Italy vs. USA: Americans More Lucky Than Talented in 1-0 Win

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: March 1, 2012

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When the United States defeated Italy in Genoa on Wednesday night, it was quickly marked as one of the most significant victories in American history. Heck, even Bleacher Report's World Football editor Will Tidey tweeted it was on par with victories by the Yanks in the 2002 World Cup and the 1950 "Miracle On Grass" over England.

However—and I hate to be a wet blanket—there was far more luck than skill involved in the United States blanking Italy.

That's not to say the United States didn't show a certain level of class and talent.

I can't remember our defensive back line playing as well as they did late in the match. Somehow goalkeeper Tim Howard switched into a higher gear, making world-class saves and leading his back line like a grizzled field general.

But Lady Luck was ever-present whenever and wherever the Americans needed her.

For one, the United States could not string together an attack to save their lives. It only had two shots on goal on the night with many scoring opportunities for the Americans ending up as nothing more than an exercise in intercepting or dispossessing the ball by the Italians. 

The score from Clint Dempsey was less a result of a great shot and more a result of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon taking a coin flip's chance of where Dempsey would shoot it, cheating to the left and losing his gamble.

Also, I know that several of Italy's offsides calls were good and fair, but there were several times Sebastian Giovinco took passes from the midfield, had placed himself perfectly square with American defenders and was called offside.



Italy had over a dozen serious scoring chances and while some were thwarted by the seemingly impenetrable Howard, most of them were stopped in their tracks by a team of officials who chose playing it safe over risking awarding a goal that should never have been. 

  Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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