World Cup Soccer 2010: Match of the Day - England vs USA
A stunning goal from Siphiwe Tshabalala almost gave hosts South Africa the perfect start to the World Cup before being held to a 1-1 draw by Mexico in the opening match after Barcelona midfielder Rafael Marquez struck with a late equaliser in the 79th minute of the game for the Mexicans.
But till the 79th minute, the South Africans looked to be on course for a surprise win and despite the fact that they were, the excitement of the day, against an endless drone of noise from thousands of vuvuzela’s, lifted the mood.
Now day two of the FIFA World Cup 2010 and the match which has been speculated ever since its announcement and certainly the match of the day is when the United States of America goes head to head with England.
So let’s put a little light on what needs to be looked at from the point of view of this game: who could come out as the winner and which players need to be watched out for?
Let’s start off with the Americans who have many factors working in their favour. They have looked strong in the last couple of years highlighted by a shocking win over Spain in the Confederations Cup and they are returning Oguchi Onyewu back to the pitch after a long layover as he suffered a serious knee injury during his time with AC Milan and it was hard to tell if the defender would be in good enough shape to help the U.S. compete.
But with Onyewu in the side, fans need to watch out as the 28-year-old has the skills to out-muscle most of the forwards around, as well as the size to damage the British attack. His physical play and aerial ability make him a huge force on the back line, something the U.S. desperately needs to come out of the pool.
Moving ahead the United states have the likes of Clint Dempsey’s who with his tremendous drive made him a Premier League star, where he has been scoring often with Fulham, and has also brought that to the national team during the Confederation’s Cup. Dempsey’s biggest asset is his energy and as a midfielder, he seems to have the ability to home the ball. As a result, he has become an indispensable weapon if he is allowed to run free on the field. Even his attacking instincts are unmatched to the U.S. squad, and his experience is vital to their success.
And finally one of America’s biggest players in their World Cup qualifying matches is Jozy Altidore who has both the flash and flair that a forward can turn into an advantage. He has scored six goals in 13 appearances during the squad’s run to South Africa and the 20-year-old uses youth to his advantage, which will come in handy against the older Brits since he has the speed and instincts normally displayed by more experienced players. The only down side perhaps is his lack of experience.
We move on to the English as the two teams are itching to destroy one another in a rivalry stretching for the last 200 years. They are the Pakistan- India of cricket and thus may have the most emotion-filled opening round game. England may be favoured to win the match; however the game will inevitably come down to whoever can put their top guys into favourable positions and build a strong momentum. Experts believe that whichever squad has the better individual performance, will more likely be the winners.
So then let’s take a look at England’s star power, starting off with Jamie Carragher. He may be one of the elder statesmen for the Brits, but cannot be underestimated at all. The 32-year-old has developed into a jack of all trades, as he has played in almost every defensive position in his career, which brings versatility and experience to the squad.
The English defender is known for his unbelievable dedication to his team, throwing himself around to do anything for his team. Then they have David James who holds the Premier League record for the highest number of clean sheets. The 39-year-old goalie has a lot of experience under his belt and remains an excellent shot stopper due to his great knowledge of angles. England also has the liberty of Steven Gerrard who is one of the top midfielders in English history and who again has ample of international experience. Thus when the Brits need someone to lean on, you can guarantee they will go to Gerrard.
To make the mid field stronger, the ever present Frank Lampard is the one to watch. His attacking skills have made him one of the most complete midfielders in the world. The 31-year-old has the consistency and passing range that make him invaluable to the English attack. And top of the list is of course none other than Wayne Rooney, who has been listed as one of the top-five players on the planet on a consistent basis. It will be Rooney’s performance in South Africa that will determine exactly how far the Brits can go through in the World Cup Soccer in South Africa. England’s captain believes that Rooney is already worthy of comparison with the world’s current best players and thus the challenge is for him to prove his mettle by making the kind of impact on a World Cup final that Diego Maradona had when Argentina triumphed in Mexico in 1986.
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