USA plan to go on offensive against Belgium

[Jonathan Fairfield]

USA plan to go on offensive against Belgium

United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann says attack will be the best form of defence when his American underdogs tackle Belgium on Tuesday for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

The United States confounded all pre-tournament predictions by battling their way out of a daunting Group G, finishing behind Germany but claiming the runners-up spot ahead of Portugal and Ghana.

Klinsmann acknowledged, however, that his team must improve on last Thursday's 1-0 defeat by the Germans in Recife if they are to provide another shock by eliminating Belgium, regarded by many as tournament dark horses.

Of particular concern to Klinsmann is his team's attack. According to FIFA statistics compiled after the completion of the first round, the United States had just 72 attacks in three games -- putting them 31st among 32 teams.

Klinsmann says he wants to buck that trend against a Belgium side who may be missing centre-backs Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen, both of whom are battling to recover from injuries.

"It's definitely something we learnt out of the Germany game," Klinsmann said. "We were too deep, especially the first 20 minutes.

"I was screaming my lungs off there to get the back line out and to move the entire unit higher up the field.

"So we'll work on that over the next couple of days in training, to shift the entire game forward and through that put more pressure on the opponent and create more chances. This is really one of our goals.

"It was good at the other end. We didn't give away too many chances. But this is something we have to do better, we have to bring up the players higher and create chances."

- 'Prefer to win 1-0' -

Klinsmann was criticised by sections of the US media on the eve of the tournament for stating that his side had no realistic chance of success.

But since reaching the knockout phase, Klinsmann has changed tack, bullishly telling his players they can go beyond the last 16 and ordering them to change their return flights for the Monday after the July 13 final.

His side will also be playing familiar opposition. In two friendlies in the last three years, Belgium have recorded two victories, winning 1-0 in 2011 before recording a 4-2 success away in May last year.

"They are full of individual talent, there's no doubt about it," Klinsmann reflected.

"We had the opportunity to play them twice in the last two years. Both times they came out as the winning team, but we also believe we can have enough confidence going into this very special knockout game to say we are able to beat them."

Klinsmann's Belgian counterpart, Marc Wilmots, meanwhile has shrugged off suggestions that his team have so far failed to contribute to the feast of attacking football being laid on at this World Cup.

Three group wins over Algeria, Russia and South Korea were secured with very little flair, but Wilmots is not concerned.

"If you ask whether I'd rather put on a good show and go out at the first stage, or win games 1-0, I prefer to win 1-0," Wilmots said.

"It's clear -- you have to be a realist and playing to the gallery is not the goal."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-30

[belg]

go belgium go

[slipperylobster]

Go get em USA.

[slipperylobster]

My prediction.........United States 2 / Begium 1

[P45Mustang]

Belgium.

[NeverSure]

What I'm impressed with is how many people in the US are watching this. I saw an article, maybe here, that more Americans watched the last game than watched the World Series in baseball, or the NBA championship in basketball.

For at least 20 years in the US, young kids have been playing soccer as an activity at school. It's great exercise and takes little equipment. Then they started developing summer activities around it, and then summer leagues. The parents came to watch it.

So we have 2 generations with at least some familiarity with it, where when I was a kid I never heard of it and we played baseball outside instead.

I think it would be great if the USA got really involved in World Football.

[Chicog]

I hope they do attack then Oscar will score and I'll be quids in. But I expect it will be dour.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Jingthing]

USA 1-0

[P45Mustang]

A master class of professional football orchestrated by Hazard, against a workmanlike US team led by a methodical German.

Here's hoping.

[P45Mustang]

I hope they do attack then Oscar will score and I'll be quids in. But I expect it will be dour.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Oscar plays for Brazil, so very unlikely he will score in this game.

Hazard might though.

[jope]

I just saw Klinsmann singing the US anthem. Great, well done Kliensi!

[Jingthing]

I just saw Klinsmann singing the US anthem. Great, well done Kliensi!

Yeah, pretty good considering most actual Americans can't really sing it.

[P45Mustang]

What I'm impressed with is how many people in the US are watching this. I saw an article, maybe here, that more Americans watched the last game than watched the World Series in baseball, or the NBA championship in basketball.

For at least 20 years in the US, young kids have been playing soccer as an activity at school. It's great exercise and takes little equipment. Then they started developing summer activities around it, and then summer leagues. The parents came to watch it.

So we have 2 generations with at least some familiarity with it, where when I was a kid I never heard of it and we played baseball outside instead.

I think it would be great if the USA got really involved in World Football.

Yep. Good idea. Cos the PRC are.

Well, they are trying too, because they are useless.

Snooker though, really dangerous.

[NeverSure]

I just saw Klinsmann singing the US anthem. Great, well done Kliensi!

Yeah, pretty good considering most actual Americans can't really sing it.

Yep, too hard. It has too wide a spread from very high to low notes. Shirley they could have picked something else.

Are you listening, Shirley?

[P45Mustang]

Schurrle plays for Germany and Chelsea.

[sotsira]

Best chance to score fell to the US player in the last minute,

but he scooped it over the bar!

Oh well, another 30mins, if it goes to penalties i fancy Howard to save

one or two, he's on fire!

[P45Mustang]

C'mon Chelsea.

[P45Mustang]

Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal.

Lukaku de Bruyne

[jope]

Great to see that the US-team did not collapse after that first goal and continued fighting. But with this second goal ... (Lukaku for Belgium, 105th minute)

[P45Mustang]

Adios America.

Better stick to the World Series.

[jope]

Adios America.

Better stick to the World Series.

Nooooo! Wrong!!!

Continue fighting and turn the game! (Green for the US, 107th min.)

[sotsira]

How many saves has Tim Howard made?

Man of the match for me!

[jope]

That free kick was sensational! It really deserved a goal for the US, tough luck.

[jope]

USA 1-0

I so would have liked it, if you had been right.

Anyway, the US delivered a great fight. Congrats to Belgium.

I think the Belgian 2:1 is not undeserved.

[sotsira]

Unlucky USA, gave a good account of themselves,

on another day they could have won it in the last minute of normal time,

but Belgium were superior.

[slipperylobster]

Adios America.

Better stick to the World Series.

In fact...the USA has put on a great showing for the growing amount of fans.

Thanks to the team for bringing up the level of excitement.

Not bad.....looks like the USA will be getting more and more into the game.

Did much better than England.

[jope]

Adios America.

Better stick to the World Series.

In fact...the USA has put on a great showing for the growing amount of fans.

Thanks to the team for bringing up the level of excitement.

Not bad.....looks like the USA will be getting more and more into the game.

Did much better than England.

Let's not get over the top here. It is still England we are talking about. And they were World Champion in 1968 (sort of, we Germans know that their last two goals did not count!)

But totally agree otherwise. Looking forward to seeing the US-team at the next championship.

[P45Mustang]

Watch the next games, and if you know anything about football, you will realise the true position of the US in the world football hierarchy.

Enthusiastic amateurs.

[jope]

Watch the next games, and if you know anything about football, you will realise the true position of the US in the world football hierarchy.

Enthusiastic amateurs.

Do you want me to apologize? I would do that. Seriously!

[NeverSure]

ESPN said that Green, who came in rather late for the US, was the youngest player ever to play for the US in the WC. They also said that his goal came on the first time he touched the ball. Pretty nice for a youngster to remember.