For two months every four years, Americans wake up early and crowd around the television to watch 90 minutes of soccer. Each year ends with the same result: USA not winning. But this year we have a chance.
In what was the biggest game in USA men’s soccer history, USA faced England in Rustenburg, South Africa June 12. Four minutes into the game, USA defender Ricardo Clark lost sight of England striker Steven Gerrad, leaving Gerrad wide open to kick the ball past American goalkeeper, Tim Howard.
Thirty-two minutes later at the 36-minute mark, goalkeeper Tim Howard was kicked in the ribs and was tended to by USA trainers before shaking it off.
“This was the best game I have seen Howard play,” said USA coach Bob Bradley in an ESPN interview.
On the other side of the pitch, the same could not be said for English goalie Robert Green.
American midfielder Clint Dempsey shot a ball after two spin moves. The shot was from far away and didn’t have much power with it.
But Green mishandled the ball, and it rolled off his hands and into the goal making the score 1-1.
With that goal, Dempsey became the only USA player to score in two World Cups.
The game finished 1-1, giving USA one point in group play. Within the brackets, the top two teams in each group with the most points move on. A team is awarded one point for a tie, three for a win and zero for a loss.
Slovenia, USA’s next opponent, beat the final team in Group C, Algeria. For America to move on to the next round, they must win the next two games, or England has to lose or tie another game with an American win.
Host team South Africa kept the tradition of the host team not losing by tying with Mexico 1-1. In what was almost an upset, Paraguay tied the defending World Cup Champion, Italy, 1-1. New Zealand tied Slovakia 1-1, Germany defeated Australia 4-0, Japan upset Cameroon 1-0, South Korea upset Greece 2-0, top-ranked Brazil won out over North Korea 2-1, and, in a game on Wednesday, Switzerland overcame Spain 1-0.
Portugal, who almost lost its star player Didier Drogba to a broken arm during a training session, faced off against Ivory Coast, but neither team scored, making the final 0-0.
But fans who have been tuning into these games have been hearing another sound besides score announcements. Attendees to the games now use vuvuzela horns to create a constant buzzing.
Many fans have bought the horns, which are cheap to purchase and come in each team’s colors.
Many players, not to mention viewers and coaches, have complained. USA Captain Landon Donavan said it’s the most annoying sound in the world. But FIFA will not ban the horns.
USA will play against Slovenia at 9 a.m. on Friday, horns or no.
