USA vs England Running Blog

1:55 pm – Four texts already stating that I am wrong and the game starts at 1:30. Yes, ABC is going to lure you in for an hour pregame show. Actual kickoff is not until 2:30pm

1:56 pm – text from Ben. What is this, the Super Bowl? Let’s get going already.

1:57pm – Not sure I getting or feeling the U2 song – “Whose got the boots?”  What does that mean?

2:22 pm. – And We are Live! No, not live from South Africa. Live from my living room. Three things I do not have in my living room – 100+ thousand fans, vuvuzelas, and the chances of being kidnapped reduced to almost zero.  Three things I do have – My team USA gear, a cold beer, and a good vantage point of all the action.

2:25 pm – I am incredibly nervous. I have been watching World Cup since 1992 and the US seems to make every group stage torture – even the ones we make it through.  They will go down 2-0, come back to 2-2, go down 3-2 with 2 minutes left; only to salvage a tie. Heck, I should be used to it..sounds just like Ohio State football.

2:27 pm – US must have a WIN or a DRAW.  So crucial in the early going to get on the board.  A draw gives up about a 60% chance to the second round and a win gives us in the 80% range. Slovenia and Algeria are no push overs.

2:28 pm – Teams enter the field. We are keeping an OFFICIAL tally of the game and an UNOFFICIAL tally.  Things like, “Who has the better national anthem?” or “Who commits the biggest flop – Anderson Varejo category?”  England easily wins “Who has the better national anthem?” Obviously, I am a huge homer so you think USA would have won but I am rooting for someone to please change our anthem to “God Bless America”.  Half of our countrymen do not even know the words to the “Star Spangled Banner.” England up early in the UN category – 2-0. One point for the anthem, one point for kicking US fans ass singing the anthem.

2:29 pm– Best name in this game – Oguchi Onyewu. I cannot even pronounce it but I know he plays great defense for us. England 2-1 in UN category.

2:29 pm – Gotta get US even in the UN category before kickoff. Best receding hairline? Landon Donovan. 2-2 US in UN tally. Let’s get this thing rolling…

2:30 pm – We are just about ready for kickoff. US need a strong start.  US has a bad tendency to play defense and look for the strong counter attack.  I have three rules for the World Cup group stage: Attack, Attack, Attack.  You will hear a lot of stats about ball possession. For some reason, people think this a big thing.  I guarantee US could control the ball for 88 minutes and lose 4-0.

2:31 pm – Apparently, we drew the most controversial referee in the last thirty years.  Great.  I thought Dan Crawford and Joe West only refereed NBA/MLB games.

2:32 pm – Many websites pumping this up big time as a rivalry renewed with “revolutionary” implications. Really, they have not played in 60 years and that is a rivalry?

11:52 am – Yes, I backtracked. Text from Ben K. – I did not know you were an expert on soccer. Strange what your friends do not know about you.

2:33 pm – Not sure what scares me more – US scoring first or England. US is not a good front runner. Blew a 3-0 lead to Brazil last year and lost 4-3.

2:38 pm – After the game, teams exchange jerseys. Can I get Beckham’s? Oh wait, he did not make the English national team! Bam.  UN – USA 3-2 based on my bashing Becks.

2:30pm - love the pre US huddle. Get composure.

2:32 pm - I do not like the US uniforms..they are so..”Victory”.

2:34 pm - some sloppy play early

2:35 pm - commentator just said that Bob Bradley sadly believes US has a chance…wow screw you.

2:35 pm – Goal England – depressing early score – too freaking easy.

2:38 pm - US massing in English end…offsides…ugh

2:38 pm – How is that not a yellow card?  Bad tackle by England

2:40 – set kick from England – wow…some bad US defense and now a corner kick

2:41 – US not composed at all.

2:42 – first txt – US looks awful.  (Could not agree more)

2:44 – US header – AWW. Just not hard enough. Dempsey is key.

2:45 – US with corner kick.

2:45 – Nice pressure here- lets get a shot on goal.

2:45 – USA gets to midfield and boom there are like 11 English players there. Is USA playing a man down? lmao

2:48 – I hate when the US plays like this – lots of long balls.  Those do not pay off. Maybe 1-1000. Just wear guys out chasing balls.  Do you see other top notch programs just bombing it down the field? NO….USA is bunching up.

2:49 – Worst Shoes – USA. Orange? Really? (England 3-2 unofficial)

2:49 – Damn. Close. Altidore just misses.

2:50 – USA avoids CATASTROPHE!

2:55 – TXT – Is England this good or the USA just bad?  – Both. USA playing terrible. No possesion..No gains. England dominating midfield. England on the attack again…

2:56 – There was the Anderson Varejo flop…but yellow card for England! Wow.

2:59 – England great on corners….

2:59 – looks like Howard got a boot to the chest…

3:00 – without Howard just chalk this one up to England….in fact, not to overstate it but without Howard we are out early.

3:05 – one word for the US attack – UNCOORDINATED. One shot…out of bounds. Need sustained action. As I said earlier, this is the default US mode when down. Looking for that one time equalizer instead of a sustained buildup. As the English would say, typical US mentality.

3:06 – The stadium is definantly pro England. Everytime they get down in the box very loud

3:08 – US attack – 2 players vs 8 english players…yeah that will work out for USA! How does England get back so fast?

TXT – How does England get back so fast? – Wait, didn’t I just say that?

3:09 US weakest position is striker…England has two quality strikers.  USA best scorers are midfielders. Not good.

8 minutes to go until half…just would like to see some SUSTAINED US ballplay in English half.

One timer again by Donovan. I wouldnt say it was a terrible shot but you are not going to make too many from that distance.

GOAL – GOAL!!!! Terrible – terrible goalkeeping. Going crazy here!

3:11 – wow and England almost comes back and scores another.  Show a replay, ABC!

We should not have scored there…once again 3 US players vs 8 English…just a fluke goal…a fluke. Good god, imagine if we put on some pressure.

3:16 pm - England corner -

What a first half so far…three extra minutes…I am exhausted and sweating.  I have to make a beer run at half…send in texts now. USA rights the ship. What a 45 minutes to come!  This could be the biggest upset ever or another disappointing heartbreak.  A tie or draw for US IS a huge victory. England is the better team.  That goal should inspire the team at halftime.  Let’s bring in Rudy for the stirring halftime speech.  Maybe the crowd will pull a Rocky III in the second half…”If I can change, and you can change…maybe everyone can change” Rocky single handedly ended the cold war.  Maybe the US can turn the crowd.

3:35 pm - Comment from Ben – Do you think Obama wants a tie so there are no winners and losers?  – love it. Nice comment! Way to raise the bar!

3:36 pm - And the second half is underway…

3:40 pm - Two yellows for US.  Two yellows for a player means a red and a red means you have to miss a game.  USA needs to keep yellow cards down.

3:41 pm - Jesus, way too many English players in the box…coulda been an easy goal for England.

3:42 pm - CLEAR THE BALL! Some terrible early play by US..lots of English pressure

3:43 pm - What a SAVE by Tim Howard. Wow! Wow!

3:45 – This much English possession is troubling. They will score if you allow them this much time to pass the ball around.

3:47 – England is better coached. They know US is a counter attack team. On that counter 5 English players were back. Led to a crappy throw in…come on USA.

3:49 – England fouls Dempsey at edge of box.  Good chance for US here..

3:51 – If u did not see the ESPN Dempsey piece, go watch it.  This plug sponsored by ESPN…(No, not really. Come on!)

3:52 – I do not care what the commentators say, are they even watching this game? England is controlling the game…US is getting a few lucky breaks. There is NO sustained pressure…oh and England just shoots …misses but gets a corner.

3:53 -  Shot – WIDE!

3:54 – Altidore for President! Wow..what a run!

txt – Can the USA maintain and actually win this thing?  – Um…I think a draw will be just fine with me.

3:55 – txt – did you even read what you wrote about possession earlier? – Yes, I did. That was US possession. I was worried they would just try and control the ball.  It was not, however, this much English possession.

3:57 – Wild shot by England – just about 20 minutes left. USA! USA! Join in with me…USA! USA!

4:00 – txts slowing down….everyone is rivited to the game…I put on my AC, I am sweating so much

4:02 – Come on – offside not called on England!

4:03 – Jesus, how did Rooney get back there? Oh, he was offsides! Mark that asshole!

4:04 – Lucky, just so lucky.  Is Bob Bradley carrying a horseshoe?

4:05 - God Save the Queen chant from English – um what are we going to chant?

4:06 Findley tackled – Where is the foul?

4:07 pm - Another English buildup…cannot have this

4:08 What? That is a foul on Findley? But the earlier one was not?

4:09 – Rooney! Damn…what a shot. Boy is he dangerous.

4:10 – Wow…England misses another golden opportunity. Howard for President!

4:11 – Another save by Howard. Good God…

4:12 – I cannot say this enough…TOO MUCH ENGLAND possession!!!!!!!! They are going to score sooner or later.

4:13 – 18 minutes left…come on USA!

4:13 – 7 minutes left – lots of back and forth….not much to report

4:15 – totally engrossed in game – need a smoke

Wow – England with a big break and good defense by US

4:16 – Coming up on 5 minutes – any goal here would be dehabilitating

4:17 – Draw is a WIN..trust me..we love to win but England has dominated this game.

4:18 – Damn. Nice US counter attack foiled by a bad pass….

4:20 – txt – can matches end in a tie? Yes, in group matches game can end in tie..not in knockouts though…knockout games you have shootouts….

4:21 – US  corner late

4:22 – Keep pressure on – even if you do not score

4:23 – Wow – tie is a good thing. 1 point for the US. Good comeback. Truth be told – England did dominate the contest. However, the score at the end was tied.  This gives me some hope that US can move on past the first round.

Well, that ends an intense day for US and for me. I will back for game two. Hopefully, US can take home a victory.

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About Thomas Erb

Thomas L. Erb Jr. is a native of Canton, OH and now resides in the dreaded state up north. Tom is a lifelong fan of The Ohio State University, Browns, Indians, Cavs and Penguins. Tom will offer insight into all things Ohio and beyond