Americans outsing Guatemalans
 

At the Soccer World Cup quallifying match in Brimingham Wed. night, the crowd of 31,000 probably included 10 - 15,000 Guatemalans. These soccer nuts will follow their national team anywhere. A few came from Central America, but most were US immigrants - legal and other - who came in cars, vans, and busses. All had Guat jerseys, flags, and apparel.

The Guat national anthem came first, and they were singing with Gusto and volume. I suspected the American were going to be embarassed.

But when stadium supremacy was on the line, the Americans screamed out the lyrics of our Star Spangled Banner, easily winning the first battle of the night, and amazing the crowd.

And two goals clinched the game, and the valuable 3 qualifying points for us too.

A great deal of thanks once again to the members of Sam's Army in Birmingham that night.

I guess we can take a small consolation knowing our women's NT games are ALWAYS played here to a pro-US audience.

ETA: Check out the ESPN Soccernet column on Landon Donovan. I agree, it's time to stop waiting for him to develop and give his role to Demarcus Beasley or Eddie Johnson.

Viewing the match in person, and with very limited replays, I thought the defense made Ruiz look foolish (and he did get a card for diving).

The ref was sad, but I don't think the USA is ever going to get a fair shake in intl. games. The US players complained in a very limited and disciplined style, as they are coached, I suspect.

On offense, Steve Ralston was a very pleasant surprize, Johnson has speed and ball control in crowds, and Landon was everywhere and effective.

I enjoyed this game so much that I may go to Columbus for the Mex rematch.

Which reminds me:

Please congratulate coach Bruce Arena for showing off the class of the National team by NOT teaching and encouraging his players to dive and fall down and fake injury like other countries I know (See 5 Time World Cup Champs, The Azzuri, The TriColor)

You're right Hoosier, we'll never get an impartial referee, but once we get a team good enough to win the World Cup (See project 2010), it won't even matter.

You all laugh, but we're America, and we should dominate EVERY sport dammit

If they can beat us in basketball, we can beat them in soccer.

Hoosier, we're The United States of America, we need to be tops at EVERY frickin sport, I don't care if it's curling or cricket, we need to be the best!