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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U.S. Finally Solves Its Ghana Issue at the World Cup

It only took three tries but the U.S. men's national team found a way to beat Ghana at a World Cup. What better way to open up their 2014 experience in Brazil than with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Ghana at Estadio Das Dunas in Natal? Ever since the fateful draw in December, we knew that if the U.S. was going to have any chance to advance from Group G, they had to beat Ghana (the same team that had eliminated them in the past 2 World Cups with 2-1 defeats). 21-year-old German-born defender John Brooks was the unlikeliest of heroes for Jurgen Klinsmann as he scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute-a header from Graham Zusi's on-the-money corner kick. It was the first goal scored by an American substitute in World Cup history, how's that possible?

The fact is that 85% of teams who win their opening match advance to the knockout stage while ESPN's trusted Soccer Power Index gives them a 63% chance after the huge three points. There are many aspects that made this such a sweet victory: Ghana's Andre Ayew had tied it at one in the 82nd minute so this looked like a draw or maybe even loss for the U.S. since they had basically defended the entire match after Clint Dempsey scored the fastest goal in U.S. history (32 seconds in!) and became the first American to score at three World Cups. There were an absurd amount of injuries for the Americans: Jozy Altidore went down with what looked like a serious hamstring injury in the 23rd minute, Dempsey's nose was broken with a high kick to the face and Besler was switched at halftime before he got seriously hurt.

Ghana owned a 59%-41% advantage in possession although truthfully it felt way higher. That's not normally a sound strategy to win at major tournaments but the U.S. made it work since Ghana didn't put together too many great chances, usually bungling passes or losing it in the attacking third. They took 21 shots but only eight landed on goal and Tim Howard was under considerable pressure but he didn't have to be Superman. Ghana got increasingly frustrated as midfielder Mohammed Rabiu picked up a yellow card in the 30th minute and midfielder Sulley Muntari was booked in the 92nd minute. An added bonus is that the U.S. didn't receive any cards, congrats Jermaine Jones!

Altidore will be evaluated more tomorrow and we have to hope that it wasn't as serious as it looked. Aron Johannsson came on for Altidore and despite playing 72 minutes, I can't remember him making a single positive play for the U.S. That's not to say he was terrible, he just didn't do anything to stand out in his first career World Cup appearance. Keep in mind that the striker from Iceland is only 23.

The U.S. is off until Sunday (6, ESPN) when they meet Portugal who got crushed 4-0 vs. Germany earlier this afternoon. That will certainly be a tough match but it doesn't look quite as imposing as we probably expected for a couple reasons: 1) Portuguese defender Pepe received a red card so he's out; 2) forward Hugo Almeida and defender Fabio Coentrao were both subbed out with injuries. Their status is something to monitor in the coming days. Portugal will be desperate and seeking to score many goals (to dig out of their brutal -4 goal differential) while the U.S. would be happy with a tie but a win would essentially put them through. Ghana plays Germany on Saturday (3, ESPN), good luck with that!

Who else already has a case of World Cup fever?



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Clint Dempsey Is Coming Back To MLS, Wait What?

This truly caught me by surprise: U.S. men's national team superstar Clint Dempsey is reportedly returning to his roots in MLS. Various reputable outlets (ESPN.com, CNNSI.com, etc.) sprouted similar stories tonight that he was about to transfer (for $9 million, an MLS-record) from Tottenham and sign a four-year deal with the Seattle Sounders worth $32 million. Huh?

If this goes through-apparently he'll be watching at Seattle's match on Saturday-and introduced on Monday then he only spent one season at Tottenham after transferring from Fulham. As expected, he didn't score at nearly the same rate since he was on a much better team but 22 starts (out of 38) and 12 goals (7 in EPL matches) seemed like a decent return for the 30-year-old midfielder/forward.

From the sense of challenging himself and wanting to play at the top level, this move makes no sense whatsoever. Dempsey has been the U.S.' top field player for years and this will really damage the international credibility he had built up by competing so well at Fulham and to a lesser extent Tottenham. Now he's just another American toiling in MLS.

If he wanted to cash in and set up his family for life (not that they were starving before), well who can hate on that? It's just weird that his priorities changed so quickly. Keep in mind that Tottenham finished fourth last season in the EPL but missed out on the final Champions League spot since Chelsea (defending Champions League winner) received it for their past achievement.

Not that he'll probably ever disclose the real reason but it'll be interesting to hear how Dempsey will explain this bizarre decision. He's at the top of his game professionally which is why this makes me so disappointed. Oh and it is less than a year away from the 2014 World Cup. MLS will always be here, why not test himself a few more years in England? Ugh.

I'd say Dempsey returning to MLS (for the first time since 2006 with the New England Revolution) might make me watch it or at least pay attention more but the fact is it would take many additional great players spread around the league before I start to care. Sorry Deuce. I will still watch the EPL faithfully but with Dempsey gone and Gareth Bale possibly going to Real Madrid, looks like I won't need to pay extra attention to Tottenham anymore.

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Oh Crap, Looks Like Tim Howard Will Miss Some World Cup Qualifiers

Facing two vital World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica (March 22 in Colorado) and Mexico (March 26 in Mexico City) in two weeks, the U.S. men's soccer team received some very bad news. Goalkeeper Tim Howard picked up two broken bones in his back playing for Everton so he's expected to be out for the rest of March.

That means that backup goalkeeper Brad Guzan would start in his first World Cup qualifiers in four years for the Americans. The good news is that Guzan has been the starter lately for Aston Villa so he should be ready.

Howard was hurt Feb. 26 in an FA Cup win over Oldham and missed last weekend's Premier League game against Reading. That ended his streak of consecutive league matches at 210, two shy of the Everton record set by goalkeeper Neville Southall from 1987-93.

Everton manager David Moyes said Howard will miss Saturday's FA Cup quarterfinal against Wigan and the March 16 match league match versus Manchester City, but could return March 30 against Stoke.

"We are not sure how long Tim will be out for because, obviously with a goalkeeper, he has to dive around and hit the ground," Moyes said Friday, according to the team's website. "If everything goes well, he misses next week's game, as well, and then because of the international break he might be close after the rest because that would be four weeks."

Howard is getting up there in age (34) although goalkeepers can play at a much higher level in later years than most field players. He is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world; he started all their games at the 2010 World Cup and the previous seven World Cup qualifiers for Brazil 2014.

"He has two fractures, but they are not bones that are supporting anything," Moyes said. "It is off the spine. They are not weight-bearing. It just needs a bit of healing time. It is not like a pure fracture where you need to wait to look at it. It is a question of whether he can cope with the pain. The bones will heal themselves, but it's not good."

Midfielder Landon Donovan won't start training with the LA Galaxy until later this month so he won't be ready for these upcoming matches. Midfielder Clint Dempsey has been out since February 21 at Tottenham dealing with a calf injury and fullback Steve Cherundolo could miss a month at Hannover (Germany) with a shoulder injury.

None of this makes me feel better, I was already expecting the U.S. to not win at Mexico. They really need a win vs. Costa Rica to get some confidence back after the 2-1 loss at Honduras in February to open this last round of qualifying (the Hexagonal).

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World Cup 2014 Qualifying: U.S. Men's Soccer vs. Honduras Live Blog

The U.S. starting 11: Howard; Chandler, Gonzalez, Cameron, F. Johnson; Williams, Jones, Bradley, E. Johnson; Dempsey, Altidore

Honduras' starting 11: Valladares; Peralta, Bernardez, Figueroa, Garcia; Boniek, Espinoza, Garrido, Martinez; Bengtson, Costly

This might be the first U.S. men's national team game that the legendary Ray Hudson has commentated for. Exciting for hardcore soccer fans. Former U.S. star Cobi Jones also joins him and

1st minute-Great news already, with Chandler starting that means that now he's CAP tied and a U.S. player (not German) from here on out.

4th minute-Chandler gets burned by Martinez who whips a low cross in. Howard bobbles it but he hangs on.

8th minute-Honduras had a 3-on-1 but they screwed it up by going offside, big break for the U.S. defense. No clue where all the guys went on that play.

15th minute-Haha Honduras' head coach is wearing jeans and a Honduras polo shirt, classy.

17th minute-4th time Honduras has been called offside already, weird.

23rd minute-Espinoza has a shot from outside the box, caught by Howard.

25th minute-the 1st U.S. corner is a good one but Eddie Johnson heads it over. Gotta put that on goal.

29th minute-that was a nice counterattack by the U.S. Eddie Johnson crossed a low ball to Altidore who one touched it barely over the net. The U.S. has picked it up after a slow start.

31st minute-Chandler clears a Honduras pass off the goal line, yikes.

33rd minute-Howard with a strong punch on a quality shot from distance.

36th minute-Jones chips it beautifully to Dempsey who runs onto it and one touches it out of the air. Exquisite goal, 1-0 U.S. 33rd career international goal for Dempsey which moves him up to sole possession of 3rd place in U.S. history.

40th minute-Honduras ties it with an even more brilliant goal. It all started with a corner kick then ended with a bicycle kick by Garcia. You'll see that on highlight reels for years. Nothing you can do about that.

Halftime: U.S. 1, Honduras 1. A fair score since both teams finished their best chance with a flourish. The U.S. would have been in much better shape with a 1-0 lead but they probably didn't deserve it anyway.

No changes for either team to start the 2nd half.

50th minute-Bradley had a chance but his weak shot was deflected out.

52nd minute-Boniek is free down the wing but he puts the shot in the side netting.

55th minute-Bengtson almost takes advantage of Cameron's miscue in the back but he shoots it over.

56th minute-Haha Honduras is offside again, wiping out a goal.

58th minute-Come on Bradley, his corner kick never even went inbounds. That is unacceptable and can't happen at this level, ever. 1st U.S. sub: Maurice Edu is on for Williams.

59th minute-2nd U.S. sub: Sacha Kljestan on for Eddie Johnson.

65th minute-Bradley laid it off for Dempsey, his shot might have been trouble but it was blocked out for a corner before it got on goal.

67th minute-last U.S. sub: Graham Zusi in for Jones. So this is it, the U.S. won't have any more guys come on.

70th minute-Figueroa flashes up for a header but he can't put it on Howard. That was a good chance if he aimed it better.

71st minute-Costly shoots wide from distance.

79th minute-lazy defending leads to a tap-in by Bengtson. Gonzalez and Cameron were the culprits leaving Howard stuck in no-man's land. 2-1 Honduras, crushing goal to allow, especially in that fashion.

84th minute-And Bengtson gets carried off on a stretcher. Haha pathetic, let the stalling tactics commence.

93rd minute-Honduras makes its first sub: Welcome in for Costly.

94th minute-That's about right, the U.S. has one last chance on a corner but Gonzalez heads it over.

Final: Honduras 2, U.S. 1. That was a crappy performance by the U.S. and a blah game as well but you felt like Honduras would find the go-ahead goal at some point if the U.S. didn't take another lead. As always, the U.S. defense is a disaster and they can't find four above average players to put together. Ugh, nothing like a heartless loss by the U.S. to ruin your day. Thanks guys! They had never lost the opener during the final round of World Cup qualifying until today so they've got that going for them.

This was the first of 10 matches (2 against 5 other teams), if the U.S. can't finish ahead of Panama and Jamaica then heaven forbid lose to New Zealand in the final playoff, well then they don't deserve to be in the World Cup. That's a long way off though and a doomsday scenario. Still, the next U.S. game: March 22 vs. Costa Rica in Denver, Colorado now becomes a must-win since the next match is at Mexico and we all know how much they struggle there. Thankfully, the Costa Rica game will be on at a better time (10 p.m. EST and a real network (ESPN). Today's game in Honduras was a B-squad presentation all-around: middle of the day and week, on an obscure network.

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Clint Dempsey Scores His First Goal At White Hart Lane For Tottenham, In Their 3-1 Win Vs. Reading

Predictably, it's been a big adjustment for American midfielder Clint Dempsey as he went from being Fulham's top star in 2011-12 to a part-time starter, part-time substitute for Tottenham. Through 15 games for his new club, I think that he is starting to figure out his role for the third-place team in the English Premier League.

This afternoon, Dempsey rung in the New Year with his third goal of the season for Spurs in a 3-1 win vs. Reading. It was Dempsey's first goal at White Hart Lane-their home field. In 15 appearances, he has three goals and three assists. He came on as a substitute in the 75th minute and scored the third goal for Spurs (that made it 3-1) in the 79th minute.



The goal is far from a classic by Dempsey since it took a deflection off a Reading defender's foot. However, you have to note that he must still have plenty of confidence to even attempt an audacious shot like that.

Up next for Tottenham, they host Coventry on Saturday (10 a.m. ET) in an FA Cup match. Their next EPL opponent is at Queens Park Rangers on January 14 (3 p.m. ET).

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U.S. Men Beat Guatemala 3-1 To Advance To Final Qualifying Round For The 2014 World Cup

The U.S. men couldn't have gotten off to a worse start tonight in their semifinal round World Cup qualifying match against Guatemala at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City. A simple long ball from Jose Manuel Contreras found the ever dangerous Carlos Ruiz and the MLS star reached daylight behind the U.S. defense before tapping past Tim Howard five minutes in, 1-0 Guatemala.

Thankfully, things quickly turned from there as American defender Carlos Bocanegra tied it up in the 10th minute by redirecting Clint Dempsey's header off a corner kick. That was his 14th career goal for the U.S., the most by a defender. Dempsey wasn't done as he scored twice, in the 18th and 36th minute as Jurgen Klinsmann's team beat Guatemala 3-1 to win Group A with 13 points.

They advance to the final round of qualifying with five other CONCACAF squads: Jamaica (2nd in Group A), Honduras, Panama, Mexico and Costa Rica. That begins in March 2013 with the top three teams making World Cup 2014 in Brazil and the fourth-place squad going to a playoff vs. Oceania (probably New Zealand).

After a good deal of panic, it was nice that the U.S. was able to give their fans something to cheer about (after the nightmare start) and not more heart attacks. Dempsey became the fourth American to score 30 career goals (Landon Donovan, Brian McBride and Eric Wynalda). First, Eddie Johnson flew down the right side then crossed a low but firm pass that Dempsey ran onto and deflected enough to go in.

His other goal was similarly beautiful as Michael Bradley gave him a perfectly weighted pass and once again Dempsey was able to time his run at the exact right moment. Another tap in and some breathing room for the U.S.

Guatemala never really tested Tim Howard in the second half and most importantly, the U.S. was able to control the ball and work the clock down. Sporting KC's Graham Zusi played superbly in front of his home crowd while Herculez Gomez continued to lock down his roster spot going forward.

I couldn't get too excited about this result because while it is satisfying, I totally expected it but I also demand much more from the U.S. men. Beating Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda is one thing but the Americans will have to regroup and play at another level next year. Their biggest issue continues to be their backline which can't seem to find a cohesive unit or the right combination of players.

It still hasn't been confirmed yet by US Soccer but all signs point to one more game in 2012 for the men: November 14 at Russia which would be a quality friendly. Let's hope it happens. The more game situations this team can get, the better they should look. Tonight was only the middle part of what we hope is a long road to Brazil.

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Well I Hope The U.S. Men Enjoyed Their Trip To Jamaica

Once again, I guess I should consider it a blessing in disguise that I wasn't able to watch a U.S. men's national team World Cup qualifier live (hello Guatemala earlier this summer) because if I had, I might have smashed my television or the remote.

The U.S. lost 2-1 in Jamaica last night at Independence Park aka The Office (the U.S. is 0-1-4 there), marking the first time in 19 meetings (1-10-8) that the Americans had fallen to the Jamaicans. Jamaica is now in first place in Group A with seven points, the U.S. and Guatemala are tied with four points and the same goal-differential after Guatemala rallied for a 3-1 win at Antigua and Barbuda last night.

The weird part is that Clint Dempsey scored 35 seconds in (fastest goal in U.S. World Cup qualifying history) but after that the U.S. couldn't mount any sort of attack. No doubt missing midfielders Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan (both out with injuries) hurt them severely.

Maurice Edu played a through ball to Herculez Gomez, his shot was saved but Dempsey (making his first appearance in 3 months) was there for the rebound. It was his 28th international goal and he has scored in all three World Cup qualifiers in 2012.

Jamaica scored both of its goals off of dangerous free kicks from the top of the box. In the 23rd minute, after a foul by Kyle Beckerman, Rodolph Austin hit a shot that deflected off Beckerman's legs (he was in the wall) and past Tim Howard.

In the 62nd minute, after a foul by Edu, Jamaica's all-time leading scorer Luton Shelton extended his record with his 34th international goal. Howard had no chance as it curled low and inside the near post.

These teams meet again on Tuesday night in Columbus, Ohio. Thankfully, that will be broadcast live in the States (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET) so we can all watch it and don't have to rely on Twitter or sketchy gametrackers online. Needless to say, at worst the United States has to get a draw. A win would put them back in the right direction while a loss would further compound last night's disaster.

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Clint Dempsey Seemed Destined For Liverpool, Until Tottenham Swooped In At The Last Minute

After months of rumors that Clint Dempsey was headed to Liverpool, it turns out that he went to Tottenham only a few hours before the end of today's transfer window for European soccer.

The American midfielder signed a three-year deal worth $9.5 million, ending his 6+ years at Fulham. Without a doubt, Dempsey's transfer represents the biggest move in terms of an American-born men's soccer player in Europe. That's what happens when you score 23 goals for an English Premier League club in one season (2011/12).

From espnsoccernet.com
"I'm very excited and looking forward to the challenge," Dempsey told Tottenham's official website. "To play under this head coach and play for this club is a dream come true. I want to make the most of it and work as hard as I can to get onto the field and do well. There are a lot of great players here, I'm looking forward to training and playing with them and trying to fight for a spot in the team."

Apparently, Tottenham beat out Liverpool not to mention Sunderland and Aston Villa in their bid for the U.S. men's national team's top field player.

"Clint was a very influential player for Fulham over a number of seasons and the club thanks him for his contribution and wishes him well for the future," a statement on the Fulham website read.

Liverpool has spent much of the summer chasing Dempsey, sparking an angry reaction from Fulham manager Martin Jol after the player went on strike on the eve of the new season.

"A lot was said and written ahead of me leaving Fulham," Dempsey told Spurs' website. "It wasn't how it was portrayed, but that's in the past now and we move on. I want to thank the fans for everything, some of the best memories I've had in football and thank the chairman for giving me the opportunity to come from the MLS and compete over here. All I can say is thank you and now I'm looking forward to the next challenge."

At 29, he still has plenty of top-level soccer left in him since he only started playing for the New England Revolution (MLS) at age 21. Plus, he's durable and consistent, he scored 60 goals in 224 career appearances at Fulham. His objective of playing for a team that can compete in the Champions League should be fulfilled with the Hotspurs. They would have made the Champions League last season (they finished 4th) but were bounced out by Chelsea's improbable run to the title.

Don't be surprised to see Dempsey coming off the bench since Tottenham's midfield is already loaded with Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart not to mention forwards like Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor. After being the man the last few seasons for Fulham, it will be interesting to see how Dempsey adjusts to having an auxiliary role. Former US goalkeeper Brad Friedel (41 years old!) is Tottenham's starter so Dempsey at least has one close friend on the team.

Deuce wasn't the only American on the move as Maurice Edu officially completed his transfer to Stoke that I already wrote about. Carlos Bocanegra left Rangers for a season-long loan at Racing Santander, a Spanish club that was relegated from La Liga last season. Finally, Oguchi Onyewu (remember him?) was loaned from Sporting Lisbon to Malaga, a Spanish club that finished fourth in La Liga last season and by virtue of that, is in this year's Champions League.

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U.S. Men Settle For 1-1 Tie In Guatemala

The best thing to come out of tonight is that I didn't waste $30 on the U.S. men's World Cup qualifying match in Guatemala that was only shown Stateside on Pay Per View. I probably could have found a free version online but I was too lazy and content with simply watching Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Looks like I didn't miss much as the U.S. tied Guatemala 1-1 in Guatemala City.

Clint Dempsey scored in the 40th minute after a great move helped him elude two defenders then beat the goalkeeper. Fabian Johnson had the assist on Dempsey's second in two games. It was also his 28th this season between U.S. and Fulham; 27th international goal, three behind Brian McBride for third place in U.S. history.

Substitute Jozy Altidore appeared to score in the 78th minute but it was called back for a controversial foul.

Chicago Fire midfielder Marco Pappa took advantage of a free kick in the 84th minute as Guatemala (ranked 85th) tied the U.S. (28th) on a wonderful strike that completely fooled American goalkeeper Tim Howard.

On Twitter, all the U.S. soccer honks and former players said it was an acceptable result since it's so hard to win on the road, blah blah but I guess they forgot this was a team that had never made the World Cup. Oh and the United States has an 18-match unbeaten streak dating back to 1988 against said squad.

I guess this was more impressive than Friday's uneven 3-1 victory against Antigua and Barbuda since that was in Tampa Bay but at the same time, it's hard to say a tie is ever better than a two-goal win.

After two games, the U.S. is in first-place out of four teams in its qualifying group. They have four points (+2 goal differential), Jamaica has four points (worse goal differential), Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda both have one point each.

The U.S. men's next World Cup qualifier is Friday, September 7 in Jamaica. That will most likely determine who comes in first place of the group if either gets the three points. After five games (2 World Cup qualifiers) in 2.5 weeks, the best thing for the players is to get some rest. They have to be exhausted (at least that's how they played) after all the training and travelling, which happened right after the club seasons ended.



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U.S. Men Beat Antigua & Barbuda 3-1 In World Cup Qualifying Opener

For the second game in a row, the U.S. men's soccer team played awful against an overmatched opponent. I'm ignoring the 4-1 loss to Brazil since they weren't all that bad in that match given the talent they faced but tonight's very uneven 3-1 win vs. Antigua and Barbuda left fans with many questions and concerns.

Yes, the bottom line is that the U.S. was able to start off this phase of World Cup qualifying with three points in front of a soaked pro-American crowd in Jacksonville, FL. However, playing like this against most other teams will likely result in a loss or at best a tie.

U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra scored his 13th international goal (tying Marcelo Balboa's record for American defenders) in the eighth minute following Landon Donovan's corner kick and Herculez Gomez's header that Antigua and Barbuda goalkeeper Molvin James left right at Boca's feet.

The small Caribbean island nation of 88,000 people that's just happy to be here (they've never made it this far) almost reached halftime only down 1-0 but Donovan was violently tackled on the edge of the box in the 44th minute. Clint Dempsey stepped up and scored on the penalty kick, his 26th for the U.S, as they took a more secure 2-0 lead.

Antigua and Barbuda's only real chance of the half was blocked in the box by U.S. defender Clarance Goodson's sliding challenge.

The troubling aspect of this match was that the U.S. showed no real ability to put away a team that they should beat by five goals every day of the week. I guess a long training camp and a bunch of games in a short amount of time (coupled with some injuries) has left them drained. It probably didn't help that this game was delayed by rain and it continued to pour all night.

Jose Torres went down with an ankle injury in the 54th minute and that's when the bad vibes really permeated for the U.S. With Fabian Johnson and Edgar Castillo both unavailable (due to injuries of their own), Torres had to start at left back. Once he was subbed out, Bocanegra had to shift over there while Oguchi Onyewu entered the action. I've long made my disdain for Gooch known so all I can hope is that his woeful defending which allowed Antigua and Barbuda sub Peter Byers to score in the 65th minute serves as the final nail in Gooch's USMNT coffin. I don't know how many more times he can continue to make critical mistakes before the U.S. finally pulls the plug on this failed experiment.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a guy that had zero expectations when he made the World Cup roster in 2010 continues to see his performance level rise. Gomez scored his fourth international goal in the 72nd minute, the result of good old fashioned effort and hard work. After two U.S. shots were blocked by Antigua and Barbuda defenders, the ball bounced to Gomez who calmly dribble around James and finished, 3-1 U.S.

The U.S. found a reserve of energy as they pressed for more. Bocanegra pulled it back to Gomez and his shot went off the crossbar. Then Michael Bradley's cross was nearly deflected in the net. Ultimately, 3-1 is probably what the U.S. deserved. They dominated possession in the first half but were more loose in the second half. Still they had many more scoring opportunities (19-7 shots) and a 14-2 advantage in corner kicks (9-0 first half).

For their troubles, Jurgen Klinsmann's team gets one last trip before a welcome break from their national team duties: they travel to Guatemala on Tuesday night (10 p.m., Pay Per View). Guatemala lost 2-1 at Jamaica tonight so they'll be desperate to salvage any kind of point(s). Getting zero in their first two games could be fatal. The U.S. will have their hands full, playing away in these CONCACAF matches can be dicey since many of the stadiums/field conditions are less than second-rate. They need to find a way to put forth a more complete effort against another team that they should normally have no problem beating.

UPDATE 6/9: Torres' x-rays were negative, he was diagnosed with a bone bruise and is receiving treatment. Exhale!

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Clint Dempsey Voted Fulham's Player Of The Season For Second Straight Year

Midfielder Clint Dempsey finished off the best season ever for an American in Europe by picking up his second straight Fulham Player of the Season award (voted on by Fulham fans).

2011/12 was unquestionably Dempsey's best season ever as a professional soccer player. He put up an insane 23 goals in 45 games (in all competitions) which is better than an average of half a goal per game, including a pair of hat tricks (which he'd never done before). He also scored a goal off a free kick for the first time. His game really expanded as this wonderful highlight video of all 23 goals put together by Fulham shows all the ways he can score: creating for himself, running onto passes, heading the ball, free kicks, penalty kicks, even chesting it in.

This season, Dempsey also broke significant records. He now has more career goals in the English Premier League than Brian McBride did (the previous American record holder) and he also set the new single-season goal total for Fulham (breaking Louis Saha's record).

Showing how far he and by extension American soccer has come, he was fourth in voting for the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award. The three players that were ahead of him-Arsenal's Robin van Persie, Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes-are some of the true global icons of the beautiful game.

Here is the excellent video of all 23 Dempsey goals from this past season. Ironically 23 is his jersey number as well. I'm not sure who the song is by but it's money, perfect fit.


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Clint Dempsey Scores The Opening Goal In Fulham's 2-1 Win Vs. Sunderland

This morning, U.S. men's national team superstar Clint Dempsey scored a wonderful goal for Fulham (seen above). The free kick from outside the box was the opening goal as Fulham won 2-1 vs. Sunderland. It was Fulham's finale at Craven Cottage for 2011-12.

It was the 23rd goal of the season (and 50th EPL strike of his career) for Dempsey in all competitions and 17th in English Premier League matches as he continues to push the limits on his record-setting goal scoring pace. He has one more match with Fulham, they go to Tottenham next Saturday (10 a.m.). The match has plenty of meaning for Spurs since they are in a battle with Newcastle to the last fixture for the all-important fourth spot (and Champions League berth) in the EPL.

As Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl pointed out last week in a great article, it will be an interesting summer for Dempsey since he has proven himself more than enough at Fulham. The question is if he'll take his immense talents to a bigger club (Liverpool?) next season; that seems to be the only way he can have a shot at making the Champions League and therefore truly test himself at the top level for clubs.

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10 Goals In His Last 12 English Premier League Matches For Clint Dempsey At Fulham

Clint Dempsey has shown no signs of slowing down his incredible goal-scoring binge at Fulham in the 2011-12 campaign.

This afternoon, he helped his club rally from a bogus 1-0 deficit as they tied Chelsea 1-1 at Craven Cottage.

His header in the 82nd minute was off a corner and it tied the game at 1. Fulham earned two corners in a row and they didn't go to waste as Dempsey was able to free himself from John Terry and place it in the corner of the net away from Peter Cech.

It was Dempsey's 10th goal in his 1ast 12 English Premier League matches. He has a club-record 16 for Fulham this season (22 in all competitions).

The victory meant Chelsea (16-8-9) fell two points behind Tottenham and Newcastle, who are both tied in fourth place with 59 points. Instead, they're currently in sixth place with 57 points. Fulham (11-12-10) was able to move up to ninth place with 43 points.

The Blues benefited from a gift penalty kick in the last minute of the first half as Frank Lampard scored following Danny Murphy's phantom-challenge on Salomon Kalou.

Fulham can reach as high as seventh in the EPL this season and they still get to face the two teams closest to them: Everton-7th with 47 points and Liverpool-8th with 43 points in the upcoming fixtures.

Up next, Fulham hosts Wigan on Saturday, April 21 (10 a.m. EST kickoff).

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Clint Dempsey Continues His Remarkable Season At Fulham

I have truly run out of compliments to say about Clint Dempsey this season at Fulham.

The American midfielder scored two more goals this afternoon as Fulham won 3-0 at Bolton. For the season, he has a career-high 21 goals in all competitions including 15 for Fulham (a club record).

If you missed the match, check Fox Soccer Channel for the highlights since both of Dempsey's goals were awesome and they showed off the versatility of his game.

In the 30th minute, he made it 1-0 Fulham when he placed a free kick over the Bolton wall and in the right corner of the net. It was hit with some pace too since it came from well outside the box.

He capped off a great first half for the road team as he headed in a Damien Duff cross in the 45th minute. It was a beautiful counterattack by Fulham as they took control of the ball and worked it down the flank before putting it in the box where they had numbers.

Stuck in the middle (10th place in the English Premier League), Fulham can neither advance to the Champions League (Top 4) or Europa League (No. 5) next season nor worry about relegation (18th-20th place). So they're basically playing out the string on a decent but not great season. With basically a month left (last match on May 13) and six matches remaining (3 home/3 away), it's time to savor the meaningful ones.

There's none bigger at Craven Cottage (their home) than on Monday as Fulham hosts Chelsea at 3 p.m. EST on ESPN2. Other games to watch for include Fulham at Everton on April 28: Dempsey vs. Tim Howard; Fulham at Liverpool on May 1 and Fulham at Tottenham on May 13. The other opponents are vs. Wigan April 21 (who's facing relegation) and vs. Sunderland May 6 (who's tied with Fulham). The Chelsea and Tottenham matches are the most interesting since those clubs are in the mix for the Champions League but in theory, all the remaining matches carry deep meaning in one way or another to Fulham so pay attention.

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I'll Buy Anything That Clint Dempsey Is Selling (Within Reason)

Take it from me, somebody who hates advertisements on television as much as anyone I've ever met. I do anything I can (DVR, changing channels) to avoid wasting any time watching ads on TV. That is until now.

As seen above, U.S. men's national team superstar and Fulham's Clint Dempsey stars in a brief ad for his new Nike cleat (called "mercurial") that I'm sure will be rolled out any day now on ESPN's family of networks, Fox Soccer Channel, GolTV, etc.

In it, Dempsey walks into an empty locker room while talking in his crazy Texas accent then puts on his U.S. uniform and these bright red cleats. I'm no Don Draper but I'm shocked that Dempsey hasn't had more ads since his career has blown up in England.

If anything, he should be all over the place (literally and figuratively) as the U.S. men play some high profile friendlies in the States before they begin World Cup 2014 qualifying later this summer. This ad makes me want to run out (or hop online as it were) and purchase these cleats along with any other Dempsey approved gear I can get my hands on.

I can only imagine what effect this spot would have if I was younger and still playing competitive soccer more often. Kids love Dempsey, any smart marketer would figure that out quickly and take advantage.

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Another Match, Another Clint Dempsey Highlight Reel

The good times continue to roll for U.S. star Clint Dempsey in England as he scored twice in today's 5-0 thrashing by Fulham against Wolverhampton.

Dempsey scored his 11th and 12th goals of the EPL season (tying his career-high), both in the second half at Craven Cottage, helping Fulham to its third straight league victory.

After receiving a pass from teammate Danny Murphy, Dempsey made it 3-0 in the 56th minute by dribbling around Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

He rounded out the scoring and his incredible week with a goal in the 83rd minute off an assist from Mahamadou Diarra.

Fulham (9-9-9) is currently in eighth place in the EPL with 36 points. It doesn't look like they'll make the Europa League again (after playing in it last season) since they are 10 points behind No. 5 Chelsea.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Dempsey, who turns 29 on Friday, over the next few seasons. He's playing the best soccer of his life (21 goals in 2011/12 between Fulham and the U.S.) so you have to think that he'll go to a bigger club at some point. As Shimer pointed out, Arsenal could use him right now since he'd be the perfect help behind Robin Van Persie (currently the best striker in the world).

Regardless what happens, we have to enjoy Dempsey's season for Fulham since it is truly the greatest one ever for an American overseas. He scored the only goal on Wednesday to help the U.S. beat Italy for the first time ever and he wrapped up the week with a pair of goals in an EPL romp. It must always rule to be Clint Dempsey but particularly now. The guy is on fire everywhere he goes.

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A Special Day: U.S. Men Defeat Italy For The First Time Ever

Today was a historic day for U.S. soccer as the men's national team knocked off Italy, 1-0 in Genoa, Italy.

It was the first time in 11 games (previously 0-7-3, outscored 32-4) that the Americans had beaten Italy, one of international soccer's true superpowers. It also marked the first time in 20 matches that the U.S. men beat a former World Cup champ (Uruguay, 2002).

Jurgen Klinsmann's team has now won four straight and they picked up by far the most meaningful result of his brief tenure.

Yes this was a friendly and as we say when things don't go well in those, results aren't that important. I'll stick to that idea but come on, victories like this have been few and far between for the U.S.

While Italy controlled play (61%-39% time of possession), took way more shots (7-2 on goal) and had four times as many corner kicks (8-2), I'm not going to say it was luck that the U.S. won. Rather, they played basically the perfect road game against a more talented and technically skilled opponent.

When the U.S. got its one great chance in the 55th minute, they made the most of it as Jozy Altidore laid it back for Clint Dempsey. The Fulham star kept his spectacular play going as he blasted a low but hard shot past Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Italy had plenty of chances but I wouldn't say that Tim Howard stole this one like Kasey Keller in 1999 vs. Brazil (1-0 in the Gold Cup). Howard made some very solid saves but nothing extraordinary or the kind that he doesn't routinely make.

Before the game, I said that the U.S.' best players would need to assert themselves and that proved prophetic. Dempsey was great, he also crushed a free kick in the first half that was punched out by Buffon. Altidore picked up his pace in the second half and was rewarded with a nice assist. The man of the match though for the Red, White and Blue in their new hideous Nike road uniforms was Michael Bradley.

Perhaps its fitting that the only American that plays for an Italian club (Chievo Verona) performed so well against opponents that mostly compete with him in Italy. Bradley was all over the field, making multiple runs back on defense that broke up possible scoring bids. He was also tough and strong on his feet and he didn't get nervous when Italy turned up the pressure late for the tying goal.

Other notable developments for the U.S. included the reemergence of Maurice Edu in the midfield and Fabian Johnson actually played well at left back (which has been a black hole for the U.S. the last few years).

What this result means is twofold: for the U.S. players, it shows them what Jurgen Klinsmann (5-4-1) can help them achieve if they buy into his team-building and roster selections. Outside of the team, this win earns the U.S. respect around the globe. Everyone outside the United States loves to knock the U.S. which is understandable when they beat up on bad CONCACAF teams then need favorable draws to make it out of the group stage in World Cups. However, when you win in Italy that proves that you're not frauds by any means.

The best news is that this was all done without Landon Donovan, Stuart Holden, Jermaine Jones, Jose Torres and Timmy Chandler. Those are all players that Klinsmann loves that will be a big part of his plans going forward. If the U.S. can keep developing and then add those guys, well then they'll really be onto something.

Their next match will be May 26 vs. Scotland, another friendly this time in Landover, MD.

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