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SBI Wednesday Rewind: USMNT preps for Germany; FIFA looking at Suarez bite; Messi on fire; and more

Jermaine Jones

Photo by John Todd/ISIPhotos.com

By CAITLIN MURRAY

One more game. That’s all that is standing between the U.S. Men’s National Team and a berth into the World Cup’s Round of 16. They will face Germany Thursday for the final Group G match and, for the USMNT’s large German-American continent, it will be a special one, SBI’s Franco Panizo reported from Brazil. Though a draw will be enough for the USMNT to advance, the whole squad is out to win and believe they can top the group.

For star striker Luis Suarez, his Uruguay team is already qualified for the Round of 16 — but he may not be going with him. FIFA formally charged Suarez with biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during their final group match and a decision should come soon from FIFA’s disciplinary panel on whether he is guilty of the act. He faces a two-game minimum ban, but it could be as much as two years.

In World Cup results, Lionel Messi continues to carry Argentina on his back and his side finally enjoyed an attacking win during this World Cup, pushing past Nigeria, 3-2. Messi is on a goal-scoring spree and with Argentina advancing, he may have more to show. Meanwhile, Ecuador fell short of advancing and Bosnia & Herzegovina were knocked out too, but found their first-ever win in a World Cup match.

Here is a rundown of all the stories featured on SBI today:

U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM:
Who should the USMNT start vs. Germany?

USMNT’s German-Americans preparing for emotional match vs. Germany

USMNT out for a win against Germany in crucial Group G finale

The SBI Show: Episode 150 (Recapping USA-Portugal, previewing USA-Germany)

Video: Klinsmann discusses crucial match vs. Germany

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM:
Gulati: U.S. Soccer to address Solo’s arrest for alleged assault soon

WORLD CUP:
FIFA opens disciplinary inquiry into Suarez World Cup biting incident

Argentina pushes past Nigeria in back-and-forth goal fest to top Group F

SBI World Cup Man of the Match: Lionel Messi

10-man Ecuador fall short of advancing in scoreless draw with France

SBI World Cup Man of the Match: Alexander Dominguez

Bosnia and Herzegovina find first World Cup win against Iran

SBI World Cup Man of the Match: Miralem Pjanic

Switzerland cruise past Honduras, finish second in Group E

SBI World Cup Man of the Match: Xherdan Shaqiri

SBI 2014 World Cup Diary: Entry 3

World Cup Day 14: Your Running Commentary

World Cup Day 14: A Look Ahead

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER:
MLS Ticker: Timbers sign third DP; Xavi linked again with NYC FC; and more

INTERNATIONAL SOCCER:
Wednesday Kickoff: Prandelli steps down; Lugano calls Chiellini a ‘coward’; and more

 

Comments

  1. Washington Post reporting FIFA gave Suarez a 9 game and four month ban. As I understand it, he’s prohibited from entering any soccer stadium for the next four months.

    Reply
    • I think a full year ban, and however many games that might amount to — 40-50 — (?) would have been more appropriate given that this was a third offense. There’s an old story that tennis great Bjorn Borg used to throw tantrums and his racquet quite frequently as a young man. His parents locked his racquet in a closet for a full year. No more tantrums.

      Reply
    • I’ve seen reports that almost all of the roads leading to the stadium are flooded and undriveable. I don’t know what FIFA’s contingency plan is in this type of situation but what happens if it’s not safe for the buses to bring the teams to the stadium or if the pitch is unplayable? It could become a very real possibility

      Reply
      • Yeah in fact Jeremy Schaap just gave a report on ESPN saying that the officials weren’t sure they would be able to play the game, or to start it on time. Which would bring up the interesting question of what they do with the other match, since they have to be played at the same time, by rule…

  2. Breaking News Boetang and Muntari sent home. Ghana in turmoil. If we don’t make it out of the group it will be an all time failure.

    Reply
    • Great news. Less worry about them making up goal diff if we lose today.

      On the Suarez thing, I remember U23 US players saying they were bitten by opponents in 2012 Olympic qualifying. I forget which team they were talking about.

      Reply
    • This helps Portugal NOT us. Quit your panic. It’s loser talk. Even if we don’t make it, we had as many points as the 2002 and 1994 teams. Do you think a Bob Bradley or Steve Samson team would do as well? Even with Landon Donovan? We have to play a country (Germany or West Germany) that has never done worse than a quarterfinal appearance at the WC. Our modern day best (2002) is their norm or worst performance. The point is, whether you like Klinsmann or not, he has us capable of beating anyone anytime. But but but other coaches like Samson beat Brazil. But they never won in Italy or in the azteca. The game against Portugal was cruel, but it’s over. We can even advance w/ a one-goal loss (depending on the score, Ghana) or more if Portugal wins.

      Reply
      • The difference is much bigger re Portugal, so in fact this does help us, just as Pepe’s return does. Anything that helps Portugal β€” as long as it doesn’t help them all the way to scoring 5+ goals β€” helps us.

        Agree on the other points, though. (I was never in agreement with the BeardedSoccer’s editorial comment, and was only remarking about the news in question.)

      • We can win, tie, lose and get out of the group. Portugal has almost no chance to catch up goals so if they win we are in, if they tie we are in. So the only way we are out is if a Ghana team in turmoil wins and makes up 2 goals on goal difference AND one goal in goals scored.

        So yes if we don’t get out at this point its a huge failure.

      • Just saw this. Nope β€” still disagree, and agree with the others here who disagree.

        But it doesn’t matter now. πŸ™‚

  3. Still sorta in shock from the Suarez thing. Just sad. What a crazy waste of unbelievable talent.

    Now, about Chiellini … had he spent as much time playing as he did rolling around whining with his face in hands, the game might have gone in a totally different direction and might have avoided Suarez’s lethal choppers all together.

    Sad I won’t be able to see Suarez’s amazing goals anymore … cause no matter what he does from here on out, I won’t think of anything he does as amazing or great or brilliant. He’s disgraced himself at this point.

    Reply
  4. Even men whose job it is to hurt other men professionally (UFC, boxing, k1… ALL fight sports) consider biting heinous. Using teeth to injure an opponent is disgusting. I would not follow, nor allow my child to play, soccer if EVERY effort is not made to utterly eradicate biting from the sport at the professional level.

    Reply
      • Even men whose… = not melodramatic and true.
        Biting is… = not melodramatic ans a valid opinion.
        I would not follow… = slightly melodramatic, valid opinion, and true.

        @ Shawn… I re read my post and calculate that it is 1/3 melodramatic (+/- 1/9). What did you get?

    • Mostly agree. Biting is simply disgusting and any adult who bites others is likely mentally ill.
      Disappointing that some on this site rationalize biting, as in “it’s not as bad as”—-they don’t get it.

      Reply
  5. I’d rather get bit in the shoulder than have my knee wrecked by a bad challenge. Suarez is a nutjob but at least he’s not trying to end people’s careers like some other established jerks.

    Reply

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