U.S. Soccer...Not Treaded Upon

If the USMNT learned anything on Sunday it was this, you can't let a good team off the ropes. Just like in boxing when you have an opponent ready to fall, you have to keep pounding away until someone tells you to stop. Brazil is a good fighter and after a first half spent working them over for the knockout, the U.S. opened the door just enough and the Brazilians came crashing right through.

While a win would have been fantastic, the American players should be proud of themselves for turning what could have been a disastrous trip into a positive result. Many of us questioned the teams heart and spine after falling apart against Italy and being brushed aside by Brazil. To come back and make the final and lead Brazil 2-0 at the half should be more than enough to leave US fans smiling today.

Now the hard part. Time to build on these results with a strong showing, honestly, a victory in Azteca in August against Mexico and finishing up their World Cup qualifying business in the process. We now know the USMNT is capable of playing with any team in the world, we just need to see that effort and spirit consistently, especially against teams they should easily beat.

Bob Bradley and this team have earned the right to take their shot at the 2010 World Cup. While I'm still not convinced Bradley is the answer long term, let's see what he can do going in to next year and their return to South Africa. Hopefully it will be be another successful trip.

...and consider my Landon Donovan hate over. I'll never like that hand kissing, but he was outstanding against Egypt, Spain and Brazil. He was all over the place! At last we've seen the play we all knew Donovan was capable of.