They did it.
Balogun's poacher effort and a stunning free kick from Malik Tillman punch the United States Men's National Team past Bosnia & Herzegovina and into the true mix of things.
My dog, a miniature black poodle, has anxiety, and it’s been something we have been working on slowly. He goes nuts frequently, especially when another dog shows up on the TV screen or any of us get excited about anything. We have him medicated now to deal with the rampant anxiety. It makes family movie nights a little challenging, though.
All of this is not an aside - it was the riveting problem I faced as I watched Malik Tillman confidently slot home a stunning free kick to confirm the United States Men’s National Team ticket to the next round.
I screamed. I jumped. I danced.
And my dog, who I had been trying to keep calm most of the day, scrambled up in panic. Was it fear? Was it agony? Or, as I think back, was it joy alongside my own? Is my dog sick with World Cup Fever too?
Three hours later, as I write these words, I still feel ready to party.
It’s true - this United States Men’s National Team feels different. They aren’t perfect and will need to grow into the next match. However, this group of guys found a way, even after the set back of Balogun getting a harsh red card. (No chance it will be rescinded.) Down a man, facing a Bosnian team growing in confidence, the US held their own, and more importantly, took advantage of a precious free kick to stun their opponents and seal the win.
In years past, the red card would have been the first domino in a result we know all too well, disappointment and resignation to defeat.
But this squad found a way. They did it. They stayed together and fought through surmounting odds, scrapping and clawing to a defensive shutout and a crucial free kick that shifted the narrative.
I add to others who find this midfield particularly impressive, three world class midfielders in McKennie, Adams, and Tillman who complement each other well in their movement and sets of tools.
I honor a back line that was competent and disciplined.
The challenges away in the next matchup. Belgium is beatable, but that team has experience and found their way through despite struggling against Senegal. Ricardo Pepi doesn’t need fill Balogun’s shoes, but he needs to be dangerous and help create the chaos that others can fill. The next man must step up.
When the final whistle blew, I could hear the roar of neighbors in a nearby backyard in celebration as the Southern California sun set.
This unbridled emotion is what the World Cup is all about, turning strangers into sudden friends, morphing a crowd from silence into rapture. I’ve hit my preferred pub multiple times this week, ordering a Diet Coke and a half salad (yeah, trying to be a good boy), and each time, I find a motley crew gathered around TV screens, most of them still trying to understand why a certain goal was offside and another wasn’t. It’s so much fun.
After a heated conversation about who the real contenders in the tournament are and why some nations do better than others, I recommended Inverting the Pyramid to a lawyer standing next to me. He promptly looked it up on Amazon and added it to his wish list.
A couple came in as I was finishing the final minutes of the Belgium/Senegal match, grabbing a spot next to me. The wife was decked out in American colors from head to toe. They spoke with Indian accents, but it was clear, they felt at home. We had a brief, friendly chat, and when I started to leave, she seemed surprised.
“Aren’t you going to stay and watch the game?”
I felt a little pang of guilt - I’d love to stay, but I had an anxious dog to take for a long walk first.
An anxious dog who is as invested as I am apparently.
What a tournament.