An Upset for the Ages

USA 2, Spain 0. (Let's put that score up there again, just for good measure) USA 2, Spain 0.

It’d be nearly impossible to underestimate the importance of today’s victory over the world’s consensus best soccer team. Without even getting into the game itself, think about Spain’s recent soccer history: Spain had won fifteen straight games, hadn’t lost a game in 36 matches (November 2006), and hadn’t allowed a goal in the Confederations Cup before today’s loss to the Americans. Spain’s fifteen match winning streak was an all-time FIFA record.

I’d go as far as to put this victory as the fourth biggest victory in the history of US Soccer, only behind the two dazzling victories over Portugal & Mexico at the 2002 World Cup and the historic 1950 World Cup victory over perennial soccer power England.

In terms of the victory’s effect, however, it may be the biggest in American soccer history. You simply can’t downplay the importance of beating FIFA’s number one ranked squad in a talent-laden international tournament on foreign soil.

Today’s game was a showcase game for coach Bob Bradley’s boys, who surely showed up and then some.

Certainly the United States’ last victory over a number one-ranked team, a 1-0 win over a Brazilian squad at the Gold Cup at the Los Angeles Coliseum was a huge win (albeit in front of less than 13,000 spectators), but it occurred on US soil. The stunning defeat of the Spaniards occurred in South Africa, host of next year’s World Cup, and was watched around the world.

It’s hard to pick out one shining star from the match. Jozy Altidore’s strong turn and powerful strike was impressive, as was Clint Dempsey’s ability to be in the right place at the right time for the all-important second goal. Say what you want about Landon Donovan, but his fitness and effort against the world’s best team was unmatched.





The defensive unit as a whole deserves the most credit for holding onto a one goal lead under stifling pressure from the likes of Fernando Torres and David Villa. Tim Howard, the goalkeeper who is cheered wildly as a top-shelf keeper in the EPL had an amazing game. Center backs Jay DeMerit & Oguchi Onyewu both had forceful games, diving in and out of spots when and where they were most needed. Johnathan Spector showed why he will eventually become the first-choice right back, matching up somewhat well with the speed of the Spanish attack. Even Carlos Bocanegra, the US captain making his first appearance of the tournament after a hamstring injury, was mostly effective.

The American team showed today what this country is all about: heart, effort, and downright grit. They may not be the world’s best team, but for a day, they were even better. And now Bob Bradley gets a prize for all his trouble on Sunday: soccer goliaths Brazil, or host country South Africa in a showdown for the tournament championship. I think we've learned not to count the Yanks out of that one either.