Germany vs. Portugal

Ostensibly I hate both of these teams but if I had to choose which team to hate, I’d choose Portugal. Both of these teams are part of the United States’s “group of death” so I was just happy that neither was playing the US. Whatever the result, I would be happy. But I didn’t know how happy. As I said, I love to hate Ronaldo, so, when Portugal loses, it’s great. And they lost big.

What the hell was Pepe thinking? Oh yeah, he wasn’t. I didn’t know that that guy was a psycho. So, studs up and head to head contact equals automatic red card. Lesson learned.

Thomas Muller is an assassin. He was good during the last World Cup when he was 20. But he looks deadly now with a hat trick in his first game. Sure the second two weren’t that pretty but they still had to be fished out of the back of the net.

Iran vs. Nigeria

All I know is that this was the first draw of the tournament. Come on, guys, I’m watching every game. Some have to fall by the wayside.

United States vs. Ghana

This game was amazing. I felt like the streets of New York were buzzing over this game. I saw people walking down the street in USA gear and I knew that they were going to watch the game. I went to meet my friend Andre at the Lucky Puck in Manhattan. It was a brilliant move: going to an out of the way hockey bar (after the Rangers lost the Stanley Cup) to watch a soccer game.

I have to confess, I haven’t followed the US. I barely know the players but I felt automatically invested. It was just because it was my home country. And 29 seconds into the game, I screamed with solidarity like everyone else in the bar.

I guess Clint Dempsey has had his detractors in the past. All I know is that Clint Dempsey scored the go ahead goal for Spurs against Manchester United at Old Trafford that resulted in the first win by Spurs at Man U in over twenty years. So, I like Clint Dempsey. But after that goal? Clint Dempsey is my hero.

The one thing that no one is really talking about is that Ghana out played us. Most of that game saw Ghana with possession. We couldn’t make things happen. Michael Bradley couldn’t even pick the lock of their midfield and defense. And then the inevitable happened, Ghana scored an equalizer.

There was one woman in there rooting for Ghana, her chirpy yell-shriek was the only sound in the bar after Ghana scored. It was bizarre and anoying.

But then she was silenced.

On a corner from Zusi, John Brooks headed in the winner. It was amazing. The subway was littered with American soccer fans jacked up from the game and looking forward to Portugal. We’ll see if it’s all wishful thinking this Sunday.

7 Goals

Thomas Muller – converted a questionable penalty

Mats Hummels – Nice header off of a corner.

Thomas Muller – Another shot that deflected off of the keeper into the top of the net.

Thomas Muller – One last goal, practically a tap in.

Clint Dempsey – 29 seconds, Oh Captain, My Captain

Andre Ayew – Thank God Ghana only scored one.

Brooks – The glorious header that won us the game.