 "Photo: Paul Thomas/The Associated Press")
The result, in the end, matters only to the victor ...
It’s the dirty little secret of the FIFA Confederations Cup, which holds all the prestige of a dress rehearsal for next year’s main event, the World Cup. So don’t feel too bad for the boys in white.
Instead, rewind the DVR a couple of hours back to the first half. Watch Landon Donovan streak past the Brazilian defense, as the Samba Boys had themselves flown by America only days earlier. Remember Clint Dempsey’s subtle flick that undid the five-time world champions. Know that for 45 minutes, the Americans were the best team in South Africa.
If you’re still feeling depressed, go back to Wednesday and relive the best U.S. performance ever broadcasted in color. Not since beating heavily favored England in 1950, in a World Cup match no less, has America stood so tall against the old guard of international football.
The Spanish had their 15-match win streak and 35-game unbeaten streak stopped by the U.S. The new face of U.S. soccer, Jozy Altidore, still a teenager, announced his presence on the international stage, dragging his country along with him for the ride, opening the scoring with a goal of pure physical strength.
From there, America withstood almost an hour of relentless pressure from the Spaniards. They snapped into tackles, closed down spaces, chased every loose ball, until finally, Dempsey was gifted the killer blow by Sergio Ramos’ slip. 2-0. Game over. Spain’s record streak over.
So here we are, in the wake of an incredible, yet meaningless, run of games that have made U.S. soccer relevant again after a disappointing 2006 World Cup.
While the stage is a dubious platform; there is no doubting the quality of the performances the United States displayed or the caliber of the opposition faced.
The U.S. stood toe-to-toe with two of the best teams in the world, registering its first ever triumph over Spain, while coming tantalizingly close to a first ever FIFA tournament championship.
The real show for the U.S. cones next summer. Stay tuned.
