Bittersweet Symphony: The U.S. Comes of Age on the World Stage

The week before no one would have thought we had a chance. The unlikely and remarkable path we took to the game is now well known.

On the verge of being eliminated from the Confederations Cups group stage, we needed a 3-0 victory over Egypt and we needed Italy to lose 3-0 to Brazil. Unlikely as it was, that was exactly what happened. 

More unlikely still was our 2-0 victory over Spain in the semi-final. With that, suddenly and unexpectedly the U.S. Men’s National Team found itself thrust into the Confederations Cup final against Brazil.

On any other occasion you’d have been quick to describe our chances using a combination of the words “snowball” and “hell.”  The U.S. had only beaten Brazil once ever, back in 1998. We’ve never before made it to the final of anything this big on an international level. 

Yet here we were, faced off against Brazil. Brazil, five-time World Cup winner, defending Confederations Cup champions. Brazil, powerhouse of all football nations, the raw talent pool from which the elite European leagues recruit their best players. They’d made us look like the provincial “soccer” novices the rest of the world sees us as only a few days earlier.

But going into the game you heard less of the “lucky to even get to play such a team” talk we heard before the Spain match. Indeed the players lined up on the pitch for national anthems even looked different.

Not scared or blank faced as they had before Spain. Instead they were confident, all business. Even our opponents seemed to reflect the change in U.S. posture. Whereas Spain seemed jaded, disinterested, their minds already on the final, Brazil looked cagey, and wiry. 

Robinho in particular, looked like Bruce Lee about to fight ten men. Their body language was clear: the U.S. were not to be underestimated. 

Not this team.

As the game began the U.S. strategy of tight defense complimented by quick, breakaway counter=attack seemed to still be well intact. Brazil's attacks on goal were met with the same stiff resistance Spain’s had been. 

The tight defensive power-trio of center backs Onyewu and DeMerit, and goalkeeper Tim Howard held strong. Ten minutes in a U.S. counter attack by Jonathan Spector lead to a cross to Clint Dempsey. 

True to his form against Spain, Dempsey lobbed the ball in past Brazil keeper Julio Caesar and the U.S. were one up. 

Brazil instantly changed gears, put the pedal to the gas and turned up the speed on attacking. But it was clear they were rattled. Another 1st half goal from Landon Donovan and they were even more unsettled. Nothing they did seemed to go right and you could see it questions forming on the faces of this superstar squad filled with expensive players like Robinho and Kaka. 

Wasn’t this supposed to be kind of easy? Has the U.S. suddenly risen up from mediocrity to assume its position as a football power?  Were the days of U.S. early eliminations and being “lucky to even play such a team” finally over? 

As the first half closed we were ahead 2-0. 

It seemed to good to be true.

Sadly, it was. One minute into the second half Brazilian striker Fabiano executed a brilliant turn and rocketed a strike straight past keeper Tim Howard and firmly into the back of the net. 

Over the next 45 minutes Brazil got down to the business of showing us why they are Brazil.  Taking control of the midfield, getting the lion’s share of possession, they began shutting down our attacks before they could get started. 

Another goal for Fabiano and suddenly both teams were back to doing what they normally did in such matches: the Brazilians dancing, passing and mesmerizing, the Americans standing somewhat awestruck before them, at times looking unsure of what to do. 

A few minutes before the final whistle Brazilian captain Lucio made it 3-2, restoring the football status quo. Brazil not only won the match and the cup, they showed us what separates a good national side from a great one by coming back from being 2-0 down in the first half and winning the game in the Brazilian manner: beautifully. 

The U.S. were left stunned and saddened. Some were even in tears as they collected their second place trophies and bronze honorable mention statues, while the Brazilians sambaed through their victory lap. 

In the end, what had it all changed? 

Well, a lot actually. The U.S. stood toe to toe with two of the best teams in the world. We shut them both out for a combined total of two hours and 15 minutes of playtime. 

Our 2-0 first half against Brazil put to bed much of the talk of our Spain victory being a fluke. We made it our first FIFA international final and for a few days and a few hours we were serious contenders. 

Will we be again, next summer in the 2010 World Cup? 

Something in the tears of Clint Dempsey as he collected his 2nd place and honorable mention trophies and in the jutting jaw and forced camera smile of Tim Howard as he collected his, tells me that we will be. 

These were clearly the faces of men who no longer took defeat lightly. 

Never mind being “lucky to play such teams.”  The U.S. Men’s National Team has come of age, and looks to want only one thing: to win.