US draw versus Italy and Uruguay

Well, that was an awful soccer match; but it was balanced by one of the gutsiest performances by the US MNT.

In the first half, the US looked to be heading to an eventual 3 points. They controlled possession, they contained the ball in Italy's half, and they looked confident. Like many teams that deprecate the beauty of soccer in an effort to get a good result, Italy bunkered in and relied on counterattacks, as if they were playing a team of a higher caliber than they. Maybe they were. Creativity was not with the Italians, so they relied on flopping and twitching, exaggerating every bit of contact and emoting shocked -- shocked! -- disbelief with every foul (real or imagined). Their histrionics paid off in the 22nd minute as they won a free kick about 18 yards out and on the right (from their perspective) side of the field. Pope lost his mark, freeing Alberto Gilardino to head in the go-ahead score against the run of play.

Five minutes later, Italy scored the equalizer for us with an own goal off a Bobby Convey free kick from the right side (from our perspective).

A minute later, Daniele De Rossi (despite being on the team of shocked -- shocked! -- players every time they were nudged by a US player) felt it appropriate to honor the beautiful game by driving his elbow into McBride's face while contesting a header. He was justly red carded.

Oddly, the US played better when facing 11 men than when facing 10. Play became disjointed. Still the US looked strong and could surely make the adjustments at the half to put away this game in the second half.

But not so fast! Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda was struck by a pang of guilt for having exercised control of the game by justly sending off a violent player. He decided to compensate justness with unjustness, and gave a straight red card to Mastroeni just before the half for a slide tackle. Shame on Mastroeni for not being smarter; shame on Larrionda for ruining the match.

But wait! There's more!

Pope earns a second yellow just a minute into the second half. Was his sliding tackle deserving of a yellow? Perhaps, but that's debatable, particularly given the nature of the game to that point and the fact that the referee had not had any conversations up to that point with Pope.

Cool World Cup Factoid: In 2002, Larrionda was suspended and not allowed to officiate at the World Cup because of "irregularities." FIFA should be embarrassed.

So the US valiantly overcame a 9v10 man disadvantage, a talented (if melodramatic) Italian team, and unfavorable officiating to earn a point. It was perhaps the hardest point they ever had to earn. Today's tremendous effort could be a game from which legends are built as the US Soccer program continues its rise.

To truly capitalize on this effort, we have to beat Ghana on Thursday. This could propel us into the Round of 16 if Italy beats the Czech Republic. The US must beat Ghana to advance and to prove themselves to the world.

Versus Ghana, we'll be without Mastroeni and Pope. Ghana, meanwhile, will be without their two scoring forwards

Some quick shots:
Nice (almost) goal by Beasley late in the game; the first thing he (almost) did well at this tourney. It would have been nice if it had stood so that (1) we could have earned 3 points against astronomical odds, and (2) we could have been the first team in World Cup history to score a goal with 9 men. The call was correct though: McBride was shielding the GK from an offside position. Unfortunate.

I wonder if the Asst. Referee (or Linesman, if you prefer) realized the Uruguayan had lost control and felt he needed to intercede. It looked as if he was very generous to the US on some of his offside calls.

I really think Arena needed to make a substitute in the final 5 minutes or even earlier. Our guys were exhausted; Reyna was just walking, as were others. A sub would have given us fresh legs to generate something to relieve our beleaguered defense. Subbing would have eaten up some of the clock as well. It would have also given another player some time under the spotlights, so he wouldn't be shell-shocked in a later match. (And there will have to be changes in the lineup versus Ghana due to the red card situation.) Eddie Johnson would have been a great choice as he has the speed to attack on his own.

Surprising good news: somehow Oguchi Onyewu got through the match without another yellow. With this ref, I thought for sure that Onyewu would end up with one and have to sit out the Ghana match. I loved hearing the pro-US crowd too in "K-town." Every time Oguchi touched the ball the crowd would echo “Gooooooch!”

From the blog at ussoccer.com: Kasey Keller, Oguchi Onyewu, fitness coach Pierre Barrieu and Italy's Alessandro del Piero were waiting for the elevator down to the bus from the mixed zone. The following exchange took place:

Barrieu to del Pierro: "Beat Czech Republic"
del Piero to the U.S. players as he nodded and cracked a smile: "Beat Ghana"

Friendly conversation ensued in which the Onyewu and Keller told del Piero that the U.S. would gladly finish in second place so that Italy wouldn't have to face Brazil.