This was my attitude going into this match. The team that I was most excited to watch during this World Cup had to play the hipster team of choice in their second Round of 16 in a row. What? You thought I was most excited to watch Belgium because Lozil calls me a hipster? Never! All about my home country! Now it’s the attitude I’m carrying into writing this match report. Also, huge apologies for it being a little later. Work/life/computer issues left me scrambling.
The Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador had so far seen the most goals of the tournament. It was where Netherlands beat Spain 5-1 and Germany beat Portugal 4-0. France and Switzerland played there to the tune of 7 goals combined and Bosnia/Herzegovina and Iran combined for 4. Everyone was expecting a goal fest.
Belgium: De Bruyne (93’), Lukaku (105’)
USA: Green (107’)
Lineups:
Belgium: Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany, Van Buyten, Vertonghen; Witsel, Fellaini, De Bruyne; Mertens, Origi, Hazard.
USA: Howard; Johnson, González, Besler, Beasley; Cameron, Jones; Bedoya, Bradley, Zusi; Dempsey.
Belgium made seven changes from their match against South Korea. Steven DeFour was serving a red card suspension. Thomas Vermaelen was out with a hamstring injury and Anthony Vanden Borre was out with a broken ankle. Good news for Belgium with the captain, Vincent Kompany, being declared fit after some worries about him.
USA brought back Alejandro Bedoya and Geoff Cameron to the starting lineup after Klinnsman left them out of the lineup against Germany. They also had Jozy Altidore back, though he didn’t start.
Right from the start Belgium made it clear that they meant to attack. The team that had been called underwhelming during the group stages seemed like they were determined to shut everyone up. Tim Howard made his first (of many) save of the game when Origi got behind Besler and took off like a rocket.
USA conceded two corners in two minutes and it was unbearable. At one point I looked at the clock, KNOWING that it had to have been 15 minutes into the game already. But NOOOO, only four minutes had passed. It was going to be a long match.
At 6’ USA seemed to get their first real possession. But a pass from Bradley to Dempsey was a bit of a wash. Then a cross from Beasley saw no one on the other end of it.
After Origi went down in his own half on a challenge from Matt Besler, we saw the patented FIFA “Quick! Cut away from the pitch invader!” Probably a good thing, as the pitch invader was a protester and we can’t have FIFA looking bad
https://twitter.com/2014WC_Brazil/status/484070536965005312
At 18’ Geoff Cameron earned the first yellow card of the match. His challenge on Mertens was pretty rough and I have to say, the card was probably deserved.
USA earned their first corner shortly after and Belgium looked to have a good counter attack. But a bad touch from Origi put an end to it. The counter attack from USA saw a shot from Dempsey saved by the ever frustrating Thibaut Courtois.
Am I the only one that didn’t know he is only 22? I swore he was older!
At 26’ DaMarcus Beasley proved why he’s still on the USA squad (as if the rest of the tournament hadn’t been proof enough). Vertonghen beat Howard with a cross to Fellaini, but Beasley appeared out of nowhere to clear off the line. And the USA as a whole breathed a huge sigh of relief on that one.
In the 33rd minute Fabian Johnson (massive crush on this guy, btw) pulled up with a hamstring injury and was replaced by DeAndre Yedlin. The prospect of speed was enticing, but the worry was immediately his age. Did he have the composure to deal with the Belgium attack, which had been largely coming down that side?
Yedlin immediately won a corner and then a shot from Jermaine Jones was sent wide. Belgium, for all their quality and chances were wasting too many many crosses. Still, you got the feeling they were in total control of the match and it was going to be a bumpy ride for USA.
At 42’ Kompany earned Belgium’s first yellow card for a late and rather rash challenge on Clint Dempsey. For all his normal composure and experience, it seemed a stupid foul for Kompany. I had to admit I was surprised.
The entire half was a bit tough for me, as I have a serious amount of Hazard love despite his asshole reputation. But every time we left him with the ball and a ton of space, I found myself having a heart attack.
Yedlin coming on suddenly gave the US a good attack. His speed is awesome in the true meaning of the word.
The first closed, FINALLY, with the score still 0-0 but with a lot of talking points for the USA to address in the dressing room.
Second Half:
The second half started with Belgium pressing hard once again and once again they forced a great save from Tim Howard to tip over Mertens’ header.
It was all Belgium, like it had been at the beginning of the first half. And at 57’ Vertonghen played the ball across the face of goal and neither Origi nor DeBruyne could get on the end of it. Then a cross met Origi’s head and he was denied by the crossbar. And AGAIN, Vertonghen absolutely fired a shot but Tim Howard came up with a phenomenal save again.
The first good USA chance came at 68’ when Yedlin sent in a cross but Dempsey couldn’t win the challenge against Courtois. Unfortunately, Dempsey up top by himself just wasn’t getting the job done. A number of beautiful crosses from DeAndre Yedlin saw no one on the other end.
The first substitution of the match came at 74’ when Graham Zusi made way for Chris Wondolowski. Wondo, largely a goal poacher, was a positive move for Klinnsman. It meant more attacking options up top for USA and possibly someone to get on the end of those glorious Yedlin crosses.
At 77’ Howard’s foot saved a shot from Kevin Mirallas. At this point, USA fans were beginning to have hope. And if we were to win, we knew it was down to Belgium’s missed chances and Tim Howard’s brilliance.
At the risk of repeating the same sentence over and over, let’s just say that over the course of the next 13+ minutes Howard made a number of AMAZING saves to keep USA in it. (Video of Tim’s saves)
And then…
And then, at 90’ +2 Chris Wondolowski missed what could have been USA’s winning goal. At 6 yards out, a back header fell perfectly but he hit the volley high and wide. Nine times out of ten, Wondo would make that goal. But this one time…
And that was the end of regulation time.
Extra Time:
It started nightmarishly for USA. Romelu Lukaku was brought in at the end of the 90 minutes and immediately made an impact. His pass to De Bruyne was the first shot to slip past Tim Howard.
The USA seemed stunned and tired by the goal. And again Lukaku made a terrific run. But for some reason he held the ball up just long enough to allow USA to get more defenders back.
Then at 105’ Lukaku took advantage of a tired USA defense. Why must I love this kid? TVNZ had my favorite description of the Lukaku goal.
“De Bruyne on the left flank and he remains composed, holding it up before playing the ball between Cameron and Besler for Lukaku to gallop – and I mean gallop – on to. He scorches down the left side of the penalty area and rifles the ball past Tim Howard.”
And his celebration was lovely. “I love you mama”
After the halftime of the extra time, Klinnsman decided to seal the fate of Julian Green. Official FIFA minutes for the US now means that Green is tied to the US until he decides he doesn’t want to play internationally anymore.
And what a way to seal that fate! This was only Green’s third game with USA and he’d only been on the pitch for two minutes when he showed his quality.
The Michael Bradley I’d been missing for the majority of four matches played a ball over the top and Julian Green got a foot on it to send it past Courtois. Game. On.
At 113’ Belgium made another substitution, hoping fresh legs could keep USA from scoring another one and taking this match to penalties. Chadli replaced a rather weary looking Eden Hazard.
At 114’ USA had another chance but the brilliance of Courtois showed as he smothered Dempsey before he could even pull the shot off.
The final whistle saw the hearts of millions of Americans break. But millions of Belgians soar.
(Didn’t realize Prince Harry was Belgian. He was also compared to Ed Sheeran)
-mygypsyspirit
Updated because I managed to omit an entire paragraph of this match report – sorry MGS! – Lozil
Of Headbands and Heartbreak
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