The University of Akron star is shocked the United States doesn't come out firing in a game that ends up being a draw.
View full sizeMichael NanchoffWalsh Jesuit graduate Michael Nanchoff will share his thoughts on World Cup action throughout the tournament. Nanchoff, who comes from a soccer family, will be a junior this fall on the highly regarded University of Akron soccer team, which was the NCAA runner- up in 2009. Here are his thoughts on Friday's U.S.-Slovenia draw and Wednesday's game against Algeria:
On why the U.S. came out flat: I was really surprised it happened, especially after that first game against England. I saw that they were feeling good after the tie against England, and because they were feeling so good, they got complacent. They seem like they were banking on getting a break, like they did against England. I was shocked to see how they didn't come out firing. It was unbelievable to see how they bounced back, because not many teams can do that.
On the disallowed goal: I truly couldn't believe it. Even during live play, I heard the whistle blow before the ball was in the back of the net. First, I thought they called a foul; then I thought it might be offside.
On what to watch during that kind of free-kick play: You want to put a whipping, curving ball in, and you're looking to whip it across the frame of the goal, because anything goes. Guys are trying to mark their guy, and all it takes is a little deflection and it can go in. You just shoot it on frame and hope for the best. Two U.S. players were being held, Michael Bradley was one of them, but sometimes, the refs just don't want to make that call in the box, because it can turn into a huge controversy. But look at what they did, they took the goal away, anyway. That's the game of soccer. You have to remember the refs are human.
On Bradley's tying goal off a bouncing ball: That's a hard ball to play. Right when it was bouncing, I was thinking that he had to do everything in his power to keep the ball down. I was worried that he was going to lean back and hit the ball with his laces and hit it too high. But what he did was keep his weight forward and hit it with the cleats near his toes, and he caught the underside. That's exactly what he needed to do, and it worked out perfectly.
-- Michael Nanchoff