Confederations Cup Final: Brazil v. USA. Sunday, 2:25 ET, ESPN.

I'd planned to do a big write-up of the Spain game -- I even watched parts of it again and took notes. But with the kids, I'm too tired and too harried to do it. So instead we get a post about tomorrow's huge match against the most famous soccer team in the world; and, just so you know, I was devoted enough to watched the group-stage Brazil loss again. Which was painful.

In the first Brazil game, Kljestan and Beasley started. They were so bad that, in all candor, it was like we had nine men. No wonder the Selecao owned us so badly (and it could have been a lot higher than 2-0 in that half). On Sunday, because of a preposterous late red card, we're trading the banned Bradley for Feilhaber (which, as much as I like Feilhaber, is not ideal, because Bradley is a tireless two-way player, less variable in his performance, and stronger defensively). However, we're also getting Clark and Davies for Beasley and Kljestan. That's a huge improvement. Both men are fast and aggressive (and in different parts of the field). We're also getting Bocanegra over Bornstein, which is probably an improvement. I say probably because I don't know Boca's injury status. He could have a broken leg and simply be lying to Bradley about it. He did look a little gimpy during the Spain game, truth be told.

Other note: I still think that we should start Adu in place of Davies, as a withdrawn striker, because Adu's ability to penetrate, hold the ball, and draw defenders helps against a team like Brazil; it provides a nice outlet to relieve Brazil's forward pressure. But I digress. There's no way Adu will start or even see any minutes, for that matter. Same goes for Torres. I just hope to God Bradley doesn't throw on Kljestan or Beasley late. Against, Brazil, that's as close to an automatic loss as there is.

Brazil is big, strong, fast, and good on the ball -- but unlike past Brazil teams, they don't cohere as beautifully as say, Spain. Almost Chelsea-like, under Dunga they play very strong defense -- with world-class players -- and then attack on the counter and set-pieces. Two years ago, Brazil outmuscled Argentina in the Copa final, 3-0, by playing thick, foul-happy defense and scoring on counter attacks. Messi spent half the game on the ground.

The key to playing well against them mark them very closely everywhere and not cede control of the midfield. If you're Zidane, then you control the midfield with once-in-a-generation ability and win decisively. If you're Egypt and South Africa, then you mark tightly, battle heroically in the midfield, and lose a close match. If you're the United States...you try not to put two worthless players on the field, and see what happens.

As Jake Taylor said to Ricky Vaughn (at 9:18) almost twenty years ago, "This guy's the out you've been waiting your whole life for." Boys, if you win this match, soccer in America will never, ever, be the same.

FF

US 2, Spain 0. The biggest US win in seven years! So much to say, but I'm in no state to post now. More tomorrow.

FF

A comment I posted over at "Oh, You Beauty!" -- the best Liverpool blog around:

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Nate,

Like you, I'm a Liverpool/USMNT man -- but I'm definitely completely and totally loyal to the USMNT. Or at least I want to be, but that's been increasingly hard given Bradley's use of Wynne, Beasley, and Kljestan, his refusal to use Adu and Torres, and other puzzling decisions.

It's tough to watch a manager with young technical talent (Adu, Torres, Feilhaber, the ignored Szetela) largely confine them to the bench, in favor of more 'athletic' but unskilled players. Bradley's the sort of guy who'd keep Xavi and Iniesta on the bench because they lack 'physical presence' or some such codeword for imagined physical deficiencies. I'm only kind of kidding. Which is frightening.

As you wrote at the time, Adu did quite well against Spain (and against Argentina, and against Pato's young Brazilians in the u20 07 WC), and I'm confident he would tomorrow. The odds that Adu will play at all Wednesday: 0. Odds that stone-footed Kljestan will play: 50%. Odds that I will lose my mind if Kljestan comes on: 100%.

So I always want the US to do well, but the Egypt win lets Bradley keep his job. Which means, unless we get historically humiliated by Spain (and we won't), next summer we're going three and out. Which will kill me -- unless Pool wins the Premiership and Gerrard wins World Player of the Year. Then maybe I'll survive. But watching the US crash and burn will still really, really hurt.

Also -- absolutely love your site. I check it routinely.

FF
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La Furia Roja await.

FF

Holy cow. We beat Egypt 3-0 today, and the Brazilians beat Italy 3-0 (!), so we advance to the semis. Look, there's no lying -- today's game was just fantastic to watch, because I just couldn't believe it was happening.

But the truth is: Egypt was playing without key players; Egypt turned in great performances against Brazil and Italy but is currently sitting last in their WC qualifying group; their keeper got kicked in the head in the first half; and we only advanced to the semis because Italy lost 3-0 to Brazil.

I still think we need to spend more time playing our technical -- Feilhaber, Adu, Torres -- who are most likely to allow us to get out of the group stage next year. The Egyptians were extremely sloppy today, and a lot of our mistakes (possession losses, bad passes) went unpunished.

FF