2014 FIFA World Cup PREVIEW: USA v Portugal

Back in mid-December, if you were to ask anyone who would make it out of Group G in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, they would raise their eyebrows as if the answer couldn’t get any more obvious. 7 months later and things have gone far from what was expected. Following a 4-0 thrashing over Portugal, Germany was met with a shocking 2-2 draw against Ghana, securing only four points total. Portugal on the otherhand has lost Pepe to a red card suspension and Hugo Almeida and Fabio Coentrao to injury. In other words, Group G is up in the air and all four teams have a realistic shot at finishing first.

Jun 16, 2014; Natal, BRAZIL; USA defender John Brooks is mobbed by teammates after scoring a goal in the second half against Ghana during the 2014 World Cup at Estadio das Dunas. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees have become the media darlings across the world after a fine performance against Ghana last Monday. Despite a no-show performance by Michael Bradley, USA played a solid counter-attacking game (with help of some lucky misses by Ghana) and gutted out a 2-1 victory thanks to a 86th minute header by John Brooks. Although the path to the round of 16 has become easier than expected for the US due to Portugal’s key losses (Almeida, Coentrao, Pepe), they cannot afford to underestimate their opponents especially the U.S. are suffering a key loss themselves, Jozy Altidore.

June 16, 2014; Salvador, BRAZIL; Portugal player Cristiano Ronaldo (7) goes up for the ball in front of Germany player Jerome Boateng (20) during Group G play during the 2014 World Cup at Arena Fonte Nova. Mandatory Credit: Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport via USA TODAY Sports

Portugal is still superior than the U.S. in every position besides keeper. They have a playmaker in Raul Meireles who can cut some sneaky outlet passes to the forwards. They have a stud at defensive midfield named William Carvalho. They also have some guy named Cristiano Ronaldo who the world claims to be the best soccer player on the planet. I haven’t looked too much into that guy, but judging by those Nike commercials, he must be a beast.

Jun 21, 2014; Manaus, BRAZIL; USA forward Clint Dempsey (left) fist bumps defender Timothy Chandler during training at Arena Amazonia. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

It’s easy to write off Portugal after their disheartening loss to Germany, but fans should not forget how well Portugal can easily dispose inferior opponents (a la North Korea 2010). Even if the USA is a tough and battle-tested side, the Portuguese might take this match as a breath of fresh air and bring world class soccer to the pitch. The USA on other hand are looking for the right combination of confidence and caution. The Americans want to remain respectful of the Portuguese side, remaining cautious of the havoc their opponents can unleash. At the same time, they don’t want to get too prudent to the point they focus on not making mistakes, throwing them out of their element.

This will be a crucial match for both sides as Portugal can ill-afford an early elimination while the Americans do not want to find themselves in a do-or-die match against Germany. The two teams will bring out their best football, surely.

"Projected Starting XIUSA: Howard, Beasley, Besler, Cameron, Johnson, Jones, Beckerman, Bradley, Bedoya, Dempsey, WondolowskiPortugal: Patricio, Pereira, Alves, Costa, A. Almeida, Moutinho, Carvalho, Meireles, Nani, Eder, Ronaldo"

Keys for the USA

– Do this again!

– Counter Attack! Realistically USA cannot beat Portugal in the possession game, so the team must shore up behind the ball and break out with a counter attack.

– Bradley must show up. It was possible for the USA to beat Ghana on a bad day by Bradley, but against Portugal, the Yankees will need Bradley to step up and show his team why he is the most important player coming into the tournament.

– Force Portugal to work. With the likes of Beckerman and Jones on the pitch, USA have the steel legs that can fight and tire out Portugal in the match. A physically fatigued Portugal will lead to a mentally fatigued Portugal.

Keys for Portugal

– Don’t depend too much on Ronaldo. Portugal have several players who are more than capable of out playing USA’s midfielders and defenders. Once they go on the attack, it’s important to look out for Ronaldo on the pass, but if someone else provides a better opportunity to score, just feed it to them instead.

– Ronaldo must play fearlessly. Given that DeMarcus Beasley will be given the responsibility of marking Ronaldo, this should be a cake walk for the Real Madrid defender. Expose the USA flanks and watch the chaos unfold in USA’s backline.

– Rhythm, Rhythm, Rhythm! Given the superior midfield, Portugal must set the tone early in the match and force the Americans to play to their tempo. Not only do the midfielders have to be assertive in attacking the box, the link up play and passing must be sharp as well.

Key Matchups

– Beckerman vs Moutinho – Moutinho will be looking to feed Ronaldo or Eder with his beautiful outlet passes. Standing in his way is the grindmaster Kyle Beckerman who will look to make his life a living hell. Beckerman may be a bit brash on the defensive end, but USA can’t find a better disruptor than the Real Salt Lake captain.

– Ronaldo vs Beasley – Beasley is capable of matching Ronaldo’s speed, but he cannot match him in strength. More than just marking Ronaldo, Beasley can only hope to force Ronaldo to win the ball in a bad spot and force him to work into the box from there. Chances are Beasley will try to keep Ronaldo occupied before another defender comes to his aid.

– Ricardo Costa vs Wondolowski/Johannsson- Depending on who will start over Jozy Altidore, this is going to be the battle between the key backups. USA’s backup striker vs Portugal’s backup defender. Wondolowski can play with his back against the goal, but lacks the pace that Jozy has. Johannsson has slightly more skills than Jozy, but lacks the athleticism and immense strength Jozy possesses. Standing in either player’s way is Ricardo Costa is more than a capable replacement for Pepe. He’s not as gifted as Pepe, but he has an edgy style of play that can make a striker’s life difficult.

"Staff PredictionsYoung Kim: I’m on a slump as we speak for the past couple games, so I’m hoping this will be the pick that ends all. USA will beat Portugal 2-1. Even if an unhealthy Ronaldo scores one on the US, it won’t be enough to unnerve them as the Americans stick to their gameplan along with a strong performance by Bradley in a picture-perfect comeback.Drew Thompson: 2-1 USA. There are problems for Portugal at this moment. Ronaldo isnt 100% fit, no Pepe, no Coentrao.  The US can out-work anyone and that alone will create chances and catch Portugal out of position. Portugal are not good at defending set pieces as well and the US excels from dead-ball situations.Charles Kim:  Portugal 2-1. Dempsey will lead USA with one point, but can his impact last long? I feel like he will be overshadowed by Ronaldo. Ronaldo will love to exploit USA’s defense and he will score 1 at least so 2-1"