¶ USMNT's Statement Win Over Paraguay
🎵 Music
Good morning soccer friends. Welcome to First Touch 26 coming to you live from our beautiful on the morning after what was arguably, arguably the best night for US men's national team soccer that we have ever seen. Was it a dream? I don't think so, but you know what is a dream? Working alongside these two legends right now. Giannone and we are.
Ready to pull?
Bring the stars and stripes this morning, as we should, guys. Um, a true I'm not kidding when I say I woke up. Did it happen? This morning, and I was like, Yep. Yes, it was a 4-1 win over Paraguay in their opening match of this World Cup. That was my phone, by the way. I'm sure so excited. Um
things over, but um there's so much to dive into. So much to dive into. So I I just kind of want to get a a sense of how you're feeling this morning. You guys did the show immediately after and Mikelli and I were So how now that you've had a you know a few hours of sleep, um
Great.
Oh, God.
With if you can call that sleep. I think I barely slept two and a half hours, three hours. And you can take the arguably out of what you said. Yeah. It was the best night. in US MNT history. At least in my life And I'm so happy. I'm happy for you. I'm happy for you. I'm happy for all the American fans, all the soccer fans.
that have been waiting for this moment for so long. I'm I I'm getting goosebumps talking about it. I literally Because and and and I said this last night and we're talking with some people last night before the game that watched the game with us here in the studio. And they were saying, I I'm not feeling the World Cup. It it like it hasn't started yet. Like I I don't I don't feel the atmosphere, I don't see the people, I don't see the fans.
The World Cup started last night and for me personally yesterday was a reminder of what being a fan means. Not having my team, my nation, Italy. here. It was yesterday was like a got in the punch watching Canada Bosnia because it sh it should have been Canada, Italy. But as a USMNT supporter last night it like that it gave me so much happiness, especially for for my friends, for you guys.
Dream as a soccer fan in the US of moments like this'cause I've I've had it. I watched Italy winning a World Cup in two thousand and six. You guys haven't even seen the US M M T having a night like this, let alone getting to a semifinal. So I'm really, really happy for you guys. And as a person that covered this um core of players when they were really young, starting with Greg Berhalter and and and a couple of years back, it I felt like a weird It was like Tyler, Christian, Weston.
Yeah.
Those are my boys! I saw you!
No. Where are you at in your head right now?
I think for me the only way to like describe how I feel is that last night we were like it got euphoria and it was exciting and normally then you sober up and I feel is. I think that's all you need to know. Like as the okay, here's the reality sets in, it's it's actually made Because it to to McKelly's point about fandom and everything with the World Cup and the World Cup starting, it also remind I've been thinking about the power.
and just people score a goal in one moment on one day every four years and it changes everything. That's what last night was. So we'll talk about it a lot more, but like I still have feeling ten hours later, which I don't think is gonna go away because I think it's gonna increase. I think as we spend the next week with every sports commentator talking about this team and now all of a sudden Stephen A and Colin Cow
experts on the US Women's national team and that's why y you all come here for it. But as and as they go on the Kelly Clarkson show and as every influencer who does a cool little piece wants to be a part of this group and all of that. I don't think it's gonna decrease. I think it's only gonna increase going up to the Australia game next week. So I think that's my feeling is ten hours later realizing the magnitude of what occurred.
I you said something last night on the show that really resonated Love that. Um but you talked about Mm-hmm. What a moment to to get on board, you know and Um but that it was Performance. memory for you. How unbelievable is that? We're not a soccer family by any stretch. Coach. I have been fully entrenched in the soccer scene for a while. So they they dabble. My mom texted me last night. There's no way that they would ever. like a world like the World Cup match.
the World Cup and this is your influence on us. Of it and even so it it just made me happy, but it kind of goes back to your point of like people are now paying attention, that was what they. And it's just a it it feels like a
Talking about talking about core memories, that's how you make new fans.
Yeah.
Kids that are watching the game last night, I'm sure a lot of them went. Dad, soccer dot com, get me a balacoon jersey. Like who's this guy?
I go to soccer.
Yeah, yeah.
Gear.
Get your ballot
Now is your chance because they're gonna sell out.
I have friends texting me from Mexico, from Venezuela. 'Cause they wanna know their the f the US MNT and the US soccer has always been something that people are intrigued of when you're in the US because a lot of people don't understand that oh the US is the best at baseball uh the best All the sports except soccer. So, what's happening? So, it's very complex to explain. Yeah. So, last night you
That's that hockey, you're welcome, Canada.
Ha ha.
So it's very difficult to explain why it's n why the US is best teams in the world, the best programs in the world in on the men's side. And before the game last night it's like, Hey, what are we thinking? Like
Who's the best player? Who are we like trying to look for? And then during the game, it's like, oh my God, who's this guy Balogun? Like what's happening? And and then and then it's like, why is Giorina coming off the bench? And it you know, you're trying to like That this group has been going through all these roller coasters. eight years because it certainly hasn't been a linear growth and we can talk about that obviously later.
All right.
This nation needs True soccer fans. That care about the journey. And Particularly when when and I had the experience of living in And knowing how a lot of kids that are first generation, second generation Americans, but they grew up in a Mexican household and they become Mexican national team fans because they don't have yet that connection. That thing that they can grab on. Now kids that maybe were in that position like Yeah.
This looks pretty cool. Right? And you grab... I became a fan of... Again, I'm... recycling some of my thoughts last night. There's so
There's so many.
But but for example, I'm I'm a Lazio fan, that's my club in Italy. How I became a Lat a a Lazio fan, I was watching the nineteen ninety four World Cup, I was ninety years old watching Italy and My favorite player on that team, Giuseppe Signori, I asked my grand It's like where does that guy play? Yeah, I like him. Oh he plays a Lazio. Oh I'm gonna root for
And it's the same thing with club, with country. So I think last night it's again it's a core memory, and and we need more of that here in the US. And it's I think it's the biggest. Soccer boost this country has ever had.
just said I think anybody anybody certainly who is watching or listening right now knows that um the social media scene amongst US soccer when it it it it It's a can be rough place. Um last night there was zero Discord. Everybody was on the same page for it what felt like the first time ever. And that in itself felt really, really We're all hopeful can we harness this and keep it in the world? Uh
keep it precious for as long as we possibly can. And it just felt it just felt really nice. Felt really nice, didn't it?
My message and you asked me this last night. Don't overthink it. Like treasure it.'Cause as a fan, you don't get many of these moments. Except you're a f if if you're a fan of Argentina, Brazil, the best teams in the world, right? So And again I I I don't want to do that.
Thank you.
But for me for me last night was like bittersweet'cause I'm again I'm really happy but as a funny reminding me of like grabbing to these moments as an Italian or as a Venezuelan Kill. To be the US right now. I will kill to be with yeah like what you guys are feeling, right? Yeah. Because these are the moments that that truly truly make your So I'm that's that's what I'm saying that I'm pretty happy for you guys because it's it's Lasana is truly special. And maybe the US is not
I'm not sure.
I don't wanna be like a party poop or anything, but we don't know what's gonna happen.
No we don't.
Maybe the US goes and wins the whole thing. We don't know. Well
Manager told us.
We're gonna lose Australia.
And they were well yeah, but we'll take that. But football managers right. Yeah.
This moment, as of now, just enjoy it.
Um yeah, there's two other things that I've been thinking about. So one is everyone immediately. Which is a great conversation to have and one that I think we're gonna have.
Definitely.
I think the obvious points are nineteen ninety four, Men's World Cup. Yeah. Here in the US and the defeat in Colombia, which pushes them into the knockout rounds, it puts that Brazil game on July 4th, a sold-out Rose Bowl. That's probably the first moment that American soccer arrives to any
For what nineteen ninety was, shot her around the world, all of that's important. But I think for the moment and like one moment I think I'm saying in front of the most people with the most impact. Certainly. Then it's nineteen ninety nine. The Women's World Cup here, which we talked about with Canada yesterday, of they're doing the reverse, Women's World Cup into a men's. Can you build Elevated on ninety four and then of course they win. So that changes things.
I would argue after that for US soccer moments as great as 02 was, it's happening at 730 AM in South Korea. And for as great as 09 was. I would say it's the Lennon Donovan goal. Yep. But then it's twenty fifteen, the women winning in Canada on the same time zone, the Carly Lloyd goal. three. And then now last night comes in. I think last night's bigger than the landing goal.
And I think it's bigger than the Confed Cup because it's gonna be seen by more people, it's gonna affect more people, and whatever said it of they may not win the World Cup. You look at all the data, they just claim it. So we just got another week at minimum of them being the front of every conversation and them being important and people being invested and people being connected. So I don't know that I wouldn't say yet that it's bigger.
I think if they do that again against Australia or Turkey, because you've now sucked more people in, like the numbers are gonna go up. Yeah. Then it would be. I think ninety four and ninety nine still sit ahead because of what it meant for like getting the s like I drive stick, getting into first gear is harder than getting into third gear. So what 94 and 99 did is more difficult than what's happening now, but I that's where it stands.
I just think this moment is big And I was watching uh Mauricio Pochettino interview on the field How the players responded to the We're not being hyperbolic here with the
Yeah.
You're the the host country. You are or or you you you were the host country last night. It was the biggest game in your program history. and the weight of those And the way that the team and perform when you combine all of those things. That's why I'm saying and again also the the the cultural part because you gain so many fans And people were talking about it. Uh golfers.
People in the media...
Yeah, so you said golf in NASCAR and I made fun of it.
That don't know anything about soccer.
Yeah.
Blue Sky that said, I don't know anything about this, but this is awesome.
Yeah. Or d Darren Fox memes, right? Like it's entering mainstream culture into other conversations that are being held on.
That that's what when soccer it's now entering those cultural levels I think that's why in my opinion it's it's the biggest
The expectations thing you're spot on. And I think that because of what we've seen over the the past you know, year and a half, especially under Pochettino, it's been so inconsistent the performances and so I wasn't convinced necessarily. I was hopeful that they would live up to expectations, but there's always that little bit of doubt that that creeps in with this group. And to see it completely squashed So on the front foot and they were a wrecking crew. No.
Correct!
Relentless against Paraguay. I was like, okay, okay. This is what we knew you were capable of, and to watch you. it right now on the biggest stage in the biggest moment. It was perfection.
And we don't have to go far. We're talking about this uh pre game. I remember being there covering this team January twenty nineteen. The lowest point in program history. Lowest point. Right? Coming off not being in Russia.
Oh dear.
with a lost generation. You guys the new core, the new young players, Weston, Tyler, Pulitzer But they're they're kids, they're nineteen, twenty, twenty one. You don't know how they're gonna develop, right?'Cause we in in this country speci specifically we get enamored about the process. Now everybody's talking about Kevin Sullivan and Ari Medmetti. We don't know. We don't know. This is a next next step. And I remember being there in Chulavista, actually, that was in the border of San Diego.
In Tijuana.
And I was there for a week going every day. I was the only media person. Every day.
Yeah.
Nobody gave a bleep about this progra, about these players. after the twenty eighteen debacle. Yeah. Nothing in soccer terms.
Yeah, in some ways it feels like yesterday.
Yeah. It has been quick and to your point of like cycles, it is quick. From that moment to now. Yeah. And
anyone like that.
For them to jump up and those young guys that he talked about, they're the leaders now, and they stepped up last night. And you said it in that first half being everywhere. Moloch Till. his best game ever with the US men's national team.
Um and Doyle was on the show yesterday with us and he did his football manager tactical piece and he talked about what the changes have been, which is with Alex Freeman coming into the team. He pinches in as that right center back, starting really as a right back. And desk can get high and then Jedi And what we saw against Paraguay that worked so well is when those two players got high it pulled. And the middle four attackers can all play
Weston can come deeper. Yeah. T Tilman can go higher. Tyler can cover so much ground, he can move around. We don't want Polisic dropping in too much, but he can. And that's where Paraguay got completely. And Weston and Pulisic's ability to check back and then go into the depth, so to stretch the line or to give an option there. Weston's ability really to be anywhere on the field and be comfortable because he has played 19 positions for top level teams in Champions League.
You saw that come off, him and Tillman switching when they need to and Tyler understanding where to connect and go. A Paraguay midfield, which I made fun of you for yesterday, but is a really good strength of their team. Yeah. Diego Gomez is. G is entering already into best player in Paraguayan history territory and Kubas is one of the best players in this group and has been in South America. Messi hates him for a reason.
They got pulled all over the place. And Polisic's recognition that The guy across from you gets a yellow card in the eighth minute, I can go after him. For me now. And he went and went and went and went. And I'd say the last piece on that is the connection and the understanding where there was a lot of layoffs and no look passes and extra passes with which are I believe that the next guy's making the run. And that was the final piece to get them to these finishing
I got so many messages from from friends, especially in Venezuela, playing in Comme. Los Estados Unidos hicieron Paraguay así. Para darles unos números rápidos. Alfaro, their current coach, when he took over this team, was for the last twelve games of qualifiers. They were next to last below Venezuela. They lost just one game of the last twelve in Brazil. One zero. They allowed under him on the last twelve Yeah. The US score four on that three on the first half.
Uh. The Paraguay we saw last night is not the Paraguay that we saw on qualifiers, at least on that last night. But all the credit to the US that they made para The work that Tyler did at midfield with Tillman, which I who I believe was best on the field. the work he did covering ground and and and winning duels at midfield with Freeman covering for desk. We've seen this like when when when it's in possession, Freeman stays as a and and it's a back three. Pulisic and death
I don't think they were never ever on their own half. They they stayed up and that forced Paraguay to for the full backs to stay in. And they capitalized on every mistake. Paraguay was slow. Cuba's never got. I I I don't think I ever saw Coupe.
No the central midfield for Paraguay never touched the ball. They were never
It was basically try to get the ball to Almirono and Ciso and immediately they were surrounded by two, three American Again, I don't want to be hyperbolic, but as a performance, I think this is the best World Cup game that the US MNT has ever.
I couldn't agree more. Um, we've got a lot more to dive into on Wonderful partner. Wonderful partner. Soccer dot com who hooks. Visit soccer.com for the widest selection of World Cup product. Free shipping, guys, on orders over forty nine dollars.
I gotta I gotta say, this kid in person it's great.
So good. I love it so much better in person.
Yeah, me too. Where everything was.
Um okay so you let's talk a little bit more about um who's shown.
¶ Folarin Balogun's Golden Boot Race & USA Standouts
quickly becoming a very important player for this US men's national team. I also Leading the golden boot race in the World Cup in for Laren Balogun. He, I think, over the I'm I guess maybe year you could say has evolved into the striker that we had hoped he would be when he committed to the US.
We were all so excited when he declared that he was gonna play for this country. And I think there was and I I will Was a little bit critical of him early on in some of the performances, but my good Last night. I am I am elated by the performance.
No, it's huge. It's so you know, if you're watching on YouTube, if you're listening on podcasts, we love you. But you can also watch us. We put up the graphic. I mean, yeah, we're two days in, only four games have been played, but like an American Don't know that that's ever been the case. So that's like exciting on its own maybe Eric.
In nineteen ninety-four. I'm probably wrong about that. Um, although they weren't their opening game. So that's huge. That's awesome. That's massive. I think to the point on Bolligan. He knows his skill. He knows his his craft. And I think you see it on the third goal where he gets nudged. He loses it a little. Some players would go down. There's a chance you get a PK. There's a chance you get a red card.
He knows that if he can get on the ball and in his spot, he will finish. Right. That's the great ones in the world, which are I don't need it perfect and I don't need everything. If I can get my feet set, if I can get my shoulders over the ball, I'm gonna finish. in the world. And he does that in a way that very few Americans have ever done. I do think Pepe's in that category as well, but Bolligan can find goals in more ways
Peppy was the only one to me last night who looked a little bit shell.
He looked bad.
By the occasion.
He looked like he played for Canada.
In the game.
Yes, I and it's a big game. Well we'll talk about the pressure coming up in a moment. So I that's the thing with Bolligan is you feel that the amount of goals he can It is right foot, left foot. It's from distance. It's the creative finish, which is I went quicker than the goalkeeper expected, but it's also the class finish, which is I put it in that He can't save. Yeah. And you add on top of that, he finds gold.
He has a goal, if that's not an own goal, in the opening, right? So he reads Polisic's movement and he he leaves to vacate the space so there's enough enough space for Polisic to work. And then Weston comes and fills some of it to help push it along.
That is understanding that movement. That's a tapping goal, right? So in theory he could have had a hat trick and it would have been a tapping goal and then the creative goals. And that's the full package for a center forward. And the US has had some great Players up top. Clintempsey when he played there, Josie Altador. Josie's probably the one who had the full bag, was never really fit in the big moments, unfortunately. But what Bolligan has in every single aspect is something that the US has.
Balogun started really well his US MNT career, his on the Nations League, under BJ Callahan. When this team for the first time
Hasta la próxima.
Did that step up?
Yeah, yeah, not the step to the dad that's step top.
We love people.
So when this team changed the the so this is when after the twenty twenty two World Cup, this Nations League twenty twenty when BJ Calham gets this team out of nowhere, like with two weeks to go before Nations League, Balogon is coming in. And for the first time the US MNT on paper the four three three but that's the first time that they implemented truly just kept Christian on the wing, Christian Polisic and having a
with with GeoRena. And Balogon and we had this conversation on I think the the last time we were with with m with Doyle when I think it was after the s the Senegal game when we're w yeah, Senegal game. We're we were talking about who should who should be playing, Peppy or or Balogun, right? And We saw the best version of of of Balogun and and and this is where the team under Berhalter, Balogun was struggling because It's the number nine that the Berhalter system.
The the number nine that that that bounces back. Bounces it in Spanish is a botan. Translations, I don't know exactly how to say it. But like like play with your back to the goal combined. Like when we saw against Senegal, and he combined great with Policy on the first Balogun is a different player. Balogun is gonna run through lines. You gotta feed him the ball, right? Uh you gotta give him the ball. You gotta you you you gotta you gotta try to to get him on space to do what he did last night.
And under Berhalter where the team was trying to play through Christian That connection was never there. And that's why Christian Polisek before this game looked better with Pepe or with number nine. And last night we saw with Christian on the wing and Western and Malik creating game through the through the mid channel where you can feed Balo in a different way and If the US is gonna keep playing that way, then Balogun is your nine and he can be a war He can be... I mean, he's...
He's one of the leading scorers in League On.
One of the best leagues in the world. So obviously it's not like tier one Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, etcetera. But I don't think it's that far off. But you need that team to play a certain way, like the US. Right. So I think um he can be very effective and It's two goals, and you say, Well, he's leading the Golden Boot as of now. The last, I think, four or five World Cups the Golden Boot is five or six.
But this is different. There'll be an extra game.
Right.
And in theory some of these groups. The one team of these groups could be.
Yeah, but still I think.
Yeah, it's probably gonna be between eight. My guess is between eight and ten this year. Yeah. So Hamez won it with five and So yeah, you're not wrong if he if he can sneak two more goals in the group stage, he's going to be a legitimate contender for the golden boot at this World Cup.
Nineteen thirty. It's a nod.
Yeah, I think it's underrated. I thought Pat and Odd was really good that year. Yeah. So I really I I thought that I expected
Watch them. Watch them with your own eyes.
Watch our nineteen thirty pregame show. I feel like I was gassing him up right in between crank.
Hey, we may have met semifinals that year. Ninety.
And the boat ride back was glorious.
Man, there's so much how much time do we we there's so much more to dive into.
Luckily we have a daily show.
We do have a daily show.
Um
G Arena is that Burr Alter, we've got a photo of it.
I know
That's it.
No bad blood there, guys. Yeah.
Yeah, everyone loves Wayne.
Which is so like
Just no, everything we're talking about is unprecedented for them. And kind of in the group state, I'm it's someone on TV. Yesterday said it's the best group state. Um and I had said on the show last night so we're gonna be doing a live post game show for every US. If you're just here in this, we will be there on soccer wise every time. Um couldn't remember last time they beat a Conwell team. It was nineteen ninety-four against Colombia. Okay. It was the Andres Escobar own goal.
I think one of the things is the US because they're And the pot C pot one seed, they normally don't get a common bowl team. So it's like pretty rare to play a team like that, which I think also goes to what they were able to like get through. There's not a ton of experience. Obviously the US and Paraguay played in a frame.
year. So that helped. And that's a credit to US Soccer. I think you could have gamed out the draw a little bit and said, who could we play? The fact that they played all three of the teams in their group over the last twelve months, that's like a positive. So that's a credit to someone in a group that I don't think we give a ton of credit to often, which fairly we don't, but that that's an odd um of the cap to
Yeah, there's a I mean seventy one percent possession in the first half, wild, sixty five over the course of the game. So just fully dominant and Chris Richards.
Yeah.
It is.
They said he was going to be available, but coming off of that ankle injury, you just don't know and you don't know if um Pachuccino was save him um for later, but he got the start and was so effective, did not look like he was hampered at all by this this injury. And I'll there was just um when Chris Rich Richards is back There's such a Such an extraordinary center back pairing and it it And direct, it just sets the tone. And I think Chris Richard, like it was so wonderful to see him perform.
I was afra I was afraid the injury was a little bit more than a little bit.
Yeah, no, he looked fully himself and we sort of talked about it last night'cause it was like, Oh, well when do you get him off? Like when do you protect him? I wonder if because the group stage is so far apart. That it actually became a fitness thing, which was let's he has he missed the end of the season with Crystal Palace. Let's get him match minutes to get him sharp.
Because when you get to the group stage, it goes if they were to continue in like five days and then four days of rest. Where right now it's literally seven days. Yeah. Which is unheard of and then that's like a normal regular season. So I think that's where they probably landed on that was
The game's going well, it's in a good game state. Let's actually play him the full so these starts to work his way back in live minutes, which is impossible to do. The other note in all that is Christian Pulisic comes.
off at halftime. Um he said he got kicked in the calf going into the halftime, didn't feel great. The reports, you know, at the game where that he came out said to his family, I feel okay. And post game Pochettino said the same thing. Yeah. Police said the same thing. He said, Let's hope it's fine, you know.
It was the best half of S I mean, we're talking about it's the best game he's ever played. He only played forty five minutes. That's how dangerous he was. That's how good he was. He had an assist. He should have had two if it's not the own goal. Um so
There's a lot to be excited about. I will leave it with this because we'll talk about Australia later. I think it's not the worst case in the world after this game. If he does miss a game, that it's that game. Yeah. I just think there's ways for the US to go about it.
And this this is where you feel good about the depth. on this team and we were talking about this. The 2022 team didn't have depth, especially at those positions. There was nobody behind Polisek. On the bench. Midfield behind Tyler, Weston and Musa and This team you have options. You can rest if you need. And you Because you can play...
or Gio from from the beginning if you wanna be more more offensive. You have Alex Sendejas, that is a if you wanna play a true winger. You have Brendan Aronson, another true winger. So you have options. This team is so much deeper Hey you know what? We're just gonna give Christian police a little rest. We're just gonna play Tyler forty five minutes. I don't know. I'm I'm just giving you scenarios, right? And this is And it's gonna sound like a little bit of a little bit more.
cliche because before this game and and and the same goes for Mexico The most important thing you can do in your open It doesn't matter if you play ugly, if you play bad, if if you win one zero with just one shot on goal, getting the three points on a World Cup with the expectations, with the nerve, with the pressure. And'cause Mexico got booed for a little bit. Yeah. Insane. So those those are the those are the the the pressure that for example
a Mexico team and under that culture it's at, right? You're winning at home, you're World Cup opener and you're getting booed because you're winning one zero against playing eleven B ten at that moment. But after the game Alvaro Fidalgo, one of one of the the starters said
Yeah, we need to be better and we need to make adjustments, but it's better to make adjustments with three points on the back than make having to make adjustments with the pressure of one or zero points in the back. With the USMND, you got both. A great game. And now you can play a little bit if you need to with rest. In condition or or or giving players opportunities, right? Why not?
data says that the US has a 99
I think that's a good number.
As somebody who does dress, it is part of my job to be Ian Fuller's style. Really enjoyed what Potch was rocking last night. It was very You know, it was it looked like a fisherman kind of button down shirt and his he's letting his hair grow.
I got a text that says he looks more like a big thing.
He really does. Yeah.
It'll be a good one.
Yeah.
I went into the.
If it's more polished.
Uh no it won't be a good thing. Stay called.
Did you catch the replay when when he went to celebrate with the players after Giuse?
Yes, yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, it's awesome. Like your run. I know, and it's funny because we don't have to be a good idea. That side of him. That was a very Jose Mourinho sort of moment for Maurizio Paciano, and I loved it. I loved to see what it what it.
¶ Canada's Tournament-Opening Draw
Again, we have a daily show every day, 9 30 AM. There is going to be so much more to talk about when it comes to this US. Move it along to Group B and another host nation. Canada taking on Bosnia Herzegovina in their first match of this World Cup. Uh they end up sharing the points. It was a one-one draw. Kyle Laren coming off the bench. Getting the equalizer late in the second. It's the first point in FIFA World Cup team history for Canada.
So that's something. And we're gonna we're gonna focus on the positives at at first, but I will say on when I when watching this match and I think uh
same thing. There were just so many
that they had. And it was I felt a little disappointed for them, for for the fans that were in, because the scenes were awesome in Toronto, um, that they didn't get all three. I felt like they They should have walked away with three points.
I think the thing we should walk away from this is how hard this is. Yeah. And I think that's one of the things that got skewed late last night with the US is the pressure and stress of being a home. Um Canada had a one point two three X Like I don't think Mexico was great. South Africa played into a mistake and credit to Mexico. They they started pressing high early and Quinnones gets the finish.
Like the US they score early, so the pressure is off.
And Canada obviously had the reverse. But my point would be in the soccer that was played, I thought Mexico looked very similar to Canada. Canada played, and you'd said this, Canada played the best opponent. Yeah, by far. Right. So you look at two hosts get a win and then you look at a Bosnia Herzegovina team. They're the most dangerous. They are they they have the best structure. They have the the best talent. And so I think you just saw how hard.
And I I don't think we should lose sight of that. And so for Canada a one one draw is not ideal, but I think it's acceptable. And it doesn't change the fact that I have every belief that Canada could be So it this game did wasn't played out in a way in which you're like, Oh, this team's not at the level and we actually overcompensated for them or anything. I just think this is the nature of what you get on the field at these big moments.
And you play it out. Some of the injuries still hurt this team. I think having Alfonso Davies yesterday would have been a game changer. I thought Ali Ahmed was very good off the bench. He was a starter when he got hurt. I wouldn't be shocked if he becomes a starter again. Um, to bring a little bit more balance to this team. I think he does more things than a Liam Miller and Tejon, you gotta figure out when and where you wanna use him. But for Canada
Outside of the set piece goal they concede, the back line looks pretty good. That's a huge question mark for them. Maxime Crapeau, not great on the goal. Otherwise, fine in this game. And outside of that opening five, six minutes and then the goal on a set piece. Canada controlled the game. And that's where it's gonna be a little bit hard for them. Is are you a high pressing team? If you are, it's hard against a low.
group and as a home team, what are opponents gonna give you? How are opponents gonna play you? They're gonna have to figure that out. But I think you gotta remember to the history you said of like how unknown this is for everyone in Soccer, what happened yesterday and so getting that first ever result, which you hope then becomes the first ever win. Last World Cup they scored the first ever goal in three losses. Like it's not all gonna jump, but it could
I don't wanna be simplistic and and take anything away from from what you said, but sometimes it's as simple as their best players didn't perform. Their balogun Jonathan David had a terrible game. Yeah. And he missed a couple of
He has more responsibility than Balogun. It's harder for him.
But his his job is to scroll
Unfortunately not exactly the way the team set up, but yes, his best skill set was the thing that felt him on the top penalty.
But what's his number one job?
I think that's I think this is part of what Jesse has gotten wrong. I think this is part of I wouldn't start Tany alongside him because now he becomes the 10 and he drops in, he's he's trying to create the game, he's trying to connect where his best skill set is to be the final.
he plays a juve not and and that means Ismail Conne. I I I think he was terrible yesterday. He was not on the ball uh As much as he needs to. I thought he looked scared. rattle in the first half, maybe the pressure. Yeah. I don't know. But he was never on the ball. And Canada's goal came when he came on the ball and created the ball.
Canada needs Conet and Jonathan David to be better. Like the US needs Balogun and Pulisic and McKenney to play like They played a really good team that they were not gonna sit back like um South Africa against Mexico or uh the US. You saw that Bosnia, when Bosnia has the ball, they wanna be aggressive. They wanna they wanna go forward. They have two great They have really good uh strikers. And I just think Because they should have won last uh.
Yeah, I think they didn't take risks. I think Kone struggled with his touch. I think Ustakio wasn't as dangerous as he could've could have been, where that's where his passing can open up the game a little bit and then
as you start to be more dangerous, it gives more space for Johnston and LaRaya to get into the attack, which I didn't think they were able to do um as much as they'd like to. But it's building blocks and I think it's a first Because the job is to get out of the group for the first time ever and to play in a knockout game and to win a knockout.
And so they didn't do they didn't hurt themselves. Like Bosnia is one of the three better teams in this group that you know, it right now kinda has a sixty five percent chance of getting number, um you'll take that risk. The assumption is they'll And it comes down to the Switzerland game. If you get a draw, do you set yourself up?
It does it become a goal differential game. Uh if you get a win, now you're dri in the driver's seat of the group and all of that is still a possibility for this team. It's fingers crossed that Alfonso Davies comes back and It's not just from a talent point of view. I think part of what Jonathan David struggles with when he's not out there is like it's just a lot of pressure on the guys. And I think Alfonso Davies is sort of this like everyone feels
when he's a part of things. Yeah. Um for this team and I think the crowd will as well, especially in Vancouver. Like this is the game in Toronto. Now they go out to Vancouver. That's his home city. You know, well, he's from Edmonton. That's his home club. Like that could just be this huge boost. So I I think there's a lot to be excited about still. I know for the people in the building that I know, the text I was getting was
I was gonna.
ask it was one of the what were they it it was just the emotion of the experience, the crowd around it, um, the red in the stadium, the energy of the game. You I think you could feel it through the TV that after they conceded the crowd sort of lifted. And
incredible goal from Kyle Learn. This is a guy who led all of the world in World Cup qualifying goals in twenty twenty two, the last time Canada had to qualify. So this is not like a flash in the pan off the bench, bounced around a little bit now, PS V Eidenhoven in
in Spain and then obviously with Southampton this year, so it hasn't been perfect. Uh but this is he's really good at the thing he did. And so he finds a space, the turn is amazing. And it's those special moments that open up the game. And then the two cleared off the line. I mean the one of them that's cleared up off the crossbar and out, that thing's a goal. The other one, a bit of a soft header and a scramble moment cleared away, but that ball cleared off the line, that's a goal eighty
five ninety five percent of the time and then the Canada's up two one. So I think I overall you come out of this and I think watching the Mec Mexico and Canada and the US, you have to say what it makes me more impressed by what the US did, just because of how hard.
Part of it.
To deal with all of this stuff. But I think in general all three teams will take where they sit right now. as well. And then moving into today, we're gonna start to get a feel of what the World Cup feels like outside of this unique fact that three different OSA ceremonies and moments and national anthems and all that stuff.
As you mentioned,
We can take a look at the group standings. Yeah. And uh Mexico sitting on top with South Korea, Bosnia and Canada tied on one and then the US sitting on top of the group. It does look pretty. Yeah.
Yeah.
Uh
If we go over by the way, Derek, hit me with the computer, as he loves to do. I do have this uh video which this is sort of the like the redux of the Landon Donovan video that we put together. We put it out on our first touch. uh account and there are clips from all over the country. People watching fan parties. We're so excited to be uh linked up with AO for this World Cup. If you have never been to an AO watch party, I guarantee you there is a
driving distance or public transportation distance of your place. So um go check them out and uh I think it's gonna be like a huge buoy. And then this was of course uh as well all over the country uh fans in
Naxwitz.
What's up? Oh, you know where it is.
Oh my gosh, it is an unbelievable place. Love.
And this is the type of thing which I this is just gonna grow. First of all, the Australia game, Friday, 3 p.m. Eastern time, everyone's getting off work. Everyone's not already done. Everyone's getting out of school. Like this is what we talked about last night, which is this now only grows. And everyone needed a reason to opt in and this team gave them to reason to opt in. Thank you, Derek. And uh and now
It's just gonna get bigger and bigger as it goes along. So uh make sure to follow us on social Instagram and Blue Sky and uh and YouTube and then uh yeah, make sure to go up to a We got a date.
¶ Qatar vs. Switzerland Preview
Well yeah four.
What counts us today?
Is that today?
If I didn't go to sleep.
Fot Mom says it's tomorrow. And that's what's messing me up.
Exactly. It's the World Cup, baby.
Gotta grind for the next month. I know. Sleep when you're dead.
Okay. Switzerland. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
In the Canada group, in the Bosnia group. To me it's very clear. So I don't the winning the Asian Cup doesn't convince me that they've gotten better. They've had a little World Cup experience, but playing on the road versus playing at home can't be a bigger boost. Um and this is a Switzerland team undefeated. eight games. Uh they are not to me elite, even though they've contended at times in Nations League and Euros, but they are. I mean this is the Okay.
Yeah, I'll be shocked if Karar gets a point. In this World Cup. And it and and it's and it's obviously a good test to Because all due respect with Bosnia And it's gonna be the last game of the group stage. So it's gonna probably decide who's gonna go on top. And we already know how important with this format is winning your group. And I I d firmly believe that this should be Nothing is easy in the World Cup but Switzerland should have no issues with
And I think for the Swiss the you're what you're trying to get going here is Dan Endoy, Ruben Vargas, the two attacking pieces that will sit outside the striker in front of what is a really strong central midfield. Yeah, that's the creativity.
that's the flair. That's where Switzerland has struggled at the top moments. They can hang with teams, they can stay compact. I think a kanji's as good as anyone in the world. Um and consistently over the last twenty years they've had one of the best On the planet, and Jaka has been, you know, a mainstay, but it's that creativity in big games, and so this is the type of game.
You want to get confidence, you want to get flowing, and I think that's where you look to Endo, you look to Vargas, if no Okafor gets on the field as well. Those are guys who can make magic and make the game happen, especially if Switzerland is the uh you know, better team where they will
To this group, I think you have to find ways to get on the half turn to get 1v1 in the channels and beat players and so that you can open up the game a little bit more. And that's the guys that I'm looking at. And this is the perfect way. Just pour it on and if you can get that flowing, that's the way
All right.
¶ Brazil vs. Morocco Showdown
Uh but before we get into dot com. Make sure you visit soccer.com for the widest selection of World Cup product free shipping on orders over forty-nine dollars. Okay. Let's look at some kits.
We've got a lot we've got a lot of kits to talk about um at this world.
Yes.
We are all wearing US kits, Derek. If you throw me on here. Uh on soccer dot com, which is a great source to just like enjoy the World Cup and be there. This is already
Yeah.
You've got the Brazil classic yellow.
Iconic, right?
Iconic.
Identifiable.
Soccer kit.
I will add Even if you want the Brazil away, which is this blue, and if you're listening via podcast, go to soccer.com and look it up. But it's this blue with this sort of like black and dark, iconic as well. And then you go into this Morocco kit and listen. I'm a sucker for a collar at all times. So the red Yeah.
Is that a camo print?
I think it's supposed to be some tile design pattern from Yeah.
Well, yeah.
The goalkeeper can be.
Is sick as well. And the goalkeeper is the camo, which
Oh, that is, yeah, the tile. Oh my goodness.
So this is this isn't our elite. I think on Monday we're gonna do a full like here's the top five matchups coming up. This week.
Matchups?
Yeah, but this one we would have missed and I think we didn't want to miss this one. That's right up to the right. Because this is it. So Saga.com had it on the front page'cause they know what's good. Uh and you should go out there and and check out some of the kits. But yeah, this one I saw it last night by the way, on the train home.
Yeah.
Past a huge group of Brazilians who got on the train. Everyone's wearing the yellow kit. It th that's one of those things where in Brazil it's like you wear them like four days a week, ever all year. And then I I passed a huge group of Morocco fans all in
So it's gonna be a party.
I know.
Brazil plays. When Brazil plays, it's it's it's a party. It's the most iconic, the most important national team ever in this sport. It's the most player in World Cup history in in Palace. And it's weird. Brasil this is the first time in my lifetime that when you ask me who the favorite is or who the favorites are, Brazil doesn't come like right away, you say France, Germany, Spain first before Brazil.
get eliminated on the round of thirty two or win the whole thing, and I wouldn't be surprised uh Brazil has always been the best team on the planet since my first core memory is Brazil ninety four winning. Yeah. Then ninety eight when the world is the best Ronaldo. Um losing that that uh
Then
Two thousand and two, in my opinion, the best World Cup team I've ever seen. Absolutely and with alongside Brazil nineteen seventy, the best team of all time. Prime Cafu, prime Roberto Carlo. Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Prime Ronaldo, a young caca was coming from the bench. A clep anyways, I could go on. Fantastic Germany with Oliver Kahn on on goal, with Michael Balak, with Miroslav Klose.
And then you start seeing a little bit of like the the struggles that the team had and then the now the first memory of Brazil is going to twenty fourteen. Eight in seven, seven one in semifinal against Germany. Pero eso todavía estaba jugando en casa, dirías que eran los favoritos. Then twenty eighteen again you start seeing like it's Neymar can speak, but it's like Neymar plus ten. There's like a lost generation, you know, compared with Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldin. And now honestly it's just
A flip of the coin. Like I don't even know who should start as number nine. Everything indicates that it's gonna be Cunha, Manchester United player. I should I will start Hendrick. Yeah, I think he's the best number nine that that he ha the the the the best that that the best striker and on the last two friends that they We don't know what Vinicius we're gonna get. Are we getting the good Vinicius? Are we getting the the bad Vinicius?
I am confident.
Because of Carlo.
Like you have the individual pieces, you have a really good midfield. Bruno Guimarães, Rafinha, you can trust him. And my next point was, but you have a proven coach. It's his first experience as a national team coach, but we know that Carlo Ancelo. coaches of all time in soccer, European soccer at least in my opinion. My point is I don't know what the ceiling is. And to play Morocco in your first game, that's one of the biggest tests you're gonna get on the whole world.
Semi finals at the last World Cup. Uh I think it was Cafu who said like Brazil actually overperforms when they're
That's fair.
There's always expectations. Yeah. But like there is less right now. And I think there's a hope that maybe they're they're in a little bit of different mental space and experience. Because they didn't come in saying like all you can do is lose this World Cup. Because that's how OSA.
They went into the World Cup and N fourteen probably as well. Of like all you it's expected you win, so all you could do is lose. We're here, it's like uh we don't really know what to think. So now you get to be a little bit more maybe of the aggressor and maybe you can go out and sort of feel like you can attack things and I think Venetius is obviously in that mental space.
If he's in the right spot where he's trying to prove himself, he's trying to elevate himself. I do think all of that is why Neymar got called in to try and like take some of that pressure as an individual to him and away from the team. He's officially unavailable for this game, which Um I would have Jal Pedro on this team.
I understand the issues that people have with that, but I think that's where the hope for Brazil and then on the flip side for Morocco, I was lucky enough to go to Morocco game at a World Cup eight years ago, so I know the crap. Packed with Morocco fans. So I think this thing's gonna be yellow and red split down the middle. Yeah. And I think it's gonna be packed to the gills. It's gonna be loud. It's gonna be electric. And this is a Morocco team that has huge expectations, but also huge.
They had their coach in Walid Regari who took them to a semifinal step down after an AFCON. But watch that AFCON. They didn't play And they didn't elevate their game. I think the hope coming out of 2022 was let's become a more possession team. Let's find ways to dominate games. Let's find ways to be the better team. And they've not progressed there. And so you still sit in a spot now where can they stay clean defensively? Can they get Hikimi into the
Can they get numbers forward and get on the end of things? Not can they play through you? Can they ball progress consistently? Can they find triangles in the attacking third? I think that's fine because there's so much talent here and they are so good at that that if they lean into that they can be dangerous and I think this is an interesting game to start with where you're playing against in a big test, but also Brazil's gonna focus on shutting
So who else can step up? Who else can be a part of this? I think there's huge expectations on. In theory, if you go back and think about it, he didn't miss the penalty. Like Morocco actually had a chance at the AfCON final to just win the game after all the things He missed the penalty that Senegal then went on and won the game. Then Morocco complained or CAF complained and then it got overturned.
That's huge pressure that he now has to deal with. They drew Norway 1-1 in the friendly last week, and it was a game where they had less possession. They were hard to play. They create ch chances against the ball. So that's still who they are at this World Cup. And they just need to accept that because if they do it well, they can go all the way to a semi.
Are we You know, like are they a dark horse? Are they still a dark horse? And I feel like the conversations around them heading into this World Cup was like, well no, they have now m maybe established themselves as uh th they've shed the dark horse label. But the way we're talking about it now, it feels like okay, there's still to your point Yeah. Opposed to twenty twenty.
Yeah, but for sure. Also part of the problem was like they weren't elevated, but at that time, like they probably should have been. The amount of money they've put in over the last six years is astronomical to change the player pool a little to be less reliable. Dual nationals that are raised abroad to bring in more of the domestic game. Obviously, they're hosting the 2030 Men's World Cup. They have hosted back to back women's actions.
They've hosted a U 17 World Cup. They have built the most fields of any country in the world. Like they are investing heavily in this sport. That's where it's upsetting that where they're not where they are, except have a good tournament here so that you set yourself up to then spend the And being in the spot on the style wise that you want to be able to do.
in twenty thirty. I think for me this one is about results. And this is a team with a group talented enough to get the results. And so I don't I wouldn't f I wouldn't if I was them stretch
But when you're talking about results, are you talking semifinal? Yeah. Again.
Yeah, quarter final, semifinal.
Go up against big teams. I mean, just say that they j they're coming from a semifinal. And all you mentioned, all the
Oh there's it's single elimination. I don't think if you the one goal that switches between one and another game, right? The the goal you beat Spain on that maybe you lose to Spain in this World Cup in a quarter final, to me that doesn't amount of work you're doing. The other thing I would say is the work they're doing, it it the players that got them to the twenty twenty two World Cup semifinal are not we're not built in their
So the work they're doing is building a pipeline that then has to like get all the way to affecting the senior national team, which is not a four year process. That's a twelve year process. It's an eighteen year process. And while they do that, they can continue to fill in and they continue to do a great job recruiting Spanish boys. French born players, Belgian born players. So I think that's okay. And I would say, yeah, if they get to a quarter final, it's not to me. I agree.
I agree. But Um I don't I don't know. I I'm with you. I don't know I don't think they should be called dark horses. Yeah. I I will I will put I will put the US
Did you consider them a few?
No.
They went to a World Cup final in twenty eighteen. They went to a Euro final or whatever a nations league final. Yeah. And they were still So Morocco I think should be in the same territory. No one wins a World Cup for a first time. France did it. Twenty eight years ago at this point. And they're the only ones that were the first new world oh sorry, Spain. Thank you. sixteen. It it it takes a long time. Very few countries have ever done this. So I think to elevate into favor.
Because of one tournament run is not unfair, but I think it's actually unfair to them. Mm-hmm. Because then it puts expectations that I don't think. Turkey went to the O two World Cup semi final and didn't get back to a World Cup till now. South Korea hasn't knocked won a knockout game since O two. Like this this doesn't happen. Okay.
That's a crime.
Oh yeah, of all the things of criminal that have happened on a field in soccer, Italy's the victim.
Uh I was gonna say Spain too.
Yes.
Spain Spain was even worse.
Yes, it was.
Spain South Korea was even worse than Italy and Down. I'm very excited because I know we're writing the And last night was unbelievable. But today we get one of
Yeah.
You see and when you see Brazil, it's like okay now. Like here we go. Yes. Here we go. Brazil is playing on a World Cup. I have to They just flew to Brazil to a wedding. They got there yesterday. I told them you have no idea where you're gonna live. when Brazil or when you're in During a World Cup game. It's it's it's I I can't put it into words. I I was in Argentina for a World Cup game and it was it's been the most during the game.
surreal thing you can go through when I'm telling you nobody is in the street. It's not like no there's No one is in the street. Everybody's blocked. Argentina and Brazil I always get I remember this when I was a kid. Soccer coach that was telling me is like, what's the number one sport in Brazil and Argentina? Anyways, like soccer. No, you're wrong.
It's volleyball.
Why? Because soccer is not a sport, it's religion. Wow. So now we get Brazil in the World Cup.
Now look.
I'm like.
Nah, that's a bad one.
Brazil Maroc on paper is probably the one of
Yeah.
Alongside Uruguay, Colombia.
No, no, Colombia, Portugal.
Sorry, yeah.
Which are the end of the group stages a little tough. Germany, Ecuador.
Yeah, those are the three, four, five best games in in in Group Stage and getting it right now, I'm I'm very excited. Very
Um really hyped for this one. Okay, so this is perfect. I've got a one knocks game sandwiched in between here, so this is gonna be
Done.
¶ Haiti vs. Scotland Matchup
Haiti taking on Scotland and I know we talk about vibes a lot on the show, but
Five.
Yeah. So much. So buoyant. Carton army are insane. We've gotten a little taste of them here in New York City. I know this match is going to be in Foxboro. Uh Boston. But this is a big moment for both of these, for both of these countries. And so I think, you know. Um w what's it gonna look like? Especially if Scott McTominay. Tummy issue for for Scotland. They're all they're all freaking out about this, by the way.
Of the Scottish team wasn't even born the last time they were on the World Cup, nineteen ninety eight. And it's for a Country like And it's always been Wan w a a team that doesn't have history in in a world on the fan base. Like there's here in New York City there's so many. Yeah. And they just come into New York, enjoying the city, now taking the train or a flight or driving to Boston, which is very manageable to do. They play the their their next two games in in Boston.
pretty convenient. Um we were watching the Mexico game at a pub here and it was filled with with Scottish. The England flag came out. It was so much fun.
So good.
um against a team that is all vice. We're just happy to be here Let's go. weakest we'll say weakest team on the country but but but nothing to lose with really interesting players, really good individual players that are obviously one of the big Question marks? Like Haiti can go O and three, no goals.
Squirt or
Qualify for the next one.
Brown.
And nothing is gonna surprise.
Yeah, I think they're one of the hardest ones for me to judge, which is I I've watched this Haiti team a lot. I I've been lucky enough to be in person for That they've played, including when they qualified um for the next round of the Gold Cup for what felt like the first time uh in twenty thirteen at Red Bull Arena or sorry, twenty fifteen at Red Bull.
a party and I'm out on the corner of the stadium with people playing trumpets and Cardi B's retweeting and all that type of stuff. And one of the things that's really hard with this Haiti team is I I don't know where There is talent here, right? You've got Belgara who plays for Wolves, who plays consistently. Um, you've got Franny Perot who scored a lot of goals for this key team. You've got Ducans in the zone who's done it as well.
And yet I think back to a lot of these Gold Cups where they play against one of the teams that's a little bit bigger than them, Costa Rica. US or Mexico and there are times where it feels That they just they're that no one individually can create danger and the team can't get high enough to really be And I don't know how to scale that again.
Like this is sort of this is one of two matchups today that we've never seen before. Yeah. Across any competition. There's a lot of that in this World Cup'cause of the forty eight teams. I think there's gonna be twenty. You know, Curacao's and Cape Verdes and all of that. And so this is one of the ones I can't put together because Scotland consistently, in my mind, underproduced.
Not just in qualifying, but then the Euros that they've been at over the last few years. And they for the most part struggled to create chances in big in these big tournaments and it's opportunistic. Even when they're playing against teams they're better than it you know, you look at the last Euros when they hosted against the struggles they had. Billy Gilmore out of the team is big, but they don't even really play to
much because they don't really play through midfield that often. And the reason Scott McDominay is such a huge deal, he's the best Scottish player on the planet right now. He's in great form with Napoli, but they don't really He creates everything and he finishes everything.
Them. His late runs are their number one threat in terms of the chances up top. Che Adams can finish and is a dangerous player, but they don't find a lot of chances. And so if you're a team that's gonna whip in a lot of cross. Whether it's Robertson or Tierney or whoever it is, and then, you know, on the other side, maybe one of the best young players at this World Cup.
For center backs, you're staying with your center forward. And so it's that late runner coming out of midfield and McDomini who's both elite in the air, elite at finding those chances, but also could be the one who gets away from the room. And so that's where he's huge for this team and and if he's out, uh I I think the entire World Cup changes because this is the game to go for.
Brazil and Morocco are not where you're assuming you're getting points. We believe that if you get three points and can manage goal differential, you'll probably get out of the group stage. For these two teams, this is the world. Like this is the game. And so it's the hardest one for me to scale of the day to figure out where these two teams line up. I've said it over and over again. I wouldn't be shocked if a lot of these you know, some of these uh Haitian players can pop off the bench and give
if they can stay in the game long enough. I just don't know that you can do that with a team built on Ricardo Ade at center back who's thirty six years old at this point and has been doing at the international level for twelve
i think we can safely say that if a team loses
Yeah.
Well so one of my Scotland friends said we'll probably lose to Haiti and beat Brazil because or tie Brazil. I don't know. But yeah, it's going to be
I think either way we can all agree on one. The Scottish fans will um
Bring the bive.
Yes. Drink of uh
Absolutely. Stay hydrated.
Stay hydrated.
Yeah.
Also sunscreen.
Well that's a night game at least.
Oh that's right.
It'll take them fourteen hours to get to that.
There's gonna be a lot of day drinking involved in this one and I just you know, I worry I worry about that that fragile skin.
If you are in Boston and you are a Scottish fan, go to Bringham Circle, go to the Penguin Bar. They have over three hundred beers and they have one of some of the best pizza in. Shout out to Dermot Doyne, who was both my landlord and my
New York to me.
I don't.
I love boss.
I love the history of Boston. It's a great walking city. It is.
I love walking cities.
Unfortunately, Gillette Stadium is nowhere near Ball.
It's absolutely true. Foxboro is kind of R. Yeah. Exactly. Um all right guys, let's move it along.
¶ Australia vs. Turkiye Breakdown
This one's important. we're gonna be paying close attention to this'cause the results will matter. Uh Turkey, I think in in my projections, I think I had them topping this group.
Me too. Yeah.
Um how big of a surprise would it be if I don't think they're as uh much of an under many people think perhaps. Yeah. I feel like they can they can give teams
I I've said over and over again, I think I I think they're underrated. I think they have a clear idea of how they play. Uh I've said they'll they'll sit in a tight block but not a low block and they'll go and press uh our our guy Tommy Scoops putting out the report. yesterday that Lucas Harrington, the nineteen year old center back for this team who plays currently in the US, is being looked at
in this group and I think a shift coming. Uh with uh some of the injuries Australia's had, I think they've lost a lot of bite out of midfield, but Mo Torre went to Norwich on loan uh in January, scored like fourteen goals over the course of the second half. of the season and Nelson Ira Kunday um maybe the brightest young talent in an attacking sense for Australia.
That's how good he can be. And, you know, we talked to some of the Australia players on our shows and they were like, he's every bit what you think he is. I just think this team has a really clear way to play and it's a turkey team that comes and flows with games. And so if Australia shows up and they are locked in, which they were not in both the friendlies to lead into this game, they played two good forty five minutes but not a full ninety.
friendly and stuff. If they're locked in for it, I think there's spots where Turkey will Obviously the individual talent, Artagulio, Yil Daj, Shangalu, who we don't know for the three of them how many minutes are in them because they've all been dealing with separate injuries and sicknesses. But I think there's a a a roadmap to Australia getting a win here and I don't think it's ridiculous to think of I said it yesterday going into the group start. I think this is the tightest group from top.
There are other groups or you could tell me the three you don't know, but there's an obvious one that's out of that. Yes. I think this is the tightest. So while I think it's fair to say Turkey's the favorite and Australia's not in there, that gap is not as big as it is between Scott well Scotland and Haiti and Morocco and Brazil are
Yeah, Turkey has the better players, the very individual players. High Sharanoglu, Yelde. I think it's a better organized team. They're gonna be compact. So they're gonna be a team that's gonna be very And I think that Turkey is gonna try to be the aggressor And that's Where Australia is a very good idea. It's been overlooked because um on the mainstream we Yeah.
Teams that go to the playoffs, they're they do like, Oh, they went to a playoffs they're they must be not it it's simplistic to say, but fans that don't know like don't follow the teams is like, Oh, they went to a playoff. They they they're not as good, right, as as as the teams that maybe qualify. Team but again we go back to the first game on a World Cup. Especially if you're Turkey and you think that you are unequal or even better than the US.
Now the pressure is if you wanna win the group now the pressure is To get the three points today because when on paper, I'm pretty sure that Turkey and and the US before the World Cup, they saw a
You have to look at this game. Both these teams have to look at this game and say, Look what I'm
Yeah. If you wanna win the group.
Yeah, yeah. No, the U.S. game puts pressure on both these. For Australia.
The US are sitting back being like, We'd take a draw.
Yeah, yeah.
A draw tonight is the best outcome for the US.
And I think for these two teams a draw. I think for Turkey it becomes interesting'cause it's Paraguay second and then the US third and obviously you're chasing the US. For Australia you get the US next where I do think the mentality for Australia is can we hang in games. Late winners. Um, I don't think it's the worst thing in the world for either of these teams because winning the group is for
But then you start to get in a combo of like can we get out of the gold? Yeah. And if you f if you're on one point with the gold differential Paraguay has picked up, you're probably in a pretty good spot. Now it's the eight best third place teams, so you gotta the other groups, but that's where a tie means you don't get negative gold differential, you get some points, you put yourself in a
And you don't lose the the direct matchup. Yeah, yeah. Because now to advance in your group, it's the first tiebreaker is head to head move. Cold differential comes into play when you're deciding. The third place. So for people that don't know that, I found out about that like A week ago.
Yeah, I I I think we both agree it was Chris Whittingham tweeting it out. Yeah.
It's like hey guys just remember that this changes.
And I was like, Oh god.
Which is the way it should be by the way. The way you play against a team and like the actual results on the field should matter more than how
Absolutely. Man, what a day. Australia Turkey midnight tonight. Um Yeah.
¶ Final Thoughts
Games are coming.
I know.
I'm ready for it.
Yeah, we've been talking for a while.
This is the first day that feels like this is the World Cup schedule now. Yeah. All the groups are playing, the four games you said it, Brazil get stepping on the field. I've always So yeah, I think just today's really exciting for the first day was exciting.
'Cause it was the opener. Yep. And Mexico at the Azteca. The second day I was excited'cause it was two hosts and what was gonna happen and the history that was made. And now it's like now we're into what we've become known for. And I've seen the complaints from a lot of people in the US of like I can't roll out of bed and watch
South Korea togo and just like lay there during a zero-zero game. That's not the way this World Cup fits for everyone, especially in North America. But this is sort of the days that you wait for of like everyone just doing the same thing.
I brought stuff to make bloody merry.
Hey, Sunday Brun.
A damn bloody merry today. The US win last night just really
Listen, if things go right, I'll be I'll be rolling into that.
Go next.
Do you want them to win tonight or Tuesday here at in at M S G
I don't care for starters. It's been fifty three years. I would love for the first time.
I want them to win tonight because I love this.
Like, oh I want them to win here for the celebration or for the parade. I'm like, I really hope that goes well. I'm praying for you.
No, I just don't wanna I just don't wanna deal with Tuesday gonna be a mess.
Oh god.
There there's a game at MetLife. Yeah. Brazil. No, it's not Brazil. It's uh Friend Senegal. Uh huh.
Mm-hmm. I know, no, it's too I like I'm gonna be hiding in my hotel room. I'm scared.
I'm weak.
Yeah, this it it's fun now as a US M M N T sympathizer. fan as your nation that the US already won, they're already played and you're just relaxed now. And now we get Beginning to a Brazil, Spain, Germany, France We don't have to worry about Australia still.
That's future that's future McKelly's problem.
What a a lovely send off, Michele. Thanks for joining us today. It's been great to have you.
Thank you. Thank you. I'm very excited to be here.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Sorry.
God, what a shift. You guys are the best. Um, guys, thank you for tuning in. Thank you for joining us. Again, we're gonna be here every single morning throughout the tournament, 9 30 a.m. on our YouTube channel. Make sure you tell your friends too. Because uh yeah. All the things. Follow us on the s the socials. Yeah. Go to soccer dot com. Order some kits. Play football manager twenty six. Go win the world. All the things. USA, go win the World Cup.
🎵 Music