USA vs. England World Cup: What the Tie Does for US Chances

It's hard to get excited for a tie, but we will take it.

While the US didn't exactly sack Bunker Hill like they did 250 years ago, they did go toe to toe with FIFA powerhouse England, resulting in a 1-1 tie.

After Steven Gerrard scored for England in the fourth minute, the US seemed to be staring an opening game loss in the face.

But right before half-time, American Clint Dempsey scored a goal that should have been saved by goalkeeper Robert Green.

The rest of the game was scoreless.

What does this tie mean for the US chances of moving forward?

At this round, there are eight groups, each having four teams. The top two teams in each group advance.

Group C consists of the US, England, Algeria and Slovenia.

The US has gotten their most difficult opponent, England (ranked eighth in the world,) out of the way. A tie against England puts the US in a very  good spot to advance.

The US will face Slovenia on Friday, and Algeria on June 23. The US outranks both teams, at 14th in the world.

In order to secure a spot in the final 16, the US really needs to win both games.  

They would still have a good shot with a win and a tie (depending on how many goals they score) because after this game, England will be all the more hungrier to take down Slovenia and Algeria.

However, the bottom line is that the tie against England, the top dog in Group C, puts the US in a favorable position to advance wit.