When Heidi Klum and company were all done and finished picking the balls
out of brandy sifters in Leipzig on Dec. 9, many soccer observers agreed that Group C was the Group of
Death of this World Cup.
Well, they were wrong. Dead wrong.
Group E has turned into the Group of Death.
Just ask Italy, the Czech Republic, Ghana and the United States. After the second match day for the
group, nothing has been settled and all four teams have a shot at qualifying for the second round.
Of the six groups that have completed its second batch of games, Group E is the only quartet in which
a focused picture of a truly dominant team has not emerged.
Let's go back to that "tough" Group C, where Argentina and the Netherlands booked passage to the Round
of 16, while Serbia & Montenegro and Ivory Coast looked like also-rans.
The Italians (1-0-1, four points) lead the way in Group E, followed by the Czechs (1-1-0, three),
Ghana (1-1-0, three) and USA (0-1-1, one).
"It's not ideal," U.S. forward Landon Donovan said. "It's a long shot. But [tying Italy] kept us in
it."
The Americans threw themselves into the running with a gut-check performance in their 1-1 draw with
Italy on Saturday. Whether that translates into a second-round berth, it remains to be seen. But after
Monday's dismal showing in the 3-0 loss to the Czechs, it is anyone's group.
"If we can do that with nine men, we can beat everybody with 11." |
|---|
<strong>-- Landon Donovan</strong> |
The U.S. takes on Ghana in Nuremberg on Thursday, while Italy meets the Czechs in Hamburg.
The top two teams advance, with the second-place side most likely to meet up with defending champion
Brazil.
"The trick is that no one wants to play (Brazil)," said defender Eddie Pope, who was given his
marching orders in the 47th minute after he incurred his second yellow card. "I think that will push
Italy a little bit to get a win. We just want to get to the next round. I don't care who we have to
play."
Of course, first the U.S. has to get there.
"We still have a mountain to climb," said goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who made two key late saves on
striker Alessandro Del Piero in the 73rd and 76th minutes. "At least it's climbable. We haven't fallen
off the cliff."
After Monday's debacle, many fans and media observers thought the U.S. was on the ledge and didn't
give the team much of a chance of moving on. But the Americans rebounded on Saturday.
"We came up against a strong team and determined team," said Alberto Gilardino, who scored Italy's
lone goal in the first half.
Donovan, heavily criticized for being an invisible man against the Czechs, followed that up with a
stellar performance at Fritz-Walter Stadion, leading the U.S. attack.
"Landon Donovan was everywhere for the Americans," Andrea Pirlo said.
While many of his teammates were happy with the tie and one point -- it was the first point the U.S.
had earned in a Euro-based World Cup -- Donovan said he wished the USA had taken home three points.
"It's bittersweet because you want to win the game," he said. "It's kind of disappointing you don't
win. We gave everything we have, but it just wasn't enough."
Saturday's game had great theater from three red cards -- only the fourth time that happened in World
Cup history -- to would-be handballs in the penalty area that weren't called to offside goals that
were called back (one from Italy in the first half and one from second-half substitute DaMarcus
Beasley in the 65th minute).
In a rare and amazing breakdown over a 59-second span midway through the first half, the Italians
scored an own goal, allowing the U.S. to tie the match at 1-1 and had a player red-carded (Daniele De
Rossi for elbowing Brian McBride in the face).
"What a great two minutes fof U.S. Soccer," said defender Jimmy Conrad, a second-half sub. "We have an
own goal and a red card. If that wasn't the break we needed, it felt like a nice 2002 moment. ... It
shifted the momentum. But we gave it right back or maybe the referee gave it right back."
The Americans played virtually the entire second half a man down after Pope's dismissal. They used
only eight field players in a 4-3-1 formation with McBride the lone man up front. Despite the one-man
disadvantage, the USA acquitted themselves well.
"Our guys did a tremendous job," coach Bruce Arena said. "A lot of teams would lose their composure
and use it as an excuse for not winning."
Added Donovan: "If we can do that with nine men, we can beat everybody with 11."
The U.S. will get that opportunity on Thursday.
Michael Lewis writes about soccer for the New
York Daily News and is editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He can be reached at SoccerWriter516@aol.com. Views and opinions expressed
in this column are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or
MLSnet.com.
