World Cup High

Tomorrow morning, most Americans will read the paper and see only the score: Sweden 0, Trinidad & Tobago 0. If they comment at all, they'll say something to the effect that the score is indicative that soccer is a boring sport.

Dumbasses.

Actually, I would merely pity anyone who said such a thing, because simply put, they missed one of the most exciting competitions ever.

Not only has the tiny island nation of Trinidad & Tobago never been to the World Cup before, but at 1.3 million citizens, it is the smallest nation ever to qualify. So just the presence of the Socca Warriors in the hallowed Mundial is a pretty big thing. Put them against perennial soccer powerhouse Sweden in their first ever World Cup match, then sit back and watch them get schooled.

Only that's not what happened.

The Tobagans came out timid and had nary a legitimate shot in the first 30 minutes of the game. Then they started feeling a bit more confident and tried an attack or two. That the Swedes hadn't scored yet was good reason to go to the locker room at halftime feeling good about a performance.

Fast forward to the second half: T&T defender Avery John gets sent off within the first five minutes of play. Now the underdog Tobagans must play a man down for the remaining forty minutes of the game. Conventional wisdom in this type of situation says that the undermanned team should pull many players back towards their own goal and bunker, playing for the tie. So when the Tobagan coach calls for a subtitution a few minutes later, everyone expects the new player to be an expert defender.

But conventional wisdom wouldn't have had Trinidad & Tobago in the World Cup in the first place.

Instead of pulling an attacking player and replacing him with an extra defender, the Tobagan coach did just the opposite. He pulled a defender and replaced him with another striker. Instead of playing not to lose, T&T was playing to win. And for the next 30 minutes, they did win. They won 50-50 balls, they won a few dangerous shots on the Swedish goal, they won blocks and tackles, and their keeper won numerous huge saves.

The score may have read 0-0 at the end of the game, but everyone in the stadium and watching on TV knew that Trinidad & Tobago won that game.

And that's what futbol is all about. People who don't get it believe that competition is only about numbers, and had nothing to do with heart and desire. And I feel sorry for them.

Ganar? Perder? No importa. "Siempre con ganas" es lo que importa.


I'm sure there's a political DU-type message here somewhere, but you'll have to find it on your own.

for Trinidad and Tobago. Shaka Hislop saved six goals. That's a great post as well:D:

They were a little more aggressive than the Swedes. They took all the right chances on close plays. That defender in the middle got his head on every cross. He was amazing. And the
keeper was outstanding.

Yorke, Lewis, or Sancho? I thought they were all pretty good! That was one hell of a team effort! Man, I haven't had an adrenaline rush like that since the "Cold War" in Columbus, Ohio, in 2001!

Awesome effort by T&T.

"Ganar? Perder? No importa. 'Siempre con ganas' es lo que importa." What the hell is wrong with you? English only in the US of A, commie!!! :evilgrin:

...for "con ganas." At least to my knowledge. I love that phrase.

America doesn't have a real shot, but I'll be rooting for them too of course.

I love the sport (but don't follow the clubs or the celebretization) and saw many plays I loved in that match. I typically cheer for the underdog.

Being of Norwegian ancestry, I must admit seeing Sweden stalemated was frosting on the cake. :evilgrin: