Live The Pitch

Did you know that the U.S. has never won a major FIFA competition? Sunday, at Ellis Park the USA has a chance to change that for the U.S. national team during the 2009 Confederations Cup.   To do this the Americans will have to get by Brazil, who defeated us 3-0 in pool play.

Just to be in this final is a great accomplishment for the USA.  After playing awful matches against Italy and Brazil in their first two games, the USA has now won two straight against Egypt and Spain by a combined score of 5-0.  The U.S. victory over Spain is still in the minds of soccer fans all around the world.  If the U.S. can get a win against Brazil in the final, they will finally get some respect from the global soccer community.

The USA has had great success in the past two games. Because of this, I don’t see Bradley making too many changes in his squad going into the final.  The only real question will be in the center midfield.  The red card Michael Bradley was given late in the semifinal is HUGE in my opinion. Bradley has stepped his game up to another level the last few games, and he was not deserving of an ejection.  I would start Ricardo Clark at holding midfielder, with Benny Feilhaber filling in as the attacking-midfielder.

Brazil on the other hand will be playing to send a message to the world that they are back on-top.  The combination of Kaka and Robinho was slowed a bit last game by a gritty South African squad, but there is no better midfield to froward combination in the world. The main match up to watch in this game will be Jay Demerit vs. Luis Fabiano.  Fabiano is one of the top strikers in the world, and Demerit has something to prove to all his doubters.

Yet again, the USA is the underdog against an international powerhouse. For the Americans to win they are going to have to come out like a swarm of African killer bees. Hopefully, they are half as annoying as the sound of the vuvuzelas being handed out to fans before every game. Please FIFA, I beg you, ban this noise from the upcoming World Cup! The performance against Spain alone renewed my faith in U.S. soccer, but a win against Brazil will turn heads around the world.

GO USA!