June 28, 2009
Miami, USA

The US men’s national soccer team are on killer roll and Brazil is next on their menu.

After eliminating Spain in the Semi-finals  - FIFA’s #1 ranked World Soccer Nation with a convincing 0-2 defeat - the US now turn to another giant with a score to settle - Brazil.

Os Brasileiros beat the US in the opening group match with a respectful 3-0 scoreline.  The US can point to a poor red card decision which left them with 10 men for a good part of the game, but regardless of the bad call there was no doubt that Brazil toyed with the US ambitions of securing any positive results.. The US played too cautious and with too much respect and with a lack of evident strategy for this match. But how things have changed.

Fastforward 1 week and we’ve seen a US squad that have found their form, hunger and belief which can be compared to the Euro 2004 Champion’s Greece. Can the USA upset the Samba boys in the similar fashion as the Greeks did the Portuguese? Will Brazil learn from Spain’s mistakes? Can the US overcome a determined 5 time World Cup Champion? As the USA look towards the CONCACAF Gold Cup competition in a weeks’ time their minds are strictly on the football. The same can not be said about the Brazilians who have mostly returned from long seasons in Europe and will be looking forward to a month off with their rodizio and buffet of model girlfriends, sandy beaches, caipirinhas and superhero homecoming to their beloved Brazil.

The bookies will be favoring Brazil with near 7-1 odds to win the Confederations Cup but the Americans have never been so close to such glory.  A win over Brazil is achievable. Afterall it’s only 90 minutes of football and anything can happen. A win will give the US  their first recognized global achievement and boost the sport of soccer to unseen levels, something the sport can definetely use in these times. After seeing Egypt go down and later Spain.. i say.. why not? wierder things have happened.   Viva USA.. For the love of this sport in North America i say go for it!  Viva the Beautiful game.

Thursday June 25th at 14:30 EST - Watch Brazil vs South Africa Live Semi-final for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Brazil have been grooving through all their games having won all 3 games and secured all 9 points all in gaining confidence and with the flair that has defined Brazil as a soccer nation over the past 50 years. Their dismantling of Italy was textbook  Brazil as they gained confidence as each minute went on. Playmaker Kaka is looking amazing with speed, quick passing and smart give and gos. Dunga’s decision to keep Robinho in the squad has paid off big time as the forward bring cockiness into a samba like fluid attack. What you can’t hear behind the load noise of the swarming bee horns is the beats of Samba. Perhaps the South Africa fans will drown out the drum beats on Thursday but expect Brazil to bring the beat back on the pitch.

South Africa as the hosting nation has deservedly booked a place in the Confederation’s Cup semi-final.. and with the spirit of Africa behind them feel they have a chance in advancing to the finals.. however they have a massive hurdle ahead of them in the name of the Seleccao Canarinha AKA Brazil. Bafana Bafana or Samba Samba.. whatever the result the music will be sweet.

Watch Brazil vs South Africa Live on June 24th, 2009 at 14:30 EST

Group A of the Confederation’s Cup has concluded it’s games leaving it’s first 2 victims in Iraq and New Zealand.  Hosts South African advance and so does the record breaking Spanish team (now with 15 straight wins).

The final standing like this for Group A Confederations Cup:

FIFA Confederations Cup - Groups & Standings

Group A Table Standings

            Team    MP W D L GF GA Pts

* 1. Spain        3  3  0  0  7  0  9

* 2. South Africa 2  1  1  1  2  1  4

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 3. Iraq         3  0  2  1  0  1  2

 4. New Zealand  2  0  1  2  0  7  1

These teams await today’s exciting matches between Brazil v Italy and USA v Egypt both scheduled for 2:30 pm this afternoon and available on ESPN & ESPN2 respectively.

The semi-finals are scheduled for June 24th (wednesday) at 2:30 pm. Spain won the group and will face the 2nd place team of Group B. South Africa will face the first place team in Group B.

Semi-final #1 - FIFA Confederations Cup Live:

Spain vs Group B - 2nd Place

Semi-final #2 - FIFA Confederations Cup Live:

Groub B - 1st Place vs South Africa

Here are the likely Scenarios for the Semi-Final teams based on todays possible results:

Likely Scenario 1 - If Brazil win and Egypt win:

Group B Table Standings

            Team               W D L Pts

* 1. Brazil       3  0  0  9

* 2. Egypt        2  0  1  6

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 3. Italy         1  0  2  3

 3. USA           0  0  3  3

We’d then have the following Semi-Final matches ups

Spain vs Egypt

Brazil vs South Africa

Likely Scenario 2 - If Italy win and Egypt win:

Group B Table Standings

            Team               W D L Pts

 1. Brazil       2  0  1  9

 2. Egypt        2  0  1  6

 3. Italy        2  0  1  6

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 3. USA           0  0  3  3

We’d then have a situation where goal differential for each nation would determine who advances.

Brazil will get eliminated from the FIFA Confederations Cup if they lose to italy by two or more goals and an Egypt win by three goals against the United States.

Egypt will get eliminated form the FIFA Confederations cup if Brazil beats Italy by a goal and if USA beats Egypt,

Italy can get eliminated even if they win Brazil.. this scenario would take place if Italy beat Brazil by one goal and Egypt wins the USA by 3 goals, creating the 3 way tie as per above table. Goal differential in this situation would be Brasil 3, Egypt 3, Italy 2.

USA will most likely be eliminated unless the following happens. They must win Egypt on Sunday. And Italy must lose to Brazil.  As well the USA will need to beef up their goal differential which currently stands at -5.

Likely Scenario 3 - If Brazil & Italy Tie and Egypt Win:

Group B Table Standings

            Team               W D L Pts

* 1. Brazil       2  1  0  7

* 2. Egypt        2  0  1  6

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 3. Italy         1  1  1  4

 3. USA           0  0  3  3

We’d then have an Italy elimination from the FIFA Confederation Cup and the following Semi-Final matches ups

Spain vs Egypt

Brazil vs South Africa

This is football.. with numerous outcomes and a wave of emotions that occur inside the 90 minute match. Today’s group B matches will bring millions of football fans around the world excitement and nail biting action right up to the last minute of extra time. It’s quite possible that we could have one of the following scenarios for the FIFA Confederations Cup Semi-final

• Spain vs Egypt
  Spain vs Brazil
  Spain vs Italy
  Spain vs USA
• Brazil vs South Africa
  Egypt vs South Africa
  Italy vs South Africa

So if you have nothing planned for this Sunday afternoon.. get ready to watch some exciting international football. If you do have something else planned.. then as a football fan i urge you to tune into one of the following matches and get stuck in mate!

Watch Italy vs Brazil Live at 2:00 PM (est) on ESPN BBC3, CBC, ESPN 360,  Univision and online… June 21, 2009

Watch US vs Egypt Live at 2:30 PM on Telefutura, ESPN2, ESPN 360, GolTV-Canada… June 21, 2009

Many Italians and Brazilians will be tuning in Sunday June 21st at 2:30 PM EST to watch a massive match taking place in the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 in South Africa.

This is the 3rd match in the qualifying group which contains Brazil, Italy, USA and Egypt. The funny thing is that with 2 games played there is a possbility that each team can still qualify or get eliminated.

The standings at this point are: Brazil 6 pts, Italy 3 pts, Egypt 3 pts, USA 0 pts.

Outcome Scenarios:

Brazil v Italy Match - June 21st at 2:30 pm

If Brazil wins Italy - Brazil will have 9 pts and Italy will remain with 3 pts.  Brazil will win the group and most likely avoid Spain in the Semi-Final. Italy will be eliminated.

If Brazil vs Italy results in a Tie - then Brazil will win the group and Italy will remain on 4 pts. If Egypt win their game with the USA then Italy will be eliminated and Egypt will secure second place and be rewarded with a semi-final encounter with Spain.

It Brazil vs Italy results in an Italian victory, then, Italy and Brazil will both have 6 pts.. And goal differential and head to head results will be used to determine who advances.. If Egypt win and also secure 6 pts.  There will be a 3 way tie.. and it will come down to goal differential between these 3 teams.

USA vs Egypt Live Match at June 21, 2:30 pm EST

USA still has a remote mathematical chance of qualifying.. for this to occur, the US Soccer team will need to win the USA vs Egypt match. and will need Brazil to beat Italy. This scenario would leave the group looking like this: Brazil 9 pts, Italy 3 pts, Egypt 3 pts, USA 3 pts. And it will come down to the goal differential of these teams. USA will need to score a massive amount of goals in order to pull out of their negative differential.. right now current with 1 goal scored and 6 suffered leaving them with a -5 goal differential.  Egypt have scored 4 and suffered 4 with a 0 goal differential. The Italians have scored 3 and suffered 2 with a +1 goal differential. So if the USA score 5 goals and italy lose by more than 2 goals.. then they have a chance.. however the way Egypt have been playing i think this will be an unlikely scenario.

This will be one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.. and the reward for 2nd place will be to face a killer Spain team that has now gone undefeated since Nov of 2006.

Do yourself a favor and tune into these matches on Sunday June 21st for a great afternoon of international footbal.

Watch Brazil v Italy live at 2:30pm June 21st.

Watch USA vs Egypt live at 2:30pm June 21st.