I remember the last time the United States played Italy. It was in Kaiserslautern at the 2006 World Cup and the US really needed something from the game having slumped to a first-game defeat against a very impressive Czech side. The Americans were more than a match for their illustrious opponents and created enough chances to have won the game. Of course, the most memorable incident in that match was Daniele De Rossi’s horrible elbow on Brian McBride that left blood pouring from our hero’s face.
Revenge was on the mind of the Americans last night as that draw probably cost them a place in the second round (they could have done with playing better against Ghana in their final game too). Italy were far from convincing last night as the States, with Clint Dempsey featuring, manfully pressed them back. The out-of-sorts world champions looked to have benefited from a debatable refereeing decision when a late challenge from Ricardo Clark was incredibly punished with a red card.
The loss of a man didn’t seem to deter Bob Bradley’s side and they duly went ahead when Landon Donovan converted a spot-kick after Jozy Altidore was felled in the box. The US should have had a second penalty in the second half, but the decision wasn’t forthcoming. Adding insult to injury, New Jersey’s very own Giuseppe Rossi stepped off the bench to score two goals for the Italians and a strike from De Rossi was sandwiched inbetween.
The harsh nature of the defeat – questionable decisions aside the USA didn’t deserve to lose 3-1 – makes qualifying for the semi-finals a very tall order indeed.
Its always hard to play short handed. I mean come on, 10 vs 12 (11 Italians & a ref). All things considered, we played very well and just gassed a bit in the end. The no-call when Landon was raped in the box was pathetic. The red card to Ricardo was pathetic (especially when Landon caught an elbow just a couple minutes later…no red).
I felt best case scenario, we’d finish with 4 points. Brazil will be tough and Egypt will be tough as well. Who knows, maybe we end up laying an egg before the week is up. Last night, at the minimum we deserved a point.
Landon didn’t get a elbow in the face. It was more of a push than anything malicious. Chiellini shoud’ve been sent off for the penalty. He was the last man.
Landon got elbowed. Watch it again and open your eyes.
Eyes wide open.
That is a push in the face.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/2740132/
2.19
Also changed my mind about the red card. That hit Gattuso just below the knee-cap. Could’ve been really dangerous. Was a red.
A push in the face with an elbow often rates a yellow in the Premiership. In it had been an Italian he would have gone down like he’d been shot. Ricardo’s challenge was reckless, yellow or red depending on the ref and any previous but Chiellini should have certainly have been sent off. I think USA deserved a point – and I’m 1/4 Italian – but they paid for the poor finishing from their early chances.
Using the hard surfaces of the elbow and forearm to the soft surfaces of the neck and face is violent conduct and should be a send off. Clark struck the guy with his laces and even though it was high the use of the top of his foot as opposed to his studs should have led to a caution, not a red card.
Yeah the US should have gotten a second penalty, but we need to score in the run of play and not just hope for set pieces and spot kicks. The foul on Jozy could well have been a red as well for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. I have less of an issue with that than being able to deliver a forearm shiver to the neck of a player.
Yeah, that’s certainly a good point.
I can remember both Bradley and Altidore missing really good chances – and that was just from the first half. They paid for missing those opportunities, although the refereeing was very questionable.