? If you like the U.S. national team, there is plenty of stuff between now and then (hopefully the World Cup will be moved from Qatar to the U.S.): Gold Cup, Confederations Cup, World Cup qualifying and international friendlies. Plus, the Women's World Cup is next summer in Canada where the U.S. will be the favorite to win it. If you are getting into soccer, don't stop consuming it. There are a million different ways to stay involved in it, you don't have to sit around for four boring years.

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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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U.S. Blows Late Lead, Draws 2-2 With Portugal Setting Up A Huge Match vs. Germany

It should tell you something about the rapid rise of the U.S. men's soccer team under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann that a 2-2 tie vs. Portugal this afternoon at Arena Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil was seen as very disappointing. We feel this way because the Americans had all the power in their hands as they could have booked their trip to the knockout round with a win while Portugal would have been eliminated from the 2014 World Cup if they had lost.

Instead, after allowing the tying goal in the 95th minute on Varela's header from Cristiano Ronaldo, the U.S. faces the grim challenge of Germany on Thursday (12, ESPN) in their final group stage match. A win or tie against the Germans would do the trick but the U.S. can also advance with a loss: 1) coupled with a tie in Ghana-Portugal or 2) better goal-differential than whoever wins the other match. You couldn't ask for much more in terms of excitement since all four teams in Group G are still alive.

This was a fantastic contest and since it was on a Sunday night in primetime, I predict they received record ratings in the U.S. It was the type to pull in a casual fan and hopefully hook them enough that they check out the Germany match and possibly some others. What is it about the beginning and ends of games for the U.S.? They are always filled with drama.

After Geoff Cameron's clearing attempt went horribly awry-deflecting right to Nani in the fifth minute-the Manchester United product showed the finishing skills that he's lacked for the past year with both his club and country. The U.S. trailed at halftime in the rainforest which was certainly alarming since they were 0-14-1 when trailing at halftime at the World Cup (they tied Slovenia in 2010). Meanwhile, Portugal had been 8-0-0 when ahead at halftime.

Unlike vs. Ghana, the U.S. looked solid from the start (save for Cameron's blunder). They owned more possession and were unlucky to be down to the team that FIFA ranks as the fourth best in the world (haha yeah right!) The Americans tied it in the 64 minute on an absolute howler by midfielder Jermaine Jones. It easily has to go down as one of the prettiest that the U.S. has ever scored on as he wound up from way behind the 18-yard box and put it in the corner with serious pace.

A tie would have been ok but credit to Klinsmann and his team for continuing to go for the three points. They were handsomely rewarded in the 81st minute when Clint Dempsey's re-directed Graham Zusi's cross with his stomach. Not his chest, I can't say I have ever seen that kind of maneuver. In a sense, the U.S. was fortunate to be leading at that point since Portugal had blasted a shot off the post and Tim Howard made a spectacular reaction save on the followup.

Ronaldo hadn't done much all day so it figures that the top player in the world showed up when it mattered most: Michael Bradley capped off his tough day (he should have scored an easy goal earlier in the second half) by turning the ball over in midfield. The Portuguese quickly counterattacked (albeit 5-on-7) then Ronaldo whipped in the cross that Varela perfectly hit past Howard.

If we're being honest, this game probably was most deserving of a draw. Germany and the U.S. are tied atop Group G with four points while the Germans have a superior goal differential (+4) to the Americans (+1). Ghana (-1 goal differential) and Portugal (-4 goal differential) each have a point. Leading up to Thursday, I can guarantee that most sane fans and media will expect Germany to win. The good news is that tough situations like that where people are doubting them the most seems to be when the U.S. plays its best. Four points against Ghana and Portugal is admirable but the U.S. still has plenty of work to do to prepare for Germany (who have an extra day of rest) and get a result that will keep them alive.

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As Expected, Jozy Altidore Will Miss the Portugal Match

Today the U.S. soccer federation confirmed what we all could have guessed back on Monday: striker Jozy Altidore (strained left hamstring) will be out on Sunday when the U.S. meets Portugal (6, ESPN) in Manaus. Obviously, two important followup questions come with us but the problem is that at least for now we have no idea who will replace him in the lineup (either Aron Johannsson or Chris Wondolowski) or if Altidore will play another match at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Even without Altidore, who is far from their best player but still one of the most irreplaceable (if that makes sense), I think that the U.S. has a good chance to beat Portugal. It sounds like Matt Besler's hamstring injury is much less severe than Altidore so he should be able to play while Clint Dempsey will also compete whether he has to wear a goofy mask or not.

The U.S. clearly have their issues and Altidore's absence can't be underestimated but few would disagree when I say that Portugal is much more of a mess. Defender Pepe is suspended after receiving a red card vs. Germany, right back Fabio Coentrao is out for the rest of the tournament and forward Hugo Almeida's status is uncertain after he left early with an injury in the 4-0 German beatdown.

It is a must-win for Portugal, they can't afford another lost particularly with that brutal scoring differential starting them in the face. I think another win for the U.S. would basically clinch a spot in the knockout round since I can't see Ghana beating Germany (they play on Saturday).

Sunday is shaping up to be a huge day for U.S. soccer and it's sure to get monster ratings in that primetime slot. Let's hope the U.S. can continue this wave of positive momentum for the sport in this country, after all everybody loves a winner.

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Landon Donovan's Summer Suddenly Got Much Less Busy

The 2014 FIFA World Cup starts three weeks from today (!) and the U.S. men released their 23-man roster set to go to Brazil. The normally joyous occasion was marked by controversy as star midfielder Landon Donovan (the U.S.' all-time leading goal scorer) was surprisingly left off after appearing in the past three World Cups. We already knew that head coach Jurgen Klinsmann had German balls of steel but this move certainly shows that he's not afraid to take a different approach than most.

I trust Klinsmann and his assistant coaches' judgment that Donovan wasn't in good enough form to make it (midfield is the U.S.' deepest position) and I just hope that this doesn't remain the main focus for everyone when they get to Brazil. Should the Americans lose (a near certainty), let's not pretend that simply having Donovan would have changed everything. Klinsmann will have to answer plenty questions about this subject tomorrow (as he should), but after that it's time to move forward with this group.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

After naming the 30-man preliminary roster on May 12, the following seven players have been released from the U.S. MNT’s training camp: forwards Terrence Boyd and Landon Donovan, midfielders Joe Corona and Maurice Edu, and defenders Brad Evans, Clarence Goodson and Michael Parkhurst. The seven remaining players have been placed on a standby list and are returning to their respective club teams.

The U.S. has three warmup matches stateside before things get real: they play Azerbijan next Tuesday in San Francisco (10, ESPN2), Turkey a week from Sunday (2, ESPN2) at Red Bull Arena then they close with Nigeria (the only team of the three also heading to Brazil) on June 7 (6, ESPN) in Jacksonville.

Ever since that nightmare draw for the U.S. in December, I have purposely not gotten my hopes up at all in terms of them advancing out of the group stage. It certainly could happen, don't get me wrong, but I just am leery of setting myself up for painful disappointment. I think it is as simple as seeing what happens in the U.S.' first match, vs. Ghana on June 16 (6, ESPN). If they win, great. If they tie or especially if they lose, goodnight. The best they can hope for vs. Portugal on June 22 (6, ESPN) is a draw while the final match vs. Germany on June 26 (12, ESPN) is all but guaranteed to be a loss. Got it? Let's go U.S.!

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Brazil Beats U.S. Men 4-1 In Entertaining Friendly

The U.S. men's national team got an up close look tonight at what a true world power in soccer looks like. Namely one (Brazil) that is now 16-1 against them with a 35-11 goal differential.

For the first 45 minutes against Brazil, the Americans mostly chased the ball and their superior opponents. However, in the second half the U.S. had more chances but they still were on the wrong end of a humbling 4-1 defeat at FedEx Field in Landover, MD.

As always with friendlies, the final result is much less meaningful than what your team can get out of it. In that sense, I'd say this was a a worthwhile time for Jurgen Klinsmann's team since they learned that they can play with Brazil (when they want to). They also realized how many things they have to tighten up in order to consistently compete at that level.

The match was basically lost in the first 26 minutes as Brazil put up two quick goals for a 2-0 lead. Oguchi Onyweu's hand ball resulted in a successful penalty kick by Neymar in the 12th minute.

Neymar was at it again 14 minutes later as his corner kick found Thiago Silva's head.

Despite rarely possessing the ball (an important concept in soccer), the U.S. pulled one back in the 45th minute when Herculez Gomez scored in his first start for the U.S. in almost two years. Michael Bradley made a nice run and hit Fabian Johnson with a through ball down the left flank. Johnson crossed it to the goalline and Gomez was there to run through it.

Brazil's latest budding superstar Neymar picked up his second assist in the 52nd minute by finding an unmarked Marcelo in the box, 3-1 Brazil.

Gomez nearly scored again in the 64th minute but his header from Johnson's cross was cleared off the line, Clint Dempsey had a chance to get it but he went to the ball with his wrong foot.

Neymar and Pato missed out on a carbon copy of Marcelo's goal in the 67th minute, Pato's shot beat Tim Howard but went off the post.

The U.S. buzzed Brazil's goal for about a 10-minute stretch there as Gomez's shot (from Dempsey) was saved and Cabral (Brazil's goalkeeper) made a nice stop on the rebound shot by Terrence Boyd. Off a U.S. corner, Bradley's header was tipped over the crossbar and Onyewu hit the bar with his header on Donovan's free kick.

Gooch's rough night was capped off by keeping Pato onside as the Brazilian forward made the most of his second chance, in the 87th minute, putting it low and hard into the side netting.

My takeaway from this game is that Gomez is playing the best soccer of his life, ditto for Bradley and Johnson has already solved the U.S.' black hole at left back. Nobody in their right mind expected the U.S. to beat Brazil and the long odds of that were compromised by the terrible start. Still, the U.S. didn't fold and they kept fighting. They also played much better in the second half and created many opportunities; I worry that finishing will continue to be an issue against the top-level squads like Brazil.

Only one more exhibition before the U.S. men begin 2014 World Cup qualifying a week from Friday against Antigua and Barbuda in Tampa Bay, FL. The U.S. will meet Canada on Sunday night (7 p.m., NBC Sports) in Toronto. It should be a fun way to prepare for the truly meaningful games. Win or lose, I can't get too worked up about friendlies.

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U.S. Men's Roster Almost Set For Scotland, Brazil & Canada Friendlies

It's almost here, after months of waiting the U.S. men's national team is less than a week away from beginning a very important stretch of games.

They are training in Orlando, FL until May 25. Jurgen Klinsmann's team plays Scotland on Saturday (8 p.m., NBC Sports Network) in Jacksonville then goes to Landover, MD to play Brazil a week from Wednesday-May 30 (8 p.m., ESPN2). Today, Klinsmann announced his full 27-man roster, adding 11 to a group of 16 that was already selected. It will be reduced to 23 for the trio of friendlies. They're also playing Canada in Toronto on June 3 (7 p.m., NBC Sports Network) in the final match before World Cup qualifying begins in Tampa Bay on June 8 (7 p.m., ESPN) vs. mighty Antigua and Barbuda (which apparently is a real place).

UPDATED U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (7): Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

From ussoccer.com
“We are excited now to get towards full numbers with the MLS guys and also the players from Europe who are coming in with great form,” said Klinsmann. “We want them to pick up the rhythm as fast as possible and make them understand that we are taking the next couple weeks very seriously. We will continue with our rhythm of two trainings a day and see where the players are really at before we make our final decisions on the 23-man roster for the upcoming games.”

ADDITIONAL ROSTER NOTES

Jozy Altidore finished his first season at AZ Alkmaar with 19 goals in all competitions, including 15 in league play and four in the Europa League.
Landon Donovan returns to the National Team for the first time since September of 2011. The USA’s all-time leading scorer also has the most appearances for any U.S. player in World Cup qualifying (35).

Chris Wondolowski is atop the MLS goalscoring chart, having tallied 11 goals in 12 matches for San Jose.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting Lisbon are playing in the Portuguese Cup final against Académica, seeking their 20th cup title.

With 19 goals in all competitions in the last year, Herculez Gomez could become the first U.S. player to win both an MLS Cup title and Mexican League title. Santos plays at home tonight against Monterrey in the second leg of the Liguilla final, having tied 1-1 in the first match.

Terrence Boyd finished with 20 goals for Borussia Dortmund’s second team, scoring a goal in the final that helped the team gain promotion to the Third Division.
Clarence Goodson captains Brondby today against Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland. The visitors sit in second place in the league with two matches remaining, one point behind Copenhagen. If Nordsjaelland remain in the championship, Parkhurst will play the final match. If they are eliminated from winning the title, he reports tomorrow.

Juan Agudelo comes to camp just days after being traded to Chivas USA from the New York Red Bulls. Agudelo started in their 1-0 victory against the LA Galaxy last night.

Geoff Cameron and Graham Zusi both started the USA’s first two matches of 2012, consecutive 1-0 victories against Venezuela and Panama. Zusi scored the game-winner against Panama in only his second appearance for the United States.

The U.S. is riding a four-game win streak, including the memorable 1-0 win in Italy. A remarkable 42 players have earned caps since Klinsmann took over last summer. You'd have to say that with that type of review, he must have a pretty good feel for what the U.S. currently has in the pipeline in terms of national team caliber players.

These first three friendlies should all be interesting as the Americans compete against a European team that they rarely see (Scotland), the five-time world champions (Brazil) and one of their natural rivals (Canada).

The epic Champions League Final yesterday (Chelsea's improbable win at Bayern Munich) in penalty kicks was a perfect prelude to the summer of soccer: the U.S. men's and women's friendlies, Euro 2012, World Cup qualifying and 2012 Olympics will serve to not only distract us from boring baseball but remind us how good we have it right now in this country in terms of soccer options.

UPDATE 5/25: Morales, Williams, Zusi and Agudelo were the four players left off the final 23-man roster for the five games (3 friendlies, 2 World Cup qualifiers). I don't have a problem with any of those guys not playing although it is troubling that Agudelo's development has seemingly had a big rut.

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Brazil Needs Some Work On Its Set Piece Defense

The U.S. women's national team took care of business this morning in Japan as they beat Brazil 3-0 in the second and final game of the Kirin Challenge Cup.

Brazil was very shorthanded as the iconic Marta sat out (why I don't know). They didn't help themselves as they gave up two early goals in the first half then the U.S. tacked on another in the second half for a comfortable win.

All three U.S. goals came on set pieces, although only one was clean. In the 18th minute, Christie Rampone sent a free kick into the box that was deflected off Rachel Buehler's heel right to Carli Lloyd. She's not usually accurate when she shoots but Lloyd didn't miss on that one.

Five minutes later, Lauren Cheney hit a cross off a free kick that Shannon Boxx headed in.

Substitute Amy Rodriguez scored in the 83rd minute on a similar play to the Lloyd strike. Cheney's free kick was knocked down by Abby Wambach then Rodriguez pounced on the rebound which took a deflection off a Brazilian defender.

American goalkeeper Hope Solo had a quiet game as she only had to make one save for the shutout.

The U.S.' next game is Saturday, May 27 (Memorial Day weekend) against China in Chester, PA. It's a friendly but against more top-level competition.

Pia Sundhage's team improved to 10-1-1 in 2012 as they beat Brazil in their first meeting since last summer's memorable World Cup encounter. Nine Brazilians and 13 Americans saw the field today that also appeared in that one.

This margin of defeat was the largest for the U.S. against Brazil in 10 games (5-1 in 2004). Unlike their male counterparts, the U.S. women first of all will appear in the 2012 London Olympics plus they will undoubtedly be considered one of the favorites.

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U.S. Women Will Play Japan & Brazil In April Tournament, In Japan

What a day for U.S. soccer. On the heels of the U.S. men's date with Brazil being officially announced this afternoon, I just found out that the U.S. women will face not only Japan but also Brazil in a three day span in April.

For Pia Sundhage's team, it's all part of the Women's Kirin Challenge Cup which will take place in Japan. The U.S. will get tasty rematches from the 2011 World Cup against the team they lost to in the final (Japan) in penalty kicks and the team they beat in the quarterfinals (Brazil) that featured one of the best endings I've ever seen in a soccer game.

The U.S. women will play Japan on April 1 at Yurtec Stadium in Sendai and Brazil on April 3 at Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba.

For the U.S. soccer press release:
In the newly created three-nation tournament, named the Women’s Kirin Challenge Cup, Japan will also face Brazil April 5 at Homes Stadium in Kobe. The three-team competition features three of the top four teams in the current FIFA Women’s World Rankings.

“This trip is fantastic,” said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage. “Playing two of the world’s best teams almost back-to-back will be a tremendous challenge for our entire roster. Obviously, we are very familiar with both Japan and Brazil, and we have the ultimate respect for their coaches, their players and the technical and tactical abilities of both teams. There are no better games to prepare you for Olympic competition than facing this caliber of teams away from home.”

The match in Sendai will be the second meeting between the two Women’s World Cup finalists since that tournament, as the teams will also meet on March 5 during group play at the Algarve Cup in Portugal.

Sendai, located on the east coast of northern Japan, suffered catastrophic damage from the magnitude 9.0 offshore earthquake on March 11, 2011 (just nine days after the USA had played Japan in the 2011 Algarve Cup), which triggered a massive, destructive tsunami. Yurtec Stadium, which was built in 1997 and seats 20,000, was damaged in the earthquake and tsunami.

Chiba, which is a large suburb of Tokyo, is located near the east coast of central Japan. Fukuda Denshi Arena, which was completed in 2005, seats 18,500.

Of course, the USA’s most recent meeting with Brazil was one for the ages. The USA weathered a controversial ejection and played more than an hour of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinal with 10 players before dramatically tying the score in the 122nd minute on Abby Wambach’s now famous header goal, the latest ever scored in a World Cup.

The U.S. women will play New Zealand next Saturday (Feb. 11) at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas. That game will be streamed live on ussoccer.com at 4 EST. That's the start of a busy couple weeks for Sundhage and Co. as they'll head to Portugal for the annual Algrave Cup. The U.S. will play Denmark (Feb. 29), Norway (March 2) and Japan (March 5) in Group B play.

So yeah, get ready to see plenty of the U.S. men and women's national teams as the weather starts to get better and spring is in the air which means one thing to me: time for some high level soccer for both of our squads.

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Bring On Brazil! (Ducks Bicycle Kick)

After nearly a month of breathlessly waiting (guilty as charged), the U.S. men's game vs. Brazil was formally set today with the international friendly to be held on May 30 in Landover, MD (at the home of the Washington Redskins).

Regardless of where it is, I'm obviously psyched to see the Americans match up with one of the world's true superpowers but I have to say that I'm disappointed I won't be able to attend it. The rumors were that Gillette Stadium and Landover were the finalists so it's a shame that we won't have this great game in our backyards. Oh well.

Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, will be playing the Americans for the fourth time in four years. Brazil has won all three in that span - twice at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa and a 2-0 exhibition win at East Rutherford, N.J., in August 2010.

The U.S. is 1-15 against Brazil, winning in 1998 at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"When you talk about Brazil, you are speaking of one of the most gifted football playing nations in the world,'' U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "It is our goal to be able to match up against teams like Brazil on a consistent basis, so this is an amazing opportunity.''

Before World Cup qualifying begins, the Americans play at Italy on Feb. 29, then plan to host Scotland on May 26. They play at Canada on June 3 before opening qualifying at home against Antigua and Barbuda on June 8.

Host of the 2014 World Cup, Brazil will play Mexico on June 3 at Arlington, Texas, and Argentina on June 9 at East Rutherford.

You'll remember that the 1-0 win in the '98 Gold Cup was when U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller absolutely stole it by playing one of the best games I've ever seen.

As I keep saying, over and over, this summer is going to be incredible if you have even a passing interest in soccer. The U.S. will play some intriguing friendlies before beginning their World Cup 2014 journey. Plus, Brazil will be stateside for a trio of juicy meetings. Brazil vs. Mexico and Brazil vs. Argentina is something you would see in a World Cup quarterfinal or semifinal, a really high-level match that should attract monster crowds and media attention.

It seems that the location of the Scotland match is TBA so let's keep our fingers crossed that maybe the U.S. men's national team will come to Foxborough for the start (Saturday) of Memorial Day weekend. What a treat that would be!

UPDATE 2/15: Once again, my wish doesn't come true as the U.S. men will face Scotland in Jacksonville. Wait, what? Ugh, crappy choice. Hope there's plenty of Scots in snowbird country.

The U.S. men's first World Cup 2014 qualifier on June 8 against Antigua and Barbuda will be held in Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium (home of the Buccaneers).

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Hey Canada, Get Ready For Another Beating

It was announced this evening that the U.S. men's national team will take on Canada on June 4 at Toronto's BMO Field in an international friendly.

This will be the first U.S. match in Canada since 1997 and as such it will be given the proper stage: a 7 p.m. kickoff and live broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

Part of the Centenary celebrations for the Canada Soccer Association, the match will be the final tune-up for both teams before the start of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying. The U.S. opens play June 8 at home against Antigua and Barbuda in Group A, while Canada travels to face Cuba in Group C.

“First of all, we are honored to be chosen to be part of Canada’s Centenary Celebration,” said Klinsmann. “This is exactly the type of challenge we are looking for as we grow the team and get ready for the start of World Cup qualifying. There is a great history in the rivalry, and Canada is a team we could see in the final round of qualifying. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

The U.S. has a 3-6-1 lifetime record in matches in Canada in the series dating back to 1925 but has won the last two times out. The most recent visit came in the final round of qualifying for the 1998 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 9, 1997, when an early goal by Claudio Reyna and two from Roy Wegerle delivered the U.S. a 3-0 victory that clinched the USA’s ticket to France.

Overall, the United States has done exceptionally well against Canada for the past two decades. The U.S. is in the midst of a 14-game unbeaten streak (8-0-6) since dropping a 2-0 decision to Canada on April 2, 1985, in Vancouver. The lifetime series record stands at 13-8-9 in the USA’s favor.

I can't think of a better way for the U.S. men to get ready for World Cup qualifying than by throwing a serious beating on Canada, just like the U.S. women did last weekend. The Canadian men's national team is a joke so I don't expect much push back from all their failed hockey players.

On Twitter, along with the news of this game, I saw more information about other friendlies for the U.S. men this summer. It looks like they'll face Brazil in Washington, D.C. and not Gillette Stadium (keeping my fingers crossed until I hear otherwise, officially). Plus (and this was new information), they reportedly will face Scotland as well.

Clearly, both of those matches are much more intriguing to me. Stay tuned as we find out the exact details.

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Holy Boners: Argentina Will Take On Brazil June 9 At The Meadowlands In New Jersey

It's been a long time since I've taken a trip down to the Garden State (New Jersey) but I might have to do that this summer.

Yesterday, it was announced that Argentina will face Brazil on June 9 at the new Meadowlands (where the Giants and Jets play) in East Rutherford, N.J.

If you live in New York City, Philadelphia, New Jersey or basically anywhere on the East Coast and you call yourself a soccer fan, you are most likely salivating over this dream matchup between two of the top countries in the world with some of the most exciting and aggressive styles.

This friendly takes place on a day designated for international friendlies, which is a great thing since it means that Lionel Messi (Argentina), Neymar (Brazil) and all of their other European-based teammates should be available for this game.

Since this will take place so close to New York City, the most diverse city in the United States, I bet that tens of thousands of Brazilians and Argentinians will be in attendance or simply tailgating in the parking lots. If you've never been to a big time soccer match, I highly recommend it since it should be a top-notch atmosphere that is rarely seen in the United States. The amount of smokeshows should likewise be through the roof, the beer and delicious meats will be plentiful and it's June so it will be warm. What are you waiting for? Get tickets (and invite me)!

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Abby Wambach's Game-Tying Header Vs. Brazil

You'll be seeing this oh about ten million times in the next few days but who cares? What a play and what a win.

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2011 Women's World Cup: U.S. vs. Brazil extra time live blog

Marta scores in the 92nd minute. Would you believe that there was a Brazilian player offsides on the play too? Ugh, this is absurd. The good news is that it's not Golden Goal and it will go the full 30 minutes so plenty of time for the U.S. to tie it up.

14th career World Cup goal for Marta, tied for most all-time (with Prinz of Germany).

U.S. corner and out for another.

Wambach's shot just deflected out by the glove of Brazil's goalkeeper. U.S. corner, great pressure by the U.S. You have to think this clown referee might gift them a call at this point but who knows.

Brazil wins a corner. Marta almost puts it in but Solo makes a sweet diving save for another Brazil corner.

Marta is the reigning five-time FIFA player of the year and she's only 25.

Lepeilbet is playing much better, her best game of the tournament. She puts it out for a Brazil corner. Brazil has two more subs left, one more for the U.S.

Solo clearly tips one out but it's called a goal kick. Just staying with the theme of today's referee mess.

One minute of added time is over.

After first 15 minutes: Brazil 2, U.S. 1

LePeilbet goes down in the box but no call. It was a bit of a flop so it wasn't really deserving of a PK but worth a try.

Rapinoe free kick from the outside of the box, headed over by Wambach.

Tobin Heath is coming on for O'Reilly. Last sub for the U.S.

Morgan gets it in deep but her ball to the middle is too slow and predictable. Morgan goes down in the box but can't buy a call despite the pro-U.S. crowd freaking out.

Lloyd fouls a Brazilian defender, who lies on the ground on the verge of death or something. Maurine gets a yellow card for wasting time then shanks the free kick out of bounds.

Brazil wins a free kick but Maurine puts it well over and wide.

Time to send everyone forward Pia, nothing to lose at this point.

U.S has not lost two games in a row in a decade and never been knocked out this early (always made it to the semifinals).

All the Brazil players are taking turns playing dead. This is a complete disaster of a game.

Yellow card for that clown-Erika.

U.S. free kick from outside the box. Lloyd takes it and it's not even close. It's been that kind of day for the U.S.

Solo makes a save and her long kick goes right to Brazil's goalkeeper.

Lloyd blasts it over from outside the box.

Three minutes of added time.

Holy shit! Wambach with a goal in the 122nd minute. Great cross from Rapinoe, Wambach with one of the most clutch goals you'll ever see.

11th career World Cup goal for Wambach.

End of added time: U.S. 2, Brazil 2

We're headed to penalty kicks!

Shannon Boxx up first for U.S.: saved by Andrea was about two yards off the line. Haha she gets a rekick. She scores on the second try. (1-0 U.S.)

Cristian scores for Brazil, cool as you like (1-1).

Lloyd scores for the U.S (2-1 U.S.)

Marta is up next. She drills it lower left (2-2).

Wambach drills it, side netting on the right. (3-2 U.S.)

What a great save by Solo on Brazil's sweeper (3-2 U.S.).

Rapinoe drills hers too, rocket. (4-2 U.S.).

Franciella keeps Brazil alive with a goal. (4-3 U.S.).

Kreiger wins it, 5-3 U.S!

See you in the semifinals on Wednesday. France vs. U.S. at 11:30 a.m., Japan vs. Sweden to follow.

You can't script a better ending than that. The U.S. was on the brink of one of the great screwjobs (with apologies to Bret Hart) in soccer history (not just women's). Wambach's goal was incredible and you knew that Solo would make at least one save in penalty kicks since she's the best goalkeeper in the world. I have chills, goosebumps, you name it. Incredible, USA USA USA!

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2011 Women's World Cup: U.S. vs. Brazil 2nd half live blog

No changes for either team at halftime. The two times that the U.S. has won the World Cup, they haven't lost a game (they have this time).

Five or Brazil's seven goals have occurred in the 15 minutes after halftime.

Wambach and Formiga run into each other pretty hard. Wambach is sitting on a yellow card so she needs to be careful (after this game, the cards all get wiped out).

Haha Lloyd with an obvious hand ball but Brazil only gets a free kick, no card. It would have been her second card and she would have been done for the day.

Marta is an incredible player (the best in the women's game) but she complains way too much.

Cheney is out, Megan Rapinoe in (55th minute). First sub of the game. Cheney was invisible today but Julie Foudy thinks that Lloyd should have been the one that was pulled.

Rosana with a nice run into the box but nice job by Allie Krieger to knock it out for a corner. Solo goes for it and wins a free kick (handball on a header).

Good save by Solo on Fabiana. She's 2nd all-time in wins for the U.S.

Brazil is buzzing now, they look a step quicker than the U.S. at the moment.

Rapinoe with a great ball on a free kick, Lloyd's header hits the post and goes out for a Brazil goal kick. That would have been huge for the U.S., probably game over.

Buehler gets a red card for a challenge on Marta. Tough call. PK for Cristiane. Saved by solo and now they're calling it back and giving her a yellow. Rekick. This is a joke. Marta is taking this one. 1-1 in the 68th minute.

Marta's 3rd goal in four games. 13 goals all-time in World Cup (2nd all-time).

What a ridiculous situation. Buehler didn't deserve a red. Solo makes the first stop but she gets a yellow and a second PK for leaving early (bogus). Then Marta takes the second one and scores. One of the most absurd situations I can ever remember in a soccer game.

Alex Morgan in for Amy Rodriguez. 2nd sub for the U.S. Rodriguez didn't do much today either.

Morgan wins a corner kick.

If the U.S. can get through all this bullshit, it would be incredible. Yes they scored on a Brazil own goal and Lloyd probably deserved a red card for her hand ball (since she already had a yellow) but that sequence will go down as one of the most shady in soccer history (which is saying a lot).

U.S. wins another corner. Does Brazil now they're up a player? They also haven't made a substitution, great coaching there.

Brazil corner.

First Brazil sub, Rosana out for Francielle.

O'Reilly wins a free kick by taking on a Brazil player 1 on 1, what a concept! Brazil clears it out.

What is going on? Rapinoe gets a yellow for god knows what but the U.S. retains possession for a free kick? This ref is the biggest joker I've ever seen.

Three minutes of added time comes and goes. Haha Morgan drills a Brazil player in the stomach (she went to block it).

Final in regulation: U.S. 1, Brazil 1

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Women's World Cup: U.S. vs. Brazil 1st half live blog

This is the last quarterfinal match with the winner facing France on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. The U.S. has won the last four matches against Brazil 1-0 but in the 2007 World Cup, Brazil rolled 4-0 over the U.S. in probably the most embarassing loss for the Americans.

Second fastest goal (74 seconds in) in U.S. World Cup history as Shannon Boxx's cross gets put in by Daiane in the second minute. (1-0 U.S.) Abby Wambach's run to the goal distracted Brazil's defense, terrible attempted clear ends up in the back of the net.

Brazil is ranked No. 3, U.S. is No. 1.

U.S. has never lost in a World Cup quarterfinal (won in all five matches); Abby Wambach has scored in her last two quarterfinals.

Wambach flicks on a header from Christie Rampone's long free kick, U.S. wins a corner kick.

Brazil fails to clear it and the U.S. gets another corner.

Amy Le Peilbert wins the ball from a Brazil player and shoots it just wide. Heather O'Reilly started the play by beating Brazil down the sideline. U.S. is looking very solid, Brazil appears shell-shocked from the early setback.

Solo punches out a free kick.

U.S. defenses looks shaky (where have I heard that before) and Brazil gets a corner. Solo misses the punch but the Brazil's captain Aline puts the header wide. Should have been a goal since Solo completely whiffed.

Marta gets a partial breakaway (running 3/4 of the field) but Rampone sticks with her and the Brazilian star shoots over the U.S. goal.

Amy Rodriguez goes way offsides before collecting a pass.

Lloyd gets a deserved yellow card for a rough challenge.

Brazil's goalkeeper punches out an easy ball that she should have caught.

Solo comes flying out of the goal and jumps over Rosana for a 50-50 ball.

Solo with another save on a long shot by Cristian.

Brazil's Fabiana hits a cross/shot off the U.S. crossbar. After a U.S. turnover in the back, she tried to lift it over Solo.

Boxx breaks through but can't put anything on a shot. Damn, next CAP will be her 150th.

Dual yellow cards for Aline and Marta.

The game has no flow whatsoever now. U.S. keeps giving the ball away and Brazil is playing its favored style of hero ball (all 1 on 1).

Halftime: U.S. 1, Brazil 0

Sloppy play by both sides. Neither seem to be on their game so far.

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Best right back in the world will reside at Barcelona until at least 2015

Many people around soccer refer to Barcelona defender Dani Alves as the best right back in the world. Today, the Brazilian with the lofty title inked a deal to remain with Barcelona through 2015.

Brazil full-back Alves, 27, has been in discussions over a deal for some time as his current agreement was set to expire at the end of next season.

Manchester City have been repeatedly linked with the player, and Johan Cruyff gave credence to the rumours in January when he said it may be in Barca's best interests to allow Alves to move on to Eastlands.

However, a statement on the club's official website on Tuesday read: "FC Barcelona is pleased to announce an agreement with Dani Alves to extend his contract with the club for another three seasons, until June 30, 2015.

"The document will be signed on Wednesday at around 19.00. There will then be a photograph session open to the media by the doors to the FC Barcelona offices. "

Club president Sandro Rosell wrote on Twitter: "Very good news for Barca. Dani Alves has renewed his contract."

Alves joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2008.

You can see him in action on GolTV on weekends with Ray Hudson on the mic and also in the Champions League, quarterfinal games begin on April 5. Barcelona meets Shakhtar Donetsk (a Russian club that has made a Cinderella run so far) on April 6 in the first leg.

Neymar breaks my heart, stays with Santos

Shimer said last week before he left that Chelsea was on the verge of signing Neymar. As you can imagine, I was pumped since the Blues need an infusion of young talent as my colleague pointed out and they don't get more tantalizing than the 18-year-old Brazilian.

Uh nevermind. Neymar signed a five-year deal to remain with Santos.

He has followed the advice of Pele and new national team coach Mano Menezes to stay in Brazil, at least for now.

Neymar, who scored on debut for Brazil against United States last month, said: "The final decision always rests with the player. My father always will want what is best for me. I talked to him and decided to stay. Money alone does not bring happiness. I'm happy here and I want to continue being so. It was a complicated decision, very difficult. But God gave us the wisdom and power to make the best decision. Now it's time to only think about Santos and winning more titles.''

Santos' president Luis Alvaro lauded Neymar for his "courageous decision'' to stay in Brazil and said he hoped the move would spark an end to the relentless talent drain to Europe.

"We've built a different possibility,'' Alvaro said. "We no longer accept the idea that we're an underdeveloped nation always at the mercy of the powerful European clubs.''

This is all well and good and I applaud Neymar for taking the road less traveled (ie. not following the money). However, I'd be shocked if he plays out the length of this contract with Santos. This guy is too good to not be playing in England, Spain, Italy or Germany.

Explain to me again why Pato and Neymar didn't go to South Africa?

I had heard about Neymar before but I had never seen him (besides YouTube highlights) until tonight.

In his debut for the Brazilian national team, 18-year-old Neymar scored a goal as the Selecao defeated the U.S. 2-0 at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

This was Mano Manezes' first game as Brazil's coach and the team's first match since their quarterfinal loss in the 2010 World Cup to Netherlands.

It might have been because 14 of the 23 players that suited up for Brazil were making their first or second international appearance or because Dunga was sent packing with his ill-fated defensive style but for one night, Brazil looked like the fun-loving machine they always seem to be.

Neymar scored in the 28th minute with a header off a cross from Santos. I don't think Neymar could have done much more tonight, everything was perfect including his sweet mohawk.

In the 46th minute, Alexandre Pato, another guy that was left out of South Africa, showed why that was a terrible mistake. He scored after a defensive breakdown by the U.S.' central defense (sound familiar?) and a great through ball by Ramires.

Pato had an earlier goal waved off after he clearly ran over U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Brazil deserved to win by multiple goals but there were some near highlights and solid performances in the loss for the U.S.

Right off the bat, Landon Donovan sneaked through and should have scored in the second minute after a clever touch from Edison Buddle. Donovan was slowed up by a foul but there was no call for a PK.

The second half was even more wide open. Pato should have scored his second goal in the 46th minute after a sweet ball from Robinho. In the 53rd minute, Robinho hit a shot off the post and the U.S. looked to pull one back in the 57th minute when Michael Bradley headed in a cross from Sasha Kljestan.

Neymar got some time and space and nearly scored his second goal in the 61st minute. His stepovers froze the U.S. defender but his shot was stopped by Brad Guzan, who had a superb second half.

In the 70th minute, Neymar was sprung on a breakaway but Guzan came out to cut down the angle and stop it.

Brazil was unlucky, hitting the post once again in the 78th minute with Gonzo's long blast.

Guzan absolutely robbed Eduardo in the 83rd minute from a few feet away.

The U.S. almost snuck one in late when Jonathan Spector's cross was headed by Herculez Gomez. Brazil's goalkeeper Victor deflected it just wide.

Guzan had one more memorable save in the last minute of stoppage time and that was it.

Only time will tell if this was Bob Bradley's last game with the U.S.

For now, I will remember it for Neymar and Pato's brilliance. These guys are absolute studs that will be around for a long, long time.