Italian Job

For the USMNT to capture their first championship at this eighth version of the Confederations Cup, it seems they will have to pull of a heist of sorts, the likes of which Marky Mark and his crew could only dream of. That being said, to label the U.S. as sitting ducks might be under estimating a recently battle tested group who has been working together for the better part of three weeks.

Despite some disappointing performances in their last two outings, a fair amount of pressure has been lifted from their shoulders. They will not see near the amount of hostility they saw from crowds largely looking to derail the Americans in Costa Rica, and yes, even in Chicago. The weather in the current South African fall is very mild with temperatures dropping down into the 40's. The pitches should be in great shape as they continue to ready them for next year's event. All in all, the footballing conditions should be near perfect.

What worries most American fans is the world class competition the Americans will be facing straight out of the gate. After today's match with defending World Cup champion Italy, the U.S. gets a seemingly full strength Brazil in three days, then rounds out the group stage with a dangerous Egyptian side. What is important to remember is that though this competition can and should be used as a measuring stick, it is not the final verdict. Bob Bradley should be focusing his efforts on molding a side who can gain some familiarity with each other and finally generate the run of play attacking form their talents are capable of. Results are important for many reasons, but we should look at the performances that come out of the next two and a half weeks. Getting too high or low following such a competition will do no one any good.

Now, on to the match at hand. For the Americans to give themselves a fighting chance in the competition, points from the opener are crucial. A 1-0 win would be the dream result, but with the spotty defensive play recently, I am not convinced we can keep the Italians at bay. That being said, a defensive shell for a 0-0 draw will only stifle the ability for Bob and company to develop any offensive flow that we sorely need. As mentioned earlier, this competition is more about the performances and development, packing it in will not do us any good in the long run. Therefore, I see us going forward, surprising the Azzuri and pulling ahead before the interval, but succumbing around the 75th minute. Final prediction: Draw 1-1.

Projected Starting 11

4-4-1-1

-Howard-

-Spector- -Onyewu- -Bocanegra- -Bornstein-

-Dempsey- -Clark- -Bradley- -Torres-

-Donovan-

-Altidore-


'Gaffer's Choice 11

4-4-2

-Howard-

-Spector- -DeMerit- -Bocanegra- -Bornstein-

-Dempsey- -Clark- -Bradley- -Donovan-

-Altidore- -Davies-

Match Info:

Location: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa
Time: 2:25 ET
TV: ESPN

"Italians can't win the game against you, but you can lose the game against the Italians."
-Johan Cryuff

GO ON YOU YANKS!