04/23/24
June 24, 2009
U.S. Stuns Spain in Confederations Cup: At the Confederations Cup in South Africa Wednesday, the United States beat top-ranked Spain 2-0 on goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, advancing to their first-ever men's final at a FIFA competition. "We're not used to losing," said coach Vicente Del Bosque of Spain, which had won 15 international matches in a row.
Congratulations, septics - well done. You would have got some excellent odds down at the bookies on this. Did anyone out there have a bet?
"I can't explain it any more than you can," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "Sports is funny sometimes, but when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it."
Even correct grammars.
/Although I appreciate that in the US, 'Sports' might be regarded as singular. Still sounds funny, though.
posted by owlhouse at 07:25 PM on June 24, 2009
Well, you can't imagine what we Yanks think when Brits say things like "Manchester United are on a hot streak" or "The House of Commons have it wrong on this one".
The differences in singular/plural usage between the US and UK are jarring to our poor provincial American ears, it must be said.
Oh, and in the US, you're not "in hospital", you're in "the" hospital.
Unless you head north to Quebec. Then, you're "in hospital" all over again.
But for a different linguistic reason than if you were in hospital in the UK.
But if you come to the US and get really ill, then you'll be "in hospice".
Lord help us all.
I need a break. I don't know whether to take a vacation or go on holiday.
posted by beaverboard at 08:18 PM on June 24, 2009
You might feel differently if you had gone to university, Beaverboard.
It took me years to get used to rooting for Spurs, as opposed to the Spurs.
posted by rcade at 08:21 PM on June 24, 2009
It's amazing enough that they made it to the semifinal, let alone beat Spain. For a while there it looked like a power play in hockey, with US defenders blocking shot after shot.
I'll be at Nevada Smiths in NYC for the final if any local Spofites care to join me.
posted by goddam at 10:42 PM on June 24, 2009
Congratulations, septics
Owlhouse, perhaps you mean skeptics, or are we really sewage disposal systems?
I heard of the result today, and I was amazed. I plan to watch the replay to see if anything changes. Spain might have been taking this lightly, but I don't think that lasted for the whole 90 minutes. Good on ya, USA.
posted by Howard_T at 11:02 PM on June 24, 2009
What an awesome match to watch.
On the red card: Lariondo was the ref who sent off two USA players in the game v. Italy at World Cup 2006. How he still gets international games is beyond my ken.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:03 AM on June 25, 2009
Congratulations, septics
Owlhouse, perhaps you mean skeptics, or are we really sewage disposal systems?
Septic = septic tank = Yank. I thought all youse guys watched Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin.
Anyway good luck in the final. If that idiot Mark Viduka hadn't been sent off, we might have done better in the 1997 Confederations Cup Final against Brazil. And did I mention that we also came third in 2001, beating both Brazil and France?
posted by owlhouse at 03:10 AM on June 25, 2009
Um, well, you beat Japan last week, good on ya, soccerooooooooos!
posted by Hugh Janus at 09:24 AM on June 25, 2009
The defense came up huge today! Demerit, Onewyu, and Howard all played out of their heads. I'm still shaking my head at the result. That said, Bradley's red card was quite harsh. A yellow, maybe, but a straight red, insane.