USA v England - an opportunity missed?

Day 3 has come to a close with the Germans clobbering the Aussies 4-0. Not surprised really, they always seem to clobber someone the first game of the tourney.

I am still reflecting on yesterday's USA - England match. Maybe I'm just looking back through "homer" glasses, but the more I think about it, the more this seems like we missed a golden opportunity to punch England in the mouth and steal all 3 points.

England came out flying and took advantage of poor marking to go up 1-0 after only four minutes. The "superior" team then promptly took their foot off the pedal and set the cruise control. The problem was there were 86 minutes left in the match. The Americans slowly worked their way back into the match and even began to put a bit of pressure on the English defense. England never stepped it back up, didn't get Rooney involved until it was too late and generally failed to take back control of the game.

The goal was a gift of course, but really did we expect any different? Green joins a long line of English keepers who have made major gaffes in big situations, fumbling Clint Dempsey's shot over the line. Clint isn't complaining and his post match comments said it all: "They all count the same once they go in."Jozy Altidore had a glorious chance saved by Green and the post late on, though it can easily argued that England spurned more chances to win the game than the "Yanks" did.

The fact is overall England played poorly relative to there talent. If a team like the USA is going to beat them, it is on a day when they are not at there best. Not to take anything away from the USA performance, certainly not from the way they kept Rooney under wraps for better than 70 minutes. However, this was that opportunity and it wasn't seized. If Dempsey and his teammates had played their best game this would have been three points in the bag and a foot in the second round.

All is not lost of course. A point against the group favorites is never a bad thing and the team still controls its own destiny. Win the next two games and they advance.