Daily news roundups

Reaction to US World Cup opening win, Union v Harrisburg US Open Cup news, more

USA 2-1 Ghana

Revenge. Does it taste any sweeter?

As PSP’s Jeremy Lane writes in his match recap, “The last time the U.S. won its opening game in the World Cup was 2002, when Portugal was famously defeated. Before that? 1930. This is the World Cup. This is the drama we’ve been waiting for. Savor it.”

In other words, that US 2-1 World Cup opener win over Ghana last night? That was awesome.

That Dempsey goal — at 29 seconds the sixth fastest in World Cup history and the first time a US player has scored in three World Cups — that was awesome.

Jurgen Klinsmann said, “If you score after just a minute, then you think there can’t be anything better than that. I was screaming at them at the sideline to keep the line high. Maybe that was a problem because we are thinking ‘Now we have to defend’ instead of ‘no no we have to go for the second one.”

Dempsey said, “We didn’t play our best game but we ground out a result.” He added, “Everyone played their hearts out.”

That 86th minute gamewinner from Brooks? That was awesome.

Brooks said after the game, “I told some teammates that I dreamed that I scored in the 80th minute and we won the game. And now it was the 86th minute and we won. It was unbelievable. I couldn’t believe it.”

Klinsmann said, “I said to the bench a few minutes before our winner, ‘We are going to get some chances — we need to push and grind it out.’ We trained over and over on set pieces and it was well deserved. We have a great spirit and fight until the last minute. It was a grind but it was a wonderful one at the end of the day. There is stuff we need to improve. We had problems with keeping the ball.”

At the New York Times, two great graphics illustrating how the US scored its goals.

Dempsey said after the win, “It was a dream come true. We showed a lot of character. We have to do a better job at keeping possession and building out of the back. We have to stay sharp on set pieces. This win will give us confidence going into the next game. The boys showed a lot of heart. Our fitness showed.” He added, “This win means nothing unless we’re able to build upon it.”

Not so awesome were the injuries. Jurgen Klinsmann said of Jozy Altidore, who left the game with hamstring injury, “Obviously we feel really sorry for Jozy. We hope it’s not as bad, and we hope we’re going to get him back as quickly as possible.”

Altidore said, “I was sprinting and I felt something, and we’ll see what happens. Of course it was tough for me, I was crushed. I knew right away I couldn’t continue, so that was probably the worst feeling…It hurts a little… I don’t know [if I can play in next game]. I hope so. We have to go the hospital tomorrow and we’ll see.”

Matt Besler did not return for the second half after experiencing hamstring issues of his own. Klinsmann said, “With Matt, it’s no problem. We made the right decision. And he didn’t get any injuries, so he’s all fine.”

Besler didn’t seem as certain. “Basically what happened was with five minutes left in the first half I made a play. When I slid, I felt my right hamstring ball up. For the rest of the half, I could feel it pinching. Came in a halftime, did some work on it, tried to loosen it up and we made the decision that I wasn’t going to be able to go for the second half. Unfortunately, I can’t put a timeframe on it. We’re going find out more tomorrow, find out more information. For me, I’m not that familiar with muscle injuries. I really can’t give you much on how it feels on that front.”

Kyle Beckerman said, “It’s almost like Jurgen can see the future. It’s the first time we had the bench warm up like the starters before the game. That happened.”

So far as Clint Dempsey and his broken nose goes, Dempsey said, “I just had trouble breathing. I was coughing up blood a little bit. Hopefully I’ll be able to start breathing through my nose again before the next game.

Klinsmann said, “Clint has to kind of shake it off with his nose. It will take him a couple of days. I broke mine three or four times. It’s all right, we will give him a few days.”

At ASN, Brooke Tunstall points to the effort from Fabian Johnson that led to the corner kick that ended with the goal from Brooks.

Recaps from PSP, US Soccer, MLSsoccer.comPhiladelphia Daily News, Philly Soccer News, The 700 Level, Brotherly Game, Soccer America, Soccerly, Goal.com, ProSoccerTalk, SBI, ESPN, The Guardian, and The AP.

Player ratings from MLSsoccer.com, ASN, Soccer America, Goal.com,

ESPN has three points, SI has three thoughts, MLSsoccer.com has three things. Upping the ante, The Guardian has five things.

At Soccer America, what Monday’s win means for Sunday’s “rumble in the jungle” against Portugal.

At Crain’s Chicago Business, Danny Ecker talks to the ad agency behind US Soccer’s marketing efforts, Stone Ward.

Philadelphia Union

The Union host Harrisburg City Islanders tonight at 7 pm in the fourth round of the US Open Cup in what will be interim head coach Jim Curtin’s first game in charge. If the Union win, they will host New York Cosmos in the next round. If you’re a Union season ticket holder, the game is free and already loaded onto your season ticket card. However, you will have to pay $10 for parking — the bonus parking pass is for the friendly against Crystal Palace in July.

Curtin, who said in his introductory press conference last week that the Open Cup tournament is a priority for the Union, explained,

The Open Cup is unique. It’s one of only two trophies you can win in this country and to play an affiliate in the second round, it’s tricky. They’ll know us and we’ll know them very well and again it’s a game in which we should dictate the tempo especially on our home field…the fact that we have it here and that ownership pushed to have it here it a huge advantage.

Harrisburg head coach Bill Becher expects to face the Union’s first team.

They’re going for it. I’d almost guarantee we’re gonna see their first 11. They’re in a situation where the results haven’t been where they’ve wanted them to be. And not to say they can’t dig out of that hole, but this is a competition I think they’ve got to go for. … We understand that and we know that.

Our guys should be excited to have a chance to play at PPL against their starting group, or what I assume will be their starting group.

Curtin said, “I’m a new coach and I have to win, but I think there are some chances to insert a few guys on our roster and get the chance to see how they hold up. But I also believe that if you put the right pieces around them and the right leaders around them they will thrive. I know these guys can play, I see them every day in training now it’s just a matter of seeing them in a game.”

The City Islanders go into tonight’s game with only 13 field players available. Union loanees Cristian Hernandez, Richie Marquez, Jimmy McLaughlin, and Pedro Ribeiro are all forbidden to play for Harrisburg against their home club. 2014 Union SuperDraft pick Robbie Derschang (hamstring) is out, as is former Union trialist Clesio Bauque (ankle). Defender Shane Johnson, who recently joined the team on loan, is cup-tied after appearing for Richmond Kickers in the third round of the tournament. Defender/midfielder Neil Shaffer (hamstring) is also out. Of the 13 goals scored by Harrisburg in league play this season, Bauque (3 goals), McLaughlin (2 goals), Deschang (1 goal), Hernandez (1 goal), and Shaffer (1 goal) account for 8 of them.

Becher said, “Adversity is definitely in front of you, but that’s where you find out what kind of character you have. We talked about that. We think we have a lot of good players here, but our depth will be tested. Some guys that haven’t played as many minutes recently are gonna have the chance to prove themselves again.”

One player who is available is former Union man Morgan Langley, Harrisburg leading goal scorer with 4 goals, who said. “Obviously for me, being a former player for Philadelphia, I’m pretty excited. Getting to go back to the old team and play in their stadium is exciting for me. You don’t have to get me up for the game. The same can be said for the rest of the team as well, you know? Being our affiliate, and being our major league affiliate, it gets everyone excited to go over there and show the team what they’ve got. It’s also a chance to beat your affiliate. That’s the vibe around the locker room.”

Previews from Philadelphia Union, Harrisburg City Islanders, Penn Live, MLSsoccer.com, and Soccerly.

Local

Soccer friendly bars around the area were packed with US soccer supporters for yesterday’s World Cup game. The Inquirer has a report on the fun at the AO Philadelphia gathering at Fado. At Lehigh Valley Live, a report on the gathering at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

New Jersey comes in at No. 3, Pennsylvania at No. 12, and Delaware at No. 25, in this ranking of “the most soccer enthused states in America.”

Penn Live has quotes from Walt Bahr on the historic victory over England in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.

MLS

El Paso has added itself to the list of cities working to land an MLS franchise. More on the news here.

Elsewhere

The US win over Ghana came after Germany destroyed Portugal 4-0, a scoreline that could have easily been higher. If that news wasn’t good enough, Portugal’s Pepe was given a straight red card for being an idiot, and Fabio Coentrao was stretchered off in the second half. Coentrao said, “I honestly think the World Cup is over for me. I’m sure it’s a serious injury, although I hope I’m wrong.”

Goal.com reports, “Forward Hugo Almeida was also forced from the pitch, and Portugal’s head of medical services Henrique Jones confirmed that both players would be unavailable for “between 10 days and three weeks.”

The AP reports, “U.S. referee Mark Geiger has been rewarded by FIFA with a second World Cup match within five days. FIFA says Geiger will handle Wednesday’s marquee Spain vs. Chile match at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

16 Comments

  1. I thought Geiger’s officiating was solid

    • agreed. its funny how often i read people in the comments section of the mls website saying that no one will take mls seriously until the officiating improves. then mark geiger shows up to world cup and ends up being one of the best refs in the tournament

  2. it sucks that harrisburg can’t field all of those players.

    • Agreed, was looking forward to seeing them play.

    • Yea the Union are banking a lot on the cup run and if they got to hamstring the Islanders to do it so be it.

    • Completely agree. I’d like to see them, and if they’re loaned out for the season, in my opinion, they’re part of Harrisburg’s team. Hopefully, the U will reconsider, given they only have 13 available field players now. My understanding is that there is no rule forbidding the use of loaned players, but that it was a Union decision.

  3. heads up to anyone who normally takes the train to union games, they just informed me that there will not be a shuttle from the train station tonight. its pretty bullshit that i’m probably going to miss this game because of that

    • now i don’t know what to think, on twitter they said no shuttle and then i called and they said there will be a shuttle

      • Andy Muenz says:

        I know there was no shuttle for the Greece-Nigeria game. My wife called a taxi from the train station which she said was like $8 (I don’t know if that included the tip). So I’d say catch the train, call a cab, and come on down!

      • yeah i think i’m just going to go and hope the union customer service rep was right and whoever runs their twitter was wrong and i guess if worse comes to worse i can get a cab from the train station

      • one more update here- no shuttle. i’m really angry about this

      • haha one more update now they are running a shuttle

  4. I am rooting for Harrisburg tonight.
    .
    Because I think the fallout from the Union losing would be funny.
    .
    Also I’m a horrible person

  5. Nice video of all those imitating v. Persie, and a Dutch guy who will make sure Blatter will fail in his attempt for another term. To understand him you have to speak Dutch but if not, look at his face: he’ll become very known soon.

    http://www.telegraaf.nl/tv/telesport/wkvoetbal/22748025/__Van_Persie_wereldwijd_een_hype__.html

  6. That ranking of states is an interesting idea. Delaware gets kinda shafted since we’re so small we don’t have any professional teams. But I’d like to think there’s a good number of fans who travel to see games in the surrounding states. Hopefully one day Delaware can land a lower division team

Leave a Reply to Osager Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*