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U.S. U-17s eliminated from World Cup after lopsided loss to Chile

 

U17sChile

After just three games, the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team is out of the Under-17 World Cup.

The U.S. suffered a 4-1 defeat to hosts Chile on Friday, a result that knocked the U.S. after just three group stage contests. With the loss, the U.S. finishes on just one point after falling to Nigeria and squandering a two-goal lead in a draw with Croatia.

The U.S. opened the scoring in the 10th minute through Brandon Vasquez, whose finish was his second in as many games for the lone U.S. highlight.

Vasquez pounced on a Croatia mishit, as the host team’s defense failed to properly clear a Luca de la Torre through ball. Vasquez was lying in wait, and the U.S. forward took full advantage in firing a shot to the far post to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead.

That lead lasted just 10 minutes when the U.S. suffered from a mis-clearance of their own. A ball into the U.S. box was shanked right into the path of Chile captain Marcelo Allende, whose shot left goalkeeper William Pulisic with no chance as the scoreline was leveled at one apiece.

Chile pounced with another goal in the 52nd, one that featured plenty of controversy.

With William Pulisic sliding for the ball, Chile’s Gabriel Mazuela’s hand appeared to bump the ball out of the goalkeeper’s hands. Mazuela pounced and fired to the far post and, despite U.S protests, the goal was confirmed as Chile took a 2-1 lead.

The U.S. registered few chances in the second half, as Chile remained the better of the two teams throughout a chippy second stanza.

Chile found their dagger in the 86th minute through Gonzalo Jara. Receiving the ball at the top right of the box, Jara’s left-footed curler cruised right into the top right corner.

A stoppage time finish from Camilo Moya added insult to injury, sealing the U.S.’s first group stage elimination since 2001.

Comments

    • We can’t take solace Argentina’s failure at this age group because Argentina to produce quality players. Anyway, Argentina use to be my “playground” for fun (girls, parties, soccer games, St. Patricks etc…).

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  1. From what I’ve seen, this new SBI format is pretty poor compared to the functionality of the old format. Back in those good ol’ days, if you wanted to reply to someone’s post, you just clicked reply, typed your message and it was done. Now, things hop all around while my simple old computer tries to figure out all the new complexities, and about 30 seconds later I was allowed to type, though with no certainly that I was replying to the comment I wanted to. Not conversational.

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  2. jb good post. Need to be comfortable in the game plan and style of play and tactics to be able to express yourself with confidence. We dont put these kids in that situation seems to me. So OF COURSE they struggle to connect. It’s not a difficult equation to understand really. Or we choose players with skill sets that fit a certain style that we are not good enough to play at a competitive level. My opinion

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  3. Since neither Gulati nor Klinsmann will be shown the door, the changes need to come from the bottom up. Anyone can see that RW isn’t the coach the U-17’s require. If Bradley were to accept the position instead of going to Le Havre that would be phenomenal (the USSF probably pays too little and Gulati and JK will never agree to it).
    The U-17’s are most likely equal to other U-17’s, but the U-23’s are clearly inferior (and Herzog is vastly better than RW). I do believe the referees are partially to blame for results vs Chile. I’m not saying that they were complicit, but they had two non-calls, which would have changed the game for the U.S.

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  4. I just want to make it clear where I stand on this. I hope no one gets the idea that I am criticizing the young men who played in this tournament. One thing that was evident was they kept fighting until the end. Also, we know, based on their existing experience, that this group is much more accomplished than their predecessors. I remember a couple of years ago the U-17 coach (I forget his name) complained about his players being naive and uncommitted, or words to that effect. In that regard I think this groups of kids has done better. The problem is coaching at lower levels. Also, it seems like at our academies kids should be spending most all of their time on the basics until things like finding open spaces, providing outlets for passes, passing out of pressure, etc. are instinctive. John Wooden, legendary basketball coach at UCLA, who recruited high school All Americans, would start his first practice by showing them how to put on their socks and tie their shoes (and he had good reasons for that–like teaching attention to detail). I remember when things I complained about with our U-17’s was not an uncommon sight in the early days of MLS. So, we have made progress. The problem is that the world doesn’t stand still and other nations are clearly doing a better job in developing their players. Our system needs to do a better job to close the gap between us and the rest of the top soccer nations. Hopefully the changes detailed by Bryan in a post several days ago will have that effect, but it will take several years at least.

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  5. Technical director of soccer has to go. Sunil. Has to go. I thought our youth development was the key reason for jurgen? What’s happening now. No under 17 no under 23 no confederations cup. What’s next?

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  6. USDA’s system consists of the following.
    Open shop in a few selected cities around the country
    Hire a bunch of used-car salesmen ex-pats.
    Hold tryouts.
    Check the applicants bank account. If they can spare 10-12k a year for training they make the team.
    Hope and pray nobody starts asking questions about “player development”
    Wash, Rinse , Repeat.

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  7. Klinsmann declared that we would see more of a Latin influence on the national teams and we can see it both in the players that he has brought on and in the results. I feel that the U17 team which was full of Latin players was his brain child and the results speak for themselves . he had forced unqualified latin players onto the senior team, Orozco, Alvarado to name a few. I feel there is a direct link between our current state and JK insistence on bringing in a more Latin based player.

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  8. I agree with shaggie that this game was much closer than the final score and how it was presented in the article. The game clearly turned on that 2nd Chile goal that was a really poor “miss” by the official. And almost immediately after, we had an attacker taken down from behind in their box with no whistle. After that, our team clearly was mentally in a bad place and played like it. These are still kids, and I’m willing to cut them some slack that I wouldn’t for grown pros. It’s true that Chile outpossessed us severely in the second half, and also that our guys had some poor touches and passes, but I really think that was a mental issue and not a skill issue.

    I don’t think our kids are any less skilled than any country at the u17 and u23, I think that collectively and tactically we are behind the best teams when it comes to having a clear understanding of how to play together.

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  9. Gary said changing coaches is ignoring the problem. He is correct. We do not have a plan at US Soccer and once (if ever) we come up with the correct plan it will take around 10 years to see the fruits of our labor.
    The post by Bryan a few days ago regarding all of the initiatives started by US Soccer during the JK era was tough to read. Some of it was accurate but so much of it was either a political smokescreen or a plan that just isn’t working. For example, the US Developmental Academy was a great step forward but now it is not good enough. I could go on and on about how far we really are away from coming near countries that have a plan like Germany and Croatia but that would take up the whole weekend.
    Technical directors with a vision are needed here desperately. They need to have complete autonomy and for Pete’s sake, they need to be the right people. The people at US Soccer who make all of the decisions regarding player development need to step away and leave it to coaches who know what they are doing, much like Dr. Contiguglia did when he was president.
    It needs to be a person who grew up in the American system. If you want someone who “gets it” regarding what we need in this country and who should be involved as coaches, there are two names that are way ahead of everyone else, BA and BB. And for the posters who want to rip Arena, that is fine but there is no denying how good he is. And for the posters who want to refer to Bradley as ‘Bunker Bob”, you don’t know this guy. He loves attacking soccer when his team can attack. BB also knows better than anyone in this country how to develop young players. He took a skinny kid named Michael and HE developed him into one of our best players. This fact goes totally unrecognized as if Michael was a natural. Bob had a plan for his son and it blows me away that US Soccer never gave him complete authority like JK has or even picked his brain about how he developed Michael. Having him in charge from top to bottom would be the right medicine for this ailing soccer nation.

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    • Sepp, I really appreciate your comments on the development system as you seem to have much more knowledge of it than really anyone else on here. I don’t, however, see either Bruce or Bob looking for the technical director jobs at this point in their careers. And I think its pretty obvious it should be someone’s full time job not an additional title added on. I am not sure Michael’s development is fair as a measuring stick as most kids aren’t able to grow up around professional soccer as he was. You find it in almost all sports at all levels coaches kids generally perform at higher levels than non coaches kids, they live the sport where others don’t have that constant feedback. I am not sure it can be replicated without full live in residency sports academies(factories).

      USA Basketball uses high school and college coaches for its youth teams, with professionals as their assistants. What are your thoughts if US Soccer did this, use the guys that know how to motivate and communicate with players that age as the head coach with professional coaches and former players as backstops for tactical and training help?

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      • Sorry Jonny, I was away from my laptop all day yesterday.
        1. No Bruce and Bob would have little interest in being the Tech Director. Both, I believe, would like the same level of power that JK has. Both would find the right person to be the Tech Director and it would put us closer to Belgium, Germany,etc.
        2. Michael did have advantages that most other players did not. But my point is that BB had Michael doing repetitive, technical work at a very young age. This is so critical and there are very few kids who actually do this. You can see the benefits in MBs game particularly in striking a ball. Emmerson Hyndman is another kid with clean technique bc his grandfather put him on a similar program. Day 1 of JKs role as technical director should have been to get a program started like this to all youth.
        Also, MB had exposure to good games against older players often. This is where I think we need improvement in the worst way
        3. The national team programs are not where we need to center our efforts, Jonny. I worked countless youth national team camps and they frustrated me to no end. The kids would come in on Sunday after being the best kids in their clubs and it would take until Wednesday to get the group to the point where all of their bad habits were somewhat corrected. They would leave on Saturday playing well and go back to their clubs only to regress. They did not regress because of bad coaching, but because they were not challenged. This is what happens in Bradenton. It was the beginning of the end of Freddie Adu. The best 5 players in Bradenton get treated like royalty and do not have a pro player to kick their ass on a regular basis.
        What we need are regional development centers for ages 10-15 in all of the regions known for producing players. US Soccer must pick the coaches and this would be their club and primary place of development. Why not leave it to MLS? How many top players have developed From age 10-15 at MLS clubs? Answer: not that many. Why: MLS clubs do not attract the top youth coaches. Why?: They do not pay commensurate to what a top coach can demand,
        A regional development center for 10-15s would provide the best day to day culture for developing players IF IT IS RUN CORRECTLY. BB and BA would know how to get this done.
        BTW I am still waiting for Bryan to post the list of advancements in youth development since JK has taken over. I want to tell anyone who has an open mind that while some of these are true, they aren’t all that meets the eye. Sorry so long. Thanks Jonny

      • Sepp.

        Schellas Hyndman was actually a name I thought of to be technical director.

        How often would your 10-15 year olds practice with their development center, would it be daily during the season and who would they play?

        Any thoughts on how US Soccer can attract better athletes? With the exception of Vasquez, I thought most of our players looked smaller and softer than especially Croatia and Nigeria?

    • Hasnt JK been praised for how he helped changed the youth development in Germany and it took them about 8 years for the results to show as they did in Rio. People need to be patient. If you change mangers right now they have wasted four years. I am a JK fan but if we don’t qualify for Russia there needs to be a change. Listen I can’t remember the exact articles where he is given credit but one was from a Bayern Munich director or former director and cobi Jones was high on him too. Just google it, those were the only two that I can remember but there were more.

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      • For Jonny Razor
        The problem with if and when US Soccer picks a Technical Director it will be someone that they can control because they have to have their hands in the decision making. Somehow Reyna talked his way into this position, screwed it up and then resigned.
        As far as a training center agenda, this center would be the only club the players would be involved with the exception of National teams.
        Players would go there 4-5 days a week and play (up a level or two) in the USDA as a club. When they turn 15 US soccer will guide them as to what is the next step in the extremely critical phase of their development of ages 15-19.
        The reason that US Soccer needs to take over player development is because they could pay the salaries to attract the TOP coaches. The USDA does not have more than a handful of clubs that provide the proper environment or coaching even though I have high regard for the guy running the show.
        As far as attracting higher quality athletes, it needs to be encouraged in the first coaching course that a parent-coach takes which is usually the F license. The F license should focus on how we can promote soccer in our particular community. One aspect of this is to ‘recruit’ good athletes (particularly goalkeepers) to play soccer. Myself and others have recommended this to US Soccer. Deaf ears. The other aspect of finding better athletes is to have more inner city programs but there is no money in this so US Soccer doesn’t really have an interest.
        It all starts at the top Jonny and the top won’t get out of the kitchen and leave the cooking to the chefs who know what to do.

  10. In addition to the numerous criticisms above, which I think are entirely valid, my concern is that the current system of scouting and identifying players is entirely inadequate.

    The more I read about about this issue, I seem to think that the best players are not being identified and developed. Now, how does that change? Tough question with no easy answers. I’m sure many of us who post have seen players who have considerable skill and talent who never even get a sniff from regional or national teams because they don’t have the right connections. Perhaps a clearinghouse from “amateur” scouts who can identify players that slip through the massive cracks in the US system?

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  11. Frank from Santiago , I agree wholeheartedly with your comment. I’ve watch some of these kids play with other Teams and their skill and mindset are totally different. It’s a Coaching issue that’s affecting the mindset of these kids. As a result the appear disjointed, confused and lack basic instinct on the pitch. This is reflected in all levels of the USA Teams. It appears none of the Coaching Staff is capable of making adjustment to address this issue. The Men’s Program is imploding. Before JK the Teams played with a sense of purpose with cohesiveness. I think the current system affects their confidence and mentally which affects the way they play. How is this issue resolved? Get rid of JK or continue to be embarrassed? Eric Wynalda said last night that the current state of USA Soccer is an embarrassment.

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  12. So much for that “very talented team” Another epic fail. So glad JK has control at all levels so that he can spread the fails everywhere. CLEAN HOUSE SUNIL this isnt working at all

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  13. Saying a player pool is not good enough is like blaming all the kids in a particular school continuously failing sate exams; it’s lazy. Why isn’t the player pool good enough? why haven’t they performed? Coaching education in this country is non-existent and therefore the majority of kids don’t learn how to play the game properly at the highest levels. Germany; France; Iceland; Belgium all invested in coaching education and facilities to turn their programs around. Iceland has a minuscule player pool but are able to over achieve through detailed coaching- real tactics. Our COACHING POOL needs to improve immensely. Just look at our 1st division how many coaches can you say are elite tacticians?? How many are great at evaluating talent? Making correct substitutions? 1st division jobs; NT; YNT jobs are just being handed out without any real merit Would you expect your kids to excel in school with failing infrastructure?

    The whole US Soccer system is flawed and needs to be fixed. More accountability needs to be had from the top on down. After the 2013 performance and this Richie Williams should be out tomorrow. At least be asked by a journalist/reporters if he plans to resign after his recent failure. I feel like every is sitting on their hands waiting to see what happens.

    We need to invest in the coaching pool and the player pool will take care of itself. We need a Pep; LVG; Klopp. We have too many Jim Curtin and Ben Olsen types throughout the system tactically inept who are not really qualified to teach the game in any kind of substantial manner.

    Here a link to articles on Iceland’s development- http://coachtopix.com/football-and-coach-development-in-iceland/

    http://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/10/13/lars-lagerback-and-icelands-managerial-revolution/

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  14. USA side is just not good enough and that includes coaches. Every opponent was better at all the basics of the game. This is a warning to USSF as the majority of US players graduated from their youth academy. An always US strength at goal-keeper has now become a liability, going in wrong direction. Almost immediately after taking 1-0 lead coach Williams let his side defend deeper and deeper a familiar losing tactic in all three games.

    Lessons learned. The USA academy is not keeping up with the rest of the world, and their youth coaches are behind also.

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  15. There has always been an air of stoicness in the USA soccer world where those with tempers are left out of teams because they don’t fit it. Well, in Latin America, if you wear your heart on your sleeve someone will consider you someone that will leave everything on the field for his teammates, whether “a good fit” in personality or not. The Big 3 sports in this country allow it, why not soccer. Let’s face it. It’s a system based upon conservative elitism, born and bred in our stoic, don’t rock the boat sprawling suburbs. A big FU to you USA Men’s Soccer. You have disappointed a nation that doesn’t even give a crap. But, although related to the aforementioned, that’s another story.

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  16. Most talented US U-17 team ever huh.? Richie Williams? Sooo you take a marginal player with marginal technical ability and make him a coach just because hes from the Arena Tree and then wonder why this keeps happening.

    The more things changw with US soccer the more they stay the same

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  17. Well watching the game in chile, the announcers kept repeating how not only were the US technically inept but also that they seemed to be playing with wooden legs and that chile just had to wait a couple of seconds and the US would just turn the ball over because they had no game plan therefore no idea of how to play to win.
    They were pretty knowledgeable about the whole setup since JK took over and said that u-17 played just like the NT plays. I agree with Gary Page that basically chile just had better players overall.
    Funny thing is that none of this chilean kids are playing around the world like a few of the americans, and most play in small regional teams. With that said, I’m not sure the US is any better under the guidance of JK, than it was with Bradley or Arena. Something or someone needs to change/leave.

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  18. Growing pains for a system that depended exclusively on size and strength.
    Changing the way these kids have always played to something more sophisticated is bound to create this kind of situations.

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  19. A very thoughtful piece Gary. I don’t think the USA players are as bad as they presented today. It seems like the players at all levels have these ‘deer caught in the headlight mentality ‘ . There is a serious problem with the preparation, tactics and coaching of these players. It seems as if the players dont know how to break down defenses, play give and go, cover for each other and move as a Unit. Is the current problem Coaching, player development, lack of familiarity with each other or poor soccer IQ? Individually, I dont think the USA is that far behind but collectively its as if they lack the basics in soccer. Its been a failure at at levels. Who is taking responsibility for this? Does anyone at USSF care about this catastrophe? I’m convince its time to panick now.

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    • While there are certainly other problems, failure to control a pass that is right to you and making an unpressured pass directly to the opposition is a sign of a serious lack of quality and lack of basic soccer skills. And it happens over and over again. If this was a high school game I can understand it. This is a World Cup. I haven’t seen a lot of non-US games, but I have seen parts of several others.. Why does only the US make these basic kinds of errors? Maybe it’s the pressure and our players need to be mentally tougher. Whatever the case, the idea that all we need to do is change coaches is ignoring a much bigger problem.

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      • The poor touches is also a sign that the players just have no understanding of each other. Your not going to be as clean if your thinking about your next move at the same time. Drill some basic give and goes into the team if you have to. I just see players kind of stopping and thinking rather then reacting too much.

  20. People here are overlooking the main problem. US players, as a whole, weren’t as good as the Chilean players. Too many times the US player receiving a pass would fail to control the ball, turning it over. Too many times the US players would make bad passes. Chile won because they were better.I found the failure to control or trap the ball when passes were accurate to be particularly galling. Chile did not make anywhere the number of mistakes the US did. It’s hard to win when you frequently turn the ball over in your own half, as the US did. And while the second Chile goal was controversial, it was a simple play that the US should not have gotten beaten on. If the US defense had played the ball better, there wouldn’t have been a goal because the Chilean player wouldn’t have been able to make the pass into the box. Enough of the talk I see that we have the talent to win world championships.

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    • If our players aren’t good enough, keep looking for better players. I think the biggest problem for all US teams is that the powers to be get locked into a certain player pool and do not look to find the “diamonds in the rough” that are out there. Many very good players do not get on club team player mills or ODP teams. They may simply play High School soccer or lover level college teams. We need to find these players and not simply focus on ones that want to be talented. Chile is a small country with not half the advantages our players have. So why are they better? I think its because the talented ones are identified at a young age and not by being associated with big name teams. We do not do a good job of finding young and talented players. The ONLY coach that ever did this for the USA was Anson Dorrance. As most know, when the first woman’s World Cup was approaching, he cleaned house by cutting a fair number of experienced regulars and replaced them with Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Julie Fowdy, Joy Fawcett, Carla Overbeck. The result was obvious. Contrast that with Klinsmann’s approach which is find second rate dual nationals because they are better than any American. How will that ever help us?

      So if our current players arent good enough, keep looking and clean house of ones that aren’t good enough. Our defense was clearly poor and there is little point in letting some of them continue to take time and space from players that might develop into something. Follow the Anson Dorrance example as he had it right

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  21. Richie Williams decides to start two defensive midfielders after we just got picked apart by Croatia for playing too defensively. What a joke. Not only should williams be fired, he should be banished from the game of soccer FOREVER!!

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  22. Is it a journalistic imperative to introduce uncertainty into every potentially controversial event that takes place during a sporting event?

    “With William Pulisic sliding for the ball, Chile’s Gabriel Mazuela’s hand appeared to bump the ball out of the goalkeeper’s hands.” There is no “appeared” about it. He very clearly and intentionally bumped the ball out of the goalkeepers hands. The referee didn’t call it and the game was over for all intents and purposes.

    The last two Chilean goals came while the US was putting numbers forward chasing an equalizer. The game was much more even than the score and young Mr. Tolmich would lead one to believe.

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    • “Is it a journalistic imperative to introduce uncertainty into every potentially controversial event that takes place during a sporting event?”

      does anyone have a serious answer to this question? i’ve wondered about it, too; it’s very rare that a journalist will come right out and say that a player cheated, or a referee made a bad call/non-call. seems to always be couched in wiggle-words. not sure if that’s something taught in j-school, or just a natural byproduct of having a large audience.

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      • This was just one game, I agree. You add all the performances in the three games and they majorly sucked. We have regressed to before 1999. Thank you Gulati and Klinsi.

    • He uses the world “appeared” because he’s writing from a journalistic point of view. As much as you and I think the the ball was knocked from the keepers hands not everybody agrees. The referee and the linesman for example.
      Besides the fact that blaming the referee every time we lose is the weakest excuse ever.

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      • My guess is that 90% of Chileans would agree that it was an intentional handball. Saying it “appeared” there was a handball makes it sound 50-50.

        And who said anything about blaming the referee for the loss? You don’t need to look for opportunities to be an a–hole. It comes naturally.

      • I watched the game. Wasn’t intentional. It was too fast. There was contact, the ball came loose, the striker did his job. Could’ve gone either way had the ref deemed it a hand ball.

      • I suggest you watch the highlights again Jeff. Mazuela’s arm comes forward as he is clearly swiping at the ball. If you don’t see that, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s very possible the refs didn’t see it as Mazuela’s body was between the ref and the ball and Pulisic’s body was blocking the linesman.

      • Can you post a link to the highlights that you watched? It’s not obvious at all that he clearly swiped the ball. Especially since he was looking the other way when contact was made.

      • Whether it was intentional or not, the goal should have not stood. Whether it was intentional or not is what determines if a card is given. If he knocked it with his arm unintentionally the goal is called back, a free kick awarded to the defense, ;but no card is given. If it was deemed intentional, then the offensive player should be given a yellow card.

      • Gary, under the current iteration of the rules, the handling must be deliberate in order to be called, so that is something the referee must determine. My belief is that he didn’t see it.

        A yellow card would be issued for unsporting behavior for trying to deceive the referee by making it look unintentional, the same as a dive. That is exactly what I believe happened.

        I lived in Chile for a while and consider it somewhat of a second home. It’s disappointing to see what I consider to be blatantly unsportsmanlike conduct. Combined with the disgraceful actions odd Gonzalo Jara in Copa America, the Chileans are coming off looking pretty bad.

        Jeff, I was just looking at the Fifa highlights. The show the play three times and it’s especially clear in the third shot.

  23. “The U.S. suffered a 4-1 defeat to hosts Chile on Friday, a result that knocked the U.S. after just three group stage contests. With the loss, the U.S. finishes on just one point after falling to Nigeria and squandering a 2-2 lead against Croatia.”

    Slow down a bit, T-mich.

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  24. Richie takes out De La Torre who was arguably one of the best players then takes out Nelson who was our best defender throughout the group stage…. Very well then, not sure what to say on that.

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  25. Observations:

    1. Every U.S. player looked miserable, confused, and anxious. So at least that is consistent on all levels.
    2. Still have no idea what the formation or strategy was for the squad. It certainly wasn’t playing positive and keeping position while moving off of each other.
    3. If Ankle Biter wants to be a true JK disciple, he needs to work on holding a smug know it all grin while his gets their lunch money taken.

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    • Not every US player. Nelson had another outstanding game at left back. He repeatedly won his 1v1 battles, passed safely out of pressure,never got caught out of position and even managed to make a couple forays into the attack.

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      • Really, I watched the game and did not see a single instance where Nelson lost a 50-50 ball, let an attacker get by him or was caught out of position, except in one instance when he was forward and the ball turned over. He showed his speed on that play by recovering to get back before the attacker could turn the turnover into a real threat. So I stand by my assessment of Nelson. Id I had been Williams, I would have taken off the RB when going to a 3 man back line, that player struggled much of the game.

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