06/12/2010 U.S.A. vs England second half

Watching the second half of this great rivalry, I (like most Americans) was kept on the edge of my seat. This game could have gone either way. The United States started off the half by grabbing away the momentum that England had in the first half. The United States surely played the second half a lot better than the first. Even with England's struggles in the second half, the U.S. was constantly worried and on its toes because England can always find ways to score. The United States had so many chances to score in the second half. The first half belonged to England. The second half belonged to the United States. The entire game was so intense to watch because it was played with physiology and with psychology as well. Both goalkeepers, Howard and Green, clearly stepped up their games after each of them allowed one goal. The U.S. have the better players, but soccer is a team game. Therefore, England was the favorite coming into the match to win the game. Despite England's second half difficulties, they found themselves with many great opportunities to score. England made things happen out of nothing. The United States had to be much happier with their efforts in the second half. The soccer history between these two countries has been dominated by England. England had a 7-2-0 record against the United States coming into this match. In the second half, England pushed so many men forward that they left fewer men back to defend. The game ended in a 1-1 tie, but the U.S. have a lot to gain from their performance against England. The United States played with much needed confidence. The man of the match was Tim Howard, but both goalkeepers had spectacular games. This draw was a victory for the United States. The United States started off group play on the right track. It was not a great performance, but it sure was a mature one. Today was a good game for both teams.