Costa Rica beat Japan 1-0 at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium thanks to a 81st minute strike from Keysher Fuller that blew qualification from World Cup Group E wide open. Giant killers Japan who shocked Germany in the opening round hardly got a foothold in the game and would be left ruing their chances to […]

Joshua Kimmich said before the game that Germany needed to avoid a poor one-goal loss at the World Cup. They have begun their last two major tournaments the same way. And then gone out in humiliation. But the tactical staleness that characterized Germany's decline under the latter reign of Joachim Löw remains under Hansi Flick. […]

Ever since globalization and football’s inextricable embrace in the 1990s, worldwide fans embraced the value of market language. The World Cup "shop window" showcases the best playing talent and the latest breakout stars. Scouts attend, worldwide TV audiences confirm demand and promising world-beaters are supplied to the highest bidders. Germany and Japan have plenty to […]

Japan’s national team navigated a mediocre group in 2018 (Colombia, Senegal, and Poland) to earn four points and a trip to the knockout rounds. How will they fare at World Cup 2022? Even with a better squad – their FIFA ranking has improved from 50 to 24 in four years – the draw provides a […]

With both sides qualified for the 2022 World Cup, the friendly pitting the USA vs Japan now has coverage details. By no means is this a competitive game. However, that does not mean it is insignificant. Both teams have this contest, then one more, before the World Cup in November. Therefore, this is a chance […]

With the World Cup drawing ever closer, US Soccer scheduled two friendlies for the USMNT. The pair of fixtures test the mettle of the team and see how the stack up before they ship out to Qatar in November. The pair of friendlies are a refreshing change of pace. Opponents Japan and Saudi Arabia are […]

There are football tours, there are serious football tours and then there was the epic journey undertaken by the Dallas Tornado. Led by the charismatic Bob Kap the team traversed the globe in a near eight month tour from 1967 to 1968 playing in 26 different countries including: Singapore, Cyprus, Morocco, Bangladesh (known back then […]

One of the greatest attributes of the US men's national team is something that very few other countries have on the world's stage. And that is a combination of good sportsmanship as well as a lack of cheating. Yesterday's games in the World Cup were a perfect example. You had Arjen Robben flopping, leaping and […]

So the World Cup is now a week old, every team has played at least once. It is now becoming clear whether your team was a sound bet or as dodgy as a Northern Rock balance sheet. There have already been a few surprises, and those following a minnow may have had a nice surprise. Also […]

In the United States, it's one of those long holiday weekends, which are a rarity. It's time to remember the fallen heroes who have died while in military service for the United States. It's also an opportunity to spend time with the family, have BBQ's, visit the beach and more — which is why I […]