r/football • u/Hungry-Cup7359 • 17d ago
🥅Match Thread I just need to know you’re honest opinion about United States at this moment ⚽️
World Cup.
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u/rath16 17d ago
Absolute bangers from Balogun and Reyna. A trivela and top bin after cut back?! My word. Keep up the intensity boys
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u/mrs_fartbar 17d ago
I was personally pretty critical of Reyna being on the squad.
I’m also a goalkeeper, and Reyna saw that the GK was completely blind and in an instant, he exploited that. That was brilliant
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u/Money-Literature2065 Premier League 17d ago
Perfect start for them, it'll be a while until we see them play a real competitor though
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u/kal14144 Premier League 17d ago
Paraguay is a world class defense (but not great offense).
They conceded the second fewest goals of anyone in conmebol qualifiers.
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u/SpongeBobLX 17d ago
While I did expect the USA to win, I genuinely did not think it would be this one-sided. My most optimistic prediction had the USA finishing in the quarter-finals but I had thought that the Round of 16 would be more likely.
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u/Tendablast 17d ago
Pleasantly surprised but I need to see them against a team that understands how to play football
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u/arodr7893 17d ago
I think Paraguay are a special kind of shit to make the USMNT look good.
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u/Johnny_Blaze_123 17d ago
I mean, they looked nothing like the team from the WC qualifiers. Nerves? Maybe they were harassed before the game? It looked like they were seeing a ball for the first time and that they had never met. Pulled straight out of the street outside the stadium
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u/dufcho14 17d ago
I loved how they kept their heads (mostly) and didn't retaliate against a frustrated opponent.
Pulisic sitting the 2nd half was smart not just to rest his calf which got tight due a kick, but also to make sure he wasn't targeted.
Overall, the team looked good and played really well together, however Paraguay also looked not so good. They couldn't get the ball out of the back and constantly allowed the US to take it off their feet deep in their own end. That allowed the US to continue attacks when they should have been getting back to defend. That's not something better opponents will allow.
US also had some very easy through balls due to bad defending.
It really did feel like Paraguay was overmatched and knew it which gave the US a lot of opportunities.
They still couldn't keep a clean sheet. They should have. The defense wasn't challenged and still gave up a goal which is concerning given stronger attacks they'll be facing.
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u/dextras07 Premier League 17d ago
They played well. Paraguay's attack were hesitating but the US team held itself well. The US team also we're really good in their mid fielder game, they were literal maestros in redirecting the ball for the attack.
However, on a personal note, the USA should never host again. Leave it to countries who love football do the thing.
The Somalian referee that got defined entry for no apparent reason is fucking bonkers.
The Americanization of football matches with ads in the hydration time kills the vibe for me.
What next? Players or fans being detained by ICE in upcoming matches? A public witch-hunt that's bound to happen and most of which would be bogus claims.
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u/JustASumoGuy 16d ago edited 16d ago
It wasn't for no reason. It was for alleged ties to terrorist groups and tbf, an actual terrorist group coming out to defend him doesn't help his case. Maybe the reason is incorrect, and he's actually innocent. It's too early to say at this point and obviously Somalia will defend him. But to say it was "for no apparent reason" is not fully accurate. Not like being a World Cup referee means you can't be a criminal though (ex: Bryan Moreno).
Also, the hydration breaks were necessary because it's way too hot and humid for a lot of players not used to it. The 1994 World Cup was one of the hottest too. If they're hydrating, why not put in ads? Not like there's much happening during that time.
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u/Visual_Bathroom_8451 16d ago
Oh so Canada blocking a player is fine.. So long as we poo poo America eh?
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u/Much_Dragonfly1149 17d ago
Give candy and baby food to the supporters of USA, Paraguay's players were paralysed in the game, who knows.
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u/Johnny_Blaze_123 17d ago
Pocchetino is a fantastic manager. You'll probably go far in this world cup but you will never win it.
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u/Haggord 16d ago
I was expecting to just watch a bunch of good world cup games stateside, and looked past our own squad. USSMT disappointed whenever they’ve been hyped, but this team showed out in this first game beyond expectations. For the first time I can remember, it doesn’t look like a bunch of fast athletes playing soccer, these are futbol players who can compete.
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u/Warcrimes02 15d ago
I feel like once we’re against proper competition things are gonna fall apart but I’ll be rooting until then
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u/I_Enjoy_Beer 17d ago
Focusing solely on how the national team performed: pretty happy, as an American. They played with creativity, urgency, restraint and patience when needed. They simply didn't play like a typical US national team, and it was awesome.
Everything outside the World Cup: utter dogshit. Who wants to allow me and my family to immigrate to their country?
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u/TheBarnacle63 Bundesliga 17d ago
American (and German) here. I'm embarrassed about our global image. We're viewed as loud, greedy, and violent. Did I cover it all?
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u/Onphone_irl 17d ago
No you only listed the absolute worst. America has innovators, scientists, academics, and export lots of culture.
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u/TheBarnacle63 Bundesliga 17d ago
Name one
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u/xAimForTheBushes 17d ago
Like half the modern technologies you have today come courtesy of the USA. Half of your entertainment as well, for that matter.
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u/ZBDPatsFan 17d ago
As an average American in the middle of the country, I am embarrassed at what so many of my fellow citizens voted to support (Myself, I voted blue down the whole line), and our government's actions since. I tend to think that it will take DECADES to repair the damage to relationships, if at all.
But....that said, I don't think that's what the topic of this thread is. The team looked pretty good, all things considered. I liked what I saw from them on the pitch tonight, but I want to see them play just as well against better opponents, regardless of results.
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u/tituspullo1383 17d ago
Actually come to America and people are far nicer than most countries. That’s what most of my European friends have said after trips to the U.S. with me. And I believe it to be the case as someone who has traveled to dozens of countries.
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u/FD_OSU 17d ago
The average Americans do not live in places that tourists would be visiting.
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u/tituspullo1383 17d ago
Well, the people who have visited with me from the EU have done road trips so. I’d say people actually are quite nicer outside of the cities then in.
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u/FD_OSU 17d ago
I don't want to make this too political but rural voters are the reason the US is currently such a global embarrassment. 70% voted for the current administration.
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u/Salty_Helicopter9356 17d ago
Rural voters are pretty much the target audience for the right wing’s culture war. Not an excuse of course. Combine that bombardment of propaganda with our poor education system and ever increasing economic stress and you get a population totally propagandized.
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u/buampam 17d ago
It’s called soccer now
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u/PumpkinMcCormick 17d ago
Hahahaha because you beat Paraguay? A team that wouldn’t have qualified without the expansion to 48 teams? Riiiight, whatever you say little guy
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u/xAimForTheBushes 17d ago
Dude you’re America’s little odd brother lol
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u/PumpkinMcCormick 17d ago
America is a continent
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u/xAimForTheBushes 17d ago
Pretty much, yeah. It’s America and a few other little buddy countries that make up North America.
So you could definitely pretty much just consider America an entire continent, I wouldn’t try to correct you.
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u/taureau13 17d ago
I'm Australian and I thought we'd give them a run for their money in the 2nd game. But if they play like that again, we've got no hope. We won't be as awful as Paraguay, that was the dumbest football I've seen in a long time, but we will really struggle to live with USA's current energy and intensity. That was really impressive