Even in 3D, the way I watched the match between the United States and Slovenia this morning at the office of the Harris Corporation in Southwest D.C., the drama of the most riveting match of the World Cup thus far was unmistakable. My thoughts:
Apparently, this U.S. team has the knack for drama. Either that or they just don’t know how to respond to the opening whistle. But despite the doom and gloom that came from the commentator on ESPN’s 3D broadcast (more on this later) – I’m not sure of his name, but there was no Martin Tyler or John Harkes – after Slovenia scored its second goal, there was always the feeling that Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley simply wouldn’t let the U.S. go down that easy.
Speaking of which, Donovan put Maicon to shame with his hockey blast into the roof of the net over Samir Handanovic. What a strike. That’s an angle you might not see scored from in soccer for a long, long time. As for Bradley, it’s already been said to me that it was just the kind of goal he scored time and again for Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie, a late runner crashing in with determination and skill to complete the American comeback.
There should’ve been a third U.S. goal. Referee Koman Coulibaly recklessly blew his whistle on at least three occasions with U.S. in scoring position in the box. The most egregious calls saw Robbie Findley get a yellow card after the ball looked like it him in the chest and saw Maurice Edu’s would-be game-winner late in the second half denied despite the absence of any clear U.S. foul and with the Slovenians getting away with rugby tackles.
Findley was harshly booked, but at least he’ll miss the next match. You read it right. Findley played a huge role in setting up the U.S. for disaster by wasting his chances in the first half. The margin for error is too thin for him to botch clear scoring opportunities with ugly ground balls into traffic off a left foot that he must use only to get on the bus while Donovan and Clint Dempsey wait unmarked at the back post. Had Findley not wasted his best opportunity, the one Dempsey missed a moment later and the Slovenia counter that finished with their second goal might never have happened.
The U.S. defense simply cannot continue to give up early goals. Who was responsible for Walter Birsa, who found a gaping hole in the American defense from which he launched his 13th minute bomb? Do the questions start anew about Oguchi Onyewu’s fitness and health? Is José Torres ready for this big of a stage? What about U.S. head coach Bob Bradley? Doesn’t he share in responsibility for failing to put out a starting eleven that can handle the match rather than forcing him into major second half changes (second-half subs Edu and Benny Feilhaber didn’t exactly inspire confidence)? Lucky for Bradley, both his son and Donovan aren’t about to let those shortcomings get in their way.
Lastly, 3D is intriguing and engaging, but still somewhat raw, kind of like when high-definition first came on the scene. Perhaps only a dozen or so matches have ever been broadcast in 3D, and the production involves an entirely separate set-up – broadcast trucks, announcers, cameras, and camera angles – and as a result is still a work in progress. Like high-definition at its best, the picture is amazing, and lower angles and more field level shots really help bring the viewer completely into the match – it almost feels like watching the game from just behind the sideboards – but the tradeoff is a lack of the best replay angles and best wide angles because they don’t work best in 3D. I’m also not used to wearing glasses, so by the second half the bridge of my nose and my head both ached. Still, I could see a bar full of lens-wearing soccer fanatics going berserk like they did when Bradley got his equalizer. I’m sure it won’t be too long. The question is, will the U.S. figure out how to score first by then?
