The USA caught a break when England and Algeria ended in a scoreless draw. Now the USA soccer team controls its own destiny…something that we would have never anticipated following up the controversial USA vs. Slovenia draw. As a side point, the referee during that game will not be refereeing during the round of 16. Quite frankly, it would have been a shock if he was back on the field after making a call like that.
It’s very simple right now for the USA, come out with a victory and three points in their match up vs. Algeria, and advance into the Round of 16 and the knockout stages of the 2010 World Cup.
USA Soccer In Control Prior to Algeria Match
The USA vs. Algeria preview can all be boiled down to this: win the game, and keep on advancing. Regardless of what happens elsewhere in Group C, the USA will be one of the advancing teams if they win.
If the USA only ties Algeria, they’ll need a bit of help. It gets a bit confusing by here’s how they will advance:
- Slovenia would need to beat England, OR
- Slovenia and England tie in a low scoring game that allows the USA to retain its goals scored advantage (see below, or see World Cup Tie Breaker Rules).
If the USA loses to Algeria, they’re out!
The USA vs. Algeria match won’t be easy however. Algeria proved against England and Slovenia that they are a high quality club, and offer a stern defensive challenge. 19 of their 23 players play in high level European clubs, so they aren’t overmatched. The USA certainly cannot afford to go down early once again, as they have in each of their first two matches. Come on….learn from your mistakes and play with a sense of urgency from the start!!!
USA vs. Algeria Game Time
The USA vs. Algeria kickoff time is 10 am Eastern on Wednesday, June 23. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. At the same time, the England vs. Slovenia match will be airing on ESPN2, wrapping up Group C action. Both matches will determine the fate for all four of the Group C 2010 World Cup teams.
Group C World Cup Standings
After all of the Group C teams have played two games, the standings in the group are:
Slovenia – 1 win, 1 draw – 4 points – +1 goal differential – 3 goals scored
USA – 2 draws – 2 points – 0 goal differential – 3 goals scored
England – 2 draws – 2 points – 0 goal differential – 1 goals scored
Algeria – 1 draw, 1 loss – 1 point – -1 goal differential – 0 goals scored