More than 70,000 people watching soccer at a Stadium in the United States (the Super Bowl XLII last Sunday had an attendance of 71,000). That number is already great and it can become even more amazing if we say that the game meant almost nothing. I said ALMOST.

It was a friendly match between USA and Mexico. A match that was officially called a friendly but in smaller proportions I’d risk to say that this rivalry could be compared to a Brazil X Argentina.

The game was in Houston, Texas. So it was only natural that a big part of the crowd was of Mexican supporters but I saw a lot more USA painted-faces than the usual.

The game itself was quite exciting. Typical of a great rivalry. Things heated up after a few rougher plays and 2 goals to each side.

Both teams showed weaknesses in their defenses and all the goals happened from crossing balls to the opponent box.

Mexico didn’t really impress me. The team showed lack of organization and missed a brain in the midfield to control the pace of the game, distribute the ball and create plays. That used to be Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s role and I didn’t see anybody doing it. The good thing was that Vella proved he’s ready to play for this team. He had a very good first half and left the field under the crowd’s ovation. Gio took his place and besides a few tricks and through balls attempts he didn’t have a lot of time to show more.

 

On the USA side the big deception was Donovan the Diva. A player with talent but who many times disappears in the game, hiding himself from action and not contributing to the team. But on the other hand I’d say goalkeeper Tim Howard is definitely the man for the number 1 jersey and Jozy Altidore is more and more becoming the striker everybody wants to see. Strong, efficient and never giving up a play. He didn’t have a lot of touches on the ball but when he did he bothered the Mexican defense.

The 2 x 2 score was fair and it was also a good price for the great crowd that was present at the Reliant Stadium this Wednesday night.

And for the “title” of “King of the CONCACAF”. It still belongs to the USA who won the CONCACAF Cup last year. Mexico will have another chance to claim the “title” in the World Cup Qualifying this summer.

Here is what she said:

"There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves," Solo said. "And the fact of the matter is, it's not 2004 anymore. … It's 2007, and I think you have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past. It doesn't matter what somebody did in an Olympic gold-medal game in the Olympics three years ago."

I just wrote a comment on her myspace page in which she apologizes for saying this. I believe Hope Solo is a fantastic goalkeeper. She has talent, she is solid and she wants to win. The only thing is: you should not do your laundry outdoors. I undersatand her being upset with coach Ryan. His decision was the most retarded decision I've seen in a long time. The reasons he gave were ver amateur. He said Brianna Scurry stopped Brazil during the 2004 Olympic Games and she could do it again. Of course she could!!! If she had been playing during the tournament!!! But Hope Solo was playing extremely well, she was confident and if he couldn't trust her agaist Brazil he should have at least given Brianna some playing time in the other games.

But nothing of that is an excuse for a profesional player to use a microphone to say what Hope Solo said. Not that what she said didn't make sense but it doesn't make things better either. The game was over, Brazil would have won anyways because they played beautifully. Marta was unstoppable. So why say something that is not gonna help anything?

She caused a very uncomfortable situation just like Greg Ryan created when he benched her. And as my grandma used to say: Don't try to fix a mistake with another one.

What do you guys think????

PS.: You can read Solo's apologies on her myspace blog:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=119877178&blogID=314148328

Let me start this one with some facts and a question, a serious question:

 If your team has a solid goalkeeper who played all the previous games in the International competition you're in and hasn't allowed a single goal in 300 minutes would you bench this person even though there isn't any injury or technical deficiency or relationship problems?????

If you answered NO you're a sane intelligent person but if you said YES you and Coach Greg Ryan from the USA Women's Team can start writing a book on new crazy game strategies.

The only problem is that I don't think anyone will buy that idea after what happened in the BRAZIL vs. USA in the World Cup Semifinal.

I was not going to post until the competition was over. I've been waking up at around 4am to watch some great games and this one was not just great. IT WAS FANTASTIC. So I had to write and avoid being influenced by any result that will come in the Championship Game.

The USA is by far the number one team in the women's rank of soccer. Since their first World Cup Tittle in 1991 and with the golden generation of Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly, Julie Fouldy and the amazing Mia Hamm, the United States has always excelled in showing the best female soccer in the world. 

They won 2 World Cups and 2 Olympic Gold Medals. Until today they had been unbeaten for 50 straight games. They have a very good mix of experience (Kristine Lilly still playing) and youth (Abby Wambach) but it all changed this morning.

Womens Soccer in Brazil is not badly structure, it is simply NON-EXISTENT. There is no profesional league, no sponsors, no media coverage, no audience. Most of the players, just like the men's team, come from very poor background but they have to suffer with a lot of prejudice. Many families would rather see their daughters working as maids than playing soccer.

But there is still room for magic.

Have you ever heard of Marta??? Well, I have. I haven't paid a lot of attention on her until the last Olympic Games when she was only 18 years old and was already INCREDIBLE.

Well, if you didn't watch Marta play yet you have no idea what you're missing. I mean, maybe I can help you. Get the skills of Ronaldinho, the speed of Robinho, the pass quality of Beckham, along the quality of being a great team player and you have MARTA.

When Marta plays her game (and she often does) Brazil is a very dangerous team but when Aline controls the defense flawlessly, Elaine and Maicon run up and down the wings, Formiga and Daniela block any attempt of play making in midfield and create themselves a lot of plays, and Cristiane decides that's it's time for a revenge then BRAZIL BECOMES UNBEATABLE!!!

Please... Brazil Soccer Federeation (aka CBF) INVEST IN THOSE GIRLS... Regardless of the result in the Final Game the world would be happier watching more Martas, Cristianes, Danielas, Formigas....

As for the USA, the investment continues. That is a growing experience. The roots of the Women's Soccer Team are very strong here. A strong wind can blow some leaves and bend the branches but the tree will always stand.

Brazil won this one with no questions ... (We just need some really logical answers from Mr. Greg Ryan for the first question of this post)

Brazil was the best team... 4-0 is unquestionable and the numbers are there!

GO BRAZIL!!!

I hope they take this one!!!