268 replies to this topic

[Chris B]

That's a tough call.

[Don Quixote]

Freaking bs...  was a mostly even first half imo, but the US lets up the set piece, and gets down 2-0 on a horrible handball call resulting in a PK.

 

It took the US some time to get into things, but either way, big hole for them here.

[Don Quixote]

At least they're getting a few threats in. Dempsey nearly had a great top-corner goal off a free kick, but the save was equally great.

[Don Quixote]

Big fat loss, same scoreline. There was some good play, but not nearly enough.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I am much too intent on watching the game to even think about posting. I can do it during an O's game but that is because baseball is more attuned to doing so with the constant break in action. So that said here is my synopsis of the game last night.

 

1. The first goal on the corner was well executed. Most casual fans will not recognize it but that was a designed play. Columbia used a pick and roll type move not unlike a guard in basketball rolling around a big man who has picked off his defender. Still the US should have covered this better. However, to be fair, the Columbian player who set the pick was holding the defender. Great finish on the cross to make it 1-0.

2. The US actually played much better after that goal. Columbia seemed intent to sit back and concede possession. Which the US actually took advantage off. The problem was that they couldn't find a way to break down the defense in the final third. They did have several chances to serve the ball in from the flanks but could not find a US head to get the equilizers.

3. Then came the death play. Yedlin made a strategic error in turning his back to the volley. But it is hard not to do that! The ball struck his right arm and the PK was awarded. Lots of debate on other forums as to whether that is a PK or not. Tough one for me. However, if I am the center official I hope to have my wits about me to not award a PK for two reasons.

a. The written rule is clear that there must be intent and the hand must play the ball not the ball playing the hand. Unfortunately way too often now the "interpretation" is that by having your hand in an "unnatural" position that you are using your arm to cover space and that denotes intent. But in this particular case I do not see it that way hence my next point.

b. Yedlin had his right elbow tucked into his chest and his arm was inches out from his body. I do not see this as having your arm covering space and if anything I see this more as his intent was to keep his arm close to his body so as to NOT be covering space.

4. Michael Bradley was flat out awful. Was very surprised to see this given that Klinsman finally put him back at the 6 in a big game. While he had some moments of good play, and his vision of stretching the field was still excellent, he simply didn't make the passes he needed to make. And on numerous occassions he gave away the ball on poor passes in dangerous position. Expect to see a much better game from him on Tuesday,

5. Clint Dempsey had the best run of play shot in the first half. That bending ball had the keeper beat but the shot was just a foot wide. If that goes in then the game may go very differently. His free kick in the second half was fabulous. Unfortunately the keeper's save was even better.

6. The referee was actually pretty good (albeit I didn't like the PK call but that was a tough one). He called it consistently (with one exception which I will get to in a second) and fairly. I was actually surprised because the US has a history of getting jobbed in big games when they have a Mexican referee. Now before anybody gets on my case for any kind of racial bias, just do some research. This is well known. That was not the case last night. He was good. Now the one exception. The one thing I would have done differently. There were several bad fouls committed by Columbia in the first half. Both Dempsey and Bedoya got taken down hard from behind when the opposing player clearly played the player with no chance at the ball. The second one of those would have been a yellow. And I would have kept pulling out yellows at that point until it stopped. Unfortunately he didn't. However, he then carded Bedoya for a late challenge in the second half. Now it was late, But the contact was in front and foot to foot. To me this wasn't a card in any scenario unless it was a third offense from the same player. But given the play he had let go already then there is no way Bedoya should have been shown yellow. Still all in all a good match from  a referee standpoint.

 

Now while the US has dug a hole its not all doom and gloom. Second place is still a likely group result. I wish that we would have pulled it closer with a second half goal. 2-1 was the score I had predicted. Since goal differential is the primary tie breaker it could come into play. Bottom line is to just win our two other group games outright and we won't have to worry about it.

[Don Quixote]

I am much too intent on watching the game to even think about posting. I can do it during an O's game but that is because baseball is more attuned to doing so with the constant break in action. So that said here is my synopsis of the game last night.

 

1. The first goal on the corner was well executed. Most casual fans will not recognize it but that was a designed play. Columbia used a pick and roll type move not unlike a guard in basketball rolling around a big man who has picked off his defender. Still the US should have covered this better. However, to be fair, the Columbian player who set the pick was holding the defender. Great finish on the cross to make it 1-0.

2. The US actually played much better after that goal. Columbia seemed intent to sit back and concede possession. Which the US actually took advantage off. The problem was that they couldn't find a way to break down the defense in the final third. They did have several chances to serve the ball in from the flanks but could not find a US head to get the equilizers.

3. Then came the death play. Yedlin made a strategic error in turning his back to the volley. But it is hard not to do that! The ball struck his right arm and the PK was awarded. Lots of debate on other forums as to whether that is a PK or not. Tough one for me. However, if I am the center official I hope to have my wits about me to not award a PK for two reasons.

a. The written rule is clear that there must be intent and the hand must play the ball not the ball playing the hand. Unfortunately way too often now the "interpretation" is that by having your hand in an "unnatural" position that you are using your arm to cover space and that denotes intent. But in this particular case I do not see it that way hence my next point.

b. Yedlin had his right elbow tucked into his chest and his arm was inches out from his body. I do not see this as having your arm covering space and if anything I see this more as his intent was to keep his arm close to his body so as to NOT be covering space.

4. Michael Bradley was flat out awful. Was very surprised to see this given that Klinsman finally put him back at the 6 in a big game. While he had some moments of good play, and his vision of stretching the field was still excellent, he simply didn't make the passes he needed to make. And on numerous occassions he gave away the ball on poor passes in dangerous position. Expect to see a much better game from him on Tuesday,

5. Clint Dempsey had the best run of play shot in the first half. That bending ball had the keeper beat but the shot was just a foot wide. If that goes in then the game may go very differently. His free kick in the second half was fabulous. Unfortunately the keeper's save was even better.

6. The referee was actually pretty good (albeit I didn't like the PK call but that was a tough one). He called it consistently (with one exception which I will get to in a second) and fairly. I was actually surprised because the US has a history of getting jobbed in big games when they have a Mexican referee. Now before anybody gets on my case for any kind of racial bias, just do some research. This is well known. That was not the case last night. He was good. Now the one exception. The one thing I would have done differently. There were several bad fouls committed by Columbia in the first half. Both Dempsey and Bedoya got taken down hard from behind when the opposing player clearly played the player with no chance at the ball. The second one of those would have been a yellow. And I would have kept pulling out yellows at that point until it stopped. Unfortunately he didn't. However, he then carded Bedoya for a late challenge in the second half. Now it was late, But the contact was in front and foot to foot. To me this wasn't a card in any scenario unless it was a third offense from the same player. But given the play he had let go already then there is no way Bedoya should have been shown yellow. Still all in all a good match from  a referee standpoint.

 

Now while the US has dug a hole its not all doom and gloom. Second place is still a likely group result. I wish that we would have pulled it closer with a second half goal. 2-1 was the score I had predicted. Since goal differential is the primary tie breaker it could come into play. Bottom line is to just win our two other group games outright and we won't have to worry about it.

 

1. Definitely agree there. The US just looked flat-out unprepared for something like that. Was an excellent finish, indeed.

 

2. The US did improve some after the first goal, but they really were never able to take it to the next level, and there are some reasons for that which you outlined. There were some legitimate threats that just had poor or no finishing. This is international football. Being on from the first touch should be a foregone conclusion, and not being so got them into trouble.

 

3. Ah, the penalty. Yedlin certainly wasn't given the benefit of the doubt there. I can see where a player might look to do something innocuous-looking purposefully, but I don't think that was necessarily the case here. In any event, if a player is going to turn away like that, it must come with the awareness to fully tuck one's arms and hands away as quickly as possible to avoid a result like that. Very unfortunate there, and I didn't think Guzan had a chance.

 

4. I'm glad someone else thought so, because I don't know how many times I was just incredulous at what he was doing with the ball. I was very disappointed, and hope his form is better on Tuesday.

 

5. I'm not sure whether I caught that first one from Dempsey, since I was flipping back and forth from after the first goal until the baseball game ended - in truth, I was hoping there would be little enough doubt as to the outcome so I could give the match my undivided attention. I have to credit the keeper on that set piece; less than a stellar effort from him, and that becomes a great top-corner strike.

 

6. Having that history in mind, it could have been far worse, and agree with you there.

 

I was also hoping that they could put a little dent in the GD. By the time it was 2-0, just equalizing was an extremely stiff task that was unlikely to occur. Two-one would have been better so as to take pressure off the scorelines in the upcoming matches, indeed.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Costa Rica and Paraguay going to be a scoreless tie.

[DJ MC]

I hate Michael Bradley with a passion that only a general ignorance of the sport can bring. Kind-of like someone who only occasionally watches the Orioles and so has stronger memories of Adam Jones dropping flies and flailing at low-and-away third strikes.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I hate Michael Bradley with a passion that only a general ignorance of the sport can bring. Kind-of like someone who only occasionally watches the Orioles and so has stronger memories of Adam Jones dropping flies and flailing at low-and-away third strikes.

Yeah, not deserved. He's really good in the current position.

[DJ MC]

Yeah, not deserved. He's really good in the current position.

 

See, everybody says that, yet every time I see him touch the ball it seems to immediately end up in the possession of the other side

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Michael did not have a good game. Period. It was awful. But the guy has world class vision and normally the touch and passing to go with it. Last night he didn't. On to Costa Rica whom by the way will be missing a starter since he got red carded.......lol

 

As for the CR - Paraguay game we got the best possible result. A 0-0 draw. Likely still need to win our last two group games to advance but this does open up other scenarios.

[BSLChrisStoner]

What a break for Brazil...  looks like it should have been a goal for Ecuador in the 66th minute.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Interesting day in COPA for sure. Goals were just not coming!

 

1. Peru struggled against Haiti to come away with a 1-0 win. And in fact Haiti had an easy header in extra time and the guy just headed it wide. That should have been a goal.

2. Costa Rica and Paraguay played to a 0-0 draw. The best result for the US! Neither team played very well and I thought if anything Paraguay had the better game.

3. Brazil and Ecuador also played to a 0-0 draw. But in reality Ecuador should have won 1-0. The goal that was called off was indeed a goal. Nothing controversial about it. The far side AR missed it. Period. The ball was not completely over the end line. I don't think there is any conspiracy going on but it sure stinks when I continue to see Brazil get some pretty questionable errors that help them out. They made the 2014 WC Final by smoke and mirrors. No way they belonged there but they got every beak possible from the scheduling/travel they didn't have to do (gee I wonder how it is that the US got the worst schedule and travel in the tournament) to some very questionable gifts fro the referees in their earlier matches. I think Germany saw what was going on and that team decided that they just had to come out and destroy Brazil so there was no chance any questionable decisions from the refs would put the game into question.

 

Still in fairness to Brazil when you don't have Neymar things get tougher. But historically the great Brazilian teams were so deep that they could easily lose a top level player and hardly miss a bit. Not the case today.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

My thoughts for today's matches:

 

Venezuela - Jamaica:

 

Somehow Jamaica is one of those teams that you watch and say they just aren't that good. They have some speed and great work ethic. But they don't have the talent level to be staying with top teams. Then they go on to get to the final of the 2015 Gold Cup. Don't see Jamaica pulling off much in this tourney.....but I will be rooting for them. The good news is that Venezuela isn't that great either. Bottom line is this is the one group game these two teams have where there is some chance to pull off a W. I think 1-0 Venezuela. Really a guess on this one.

 

Mexico - Uruguay:

 

This one should be very entertaining. Mexico is playing very well lately and have a long unbeaten string going. Uruguay is always a dangerous team with the ability to score from seemingly not very dangerous moments. Then all of a sudden the ball is in the back of the net. They, however, can get frustrated fairly easily. They don't play well when they aren't all on the same page.  I think a 2-1 Mexican W is in the making.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I told my wife prior to the kickoff that this Ref looks to be card happy. 1100 yellows and 110 reds in a career of 220 games. Sure enough 25 minutes in and he has given a yellow and now a red.

 

The red was, IMO, very poor. Yes the cleats were up but he made a clear play on the ball and only on the follow through when the Venezuelan player came in was there contact. Clearly no intent at all. Hopefully the officiating committee will overturn the next game suspension.

 

And holy cow while I am typing another yellow. Not a bad card but this is COPA America and not .....well never mind. Ref is looking to be in control which is fine but you CAN go too far other way.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Sports on Earth: Mexico tops Uruguay in Copa Thriller
http://www.sportsone...national-anthem

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN: Jurgen Klinsmann convinced United States will advance at Copa America
http://www.espnfc.us...at-copa-america

[BSLSteveBirrer]

An hour from kickoff in pretty much a must win game for the Stars and Stripes. Costa Rica will be missing a key player after the red card Saturday. But the bigger advantage for the US is the extra day of rest. Look to see if the US can exploit CR and what may be tired legs in the second half.

 

Key for the US tonight is pretty simple. Michael Bradley must be better. If he can link with the wingers we should win. I think he has a good game and look for a 2-1 victory. Although if we can defend better on set pieces which we usually do then a clean sheet would be nice.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Key game play prediction for tonight. Yedlin gets behind the CR defense wide and creates havoc.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Clint converts on the penalty... his 50th career US goal... 1-0 US... 9th minute.