Friday’s World Cup draw: A dandy landing for U.S. Soccer

History had taught U.S. fans to brace themselves for the draw. If it played out as before, the U.S. would get a brutal outcome, and the second round might easily appear a bridge too far.

What a smooth landing Friday’s draw turned out to be for the United States. My early reaction piece on ESPN Soccernet should be posted shortly. (Update: posted here.) The bottom line is this: After meeting England on the tournament’s second day in a massively high-profile match, Bob Bradley’s bunch faces Slovenia on June 18 in Johannesburg. If there is not something left to play for as U.S. concludes Group C play on June 23 in Pretoria, then something has gone horribly, horribly wrong.

I’ll say it right now: the United States will advance into the second round. They may well fall toEngland in the opener, but I’d reckon a 1-0 score here with the Americans pressing at the end. Then, they’ll find the points against Slovenia and Algeria.

I won’t be shocked to see the United States and England draw in that opener. England has a history of sluggish starts in the World Cup, which isn’t surprising considering how much pressure accompanies the Three Lions at every quadrennial stop. Long story short, everyone back home expects England to win the damn thing, even when the talent looks quite marginal (compared to the real global heavyweights, that is.) Plus, the Americans are simply better when they play as underdogs, with that we-get-no-respect chip on their shoulder.

Things could hardly have turned out more swell for the Americans.