Why USA Will Live Up to High World Cup Expectations

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: December 10, 2013

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At the World Cup draw held last Friday, the United States men’s national team drew the proverbial “group of death” as it was paired with Germany, Portugal and Ghana for group-stage play. The average of the four teams' FIFA rankings is 11.25, by far the highest of all eight groups at next summer’s World Cup, per Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated.

In the days since, reactions among USMNT fans have run the gamut from despair to bravado.



But despite the difficulties the USMNT will face, which include a travel schedule of 8,800 miles, a game to be played in the Amazon jungle and having to face traditional USMNT-killer Ghana, there are still multiple reasons U.S. fans can keep their hopes up for the Yanks to advance to the Round of 16.

 

Experience in Europe



In 2010, the U.S. roster had four of its starters getting regular playing time in the top four European leagues. Tim Howard started all 38 games in the net for Everton in the 2009-10 season, Clint Dempsey started 27 games for Fulham (he missed 11 weeks due to injury), Michael Bradley started 28 games in the midfield for Borussia Monchengladbach and Steve Cherundolo started 23 games for Hannover.

Several other Yanks had experience in Europe—Landon Donovan had a successful loan stint with Everton in early 2010, Jay Demerit gained one season of Premier League experience in the 2006-07 campaign, Carlos Bocanegra was a regular with Rennes in Ligue 1 and Jozy Altidore started 16 games for Hull City in 2009-10—but it simply doesn’t compare to the experience the squad will have in 2014.



Heading into the 2014 World Cup, Howard, despite being four years older, is still proving he can get it done at the highest levels of English football. Geoff Cameron is an automatic inclusion in the starting XI for Stoke City every week. Altidore is back in the Englis...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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