By Ridge Mahoney While he was recovering from post-concussion issues a year ago, Pablo Mastroeni referred to his extended layoff from competitive soccer as a “journeywithin a journey.”
men’s national team
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
USA's World Cup Draw: Silver Lining Playbook?
It’s hard to gloss over the USA’s draw for the 2014 World Cup, but Jurgen Klinsmann & Co. have been doing their best since Friday afternoon, when they were handed agroup containing 2010 quarterfinalist Ghana, Euro 2012 semifinalist Portugal and perennial World Cup favorite Germany. But let’s not forget about the travel. When asked by […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
FIFA adjusts kickoff times
[WORLD CUP 2014: Calendar] FIFA adjusted the kickoff times of seven games at the 2014 World Cup for television purposes. They include the rumble in the jungle –the USA’s match against Portugal on June 22 in Manaus that will now kick off at 6 p.m. ET. Here’s the updated schedule with kickoff times. All timesET. […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Klinsmann: 'No, we're not underdogs'
[WORLD CUP 2014: U.S. Reaction] In the aftermath of a brutal World Cup draw that matches the USA against African nemesis Ghana and European powers Germany andPortugal, here’s what U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann and his players had to say (all quotes provided by U.S. Soccer). Goalkeeper Tim Howard, who played all four games at the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Klinsmann's old team brimming with talent
[WORLD CUP 2014: Germany] Even with mediocre talent, the Germans tend to do well at World Cups. Examples: 1986 and 2002 when they were runners-up to Argentina andBrazil, respectively. This is no mediocre team Germany is sending to Brazil. USA-Germany: June 25, 12 p.m. ET, Recife Germany wasonly starting to rebuild when U.S. coach Jurgen […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Young guns make Black Stars Africa's best hopes
[WORLD CUP 2014: Ghana] Our Group of Death is their Group of Death. Ghana has reached the knockout phase of both World Cup finals in which it has participated, andit’s been tipped as the likeliest African team to one day challenge for the title, but Friday’s draw that put the Black Stars in Group G […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Suwon debacle won't be repeated
[WORLD CUP 2014: Portugal] When you think of USA-Portugal, it means one thing: June 5, 2002, Suwon, the opening game of the 2002 World Cup. Portugal came in as oneof the favorites, but it was the USA 3-0 after 36 minutes, and Bruce Arena‘s boys hung on for a 3-2 win. For the USA, it […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Well, it could have been worse, but not by much
By Ridge Mahoney First impressions from the 2014 World Cup draw as filtered through the U.S. prism: GHANA AGAIN? The Americans will be searching for positives for being matched once again with the nation that beat the USA in the 2006 group phase and the 2010 round of 16. Therearen’t many. If there’s an African […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, What They're Saying
What They're Saying
“We hit worst of the worst. Every coach I talked to said, ‘Everything but Manaus.’ We get Manaus.” — Jurgen Klinsmann on the USA being drawn into a position that includes a trip toManaus in the Amazon — against Portugal on June 22.
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
World Cup 2014 Schedule
[THE DRAW] The USA was drawn with Germany, Ghana and Portugal, all familiar World Cup foes, in what is its Group of Death. At G4, it will have the worst travelschedule, including a trip to Manaus in the Amazon, the venue every team dreaded. For the complete schedule. GROUP A June 12 in Sao Paulo […]