World Cup 2010 World Cup action featured the United States’ pursuit of a dream against Ghana. Many critics thought the United States had a solid path to the semifinals by avoiding the favorites early in the tournament. But Ghana proved to be more than the U.S could handle. Just as in other matches, the U.S fell behind early, and eager fans awaited the tying goal. Luckily, American standout Landon Donovan evened the score with a penalty kick. If you were like me, you were at home or at a sports bar watching Ghana show more hustle and better defense than the Yanks. Other soccer fans more knowledgeable than myself questioned the lineup at the start of the match, which may have led to uneven play by the Americans. Ninety minutes wasn’t enough, and the game got pushed into extra time when Ghana scored early, thrusting a first dagger into the World Cup hopes of the U.S. From there, the Yanks ran out time, and the dream run of the Americans was finished. Despite the U.S elimination, the future of soccer in the States won’t likely be determined until after a champion is crowned. But for now, soccer has gained new fans willing to give the sport a try. Let’s hope the networks capitalize on the momentum. MMA When Fedor Emelianenko fought Fabricio Werdum on Saturday, no one put odds on Werdum defeating the Russian. Emelianenko knocked down his opponent with glancing shots but then got careless on the ground, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Werdum pulled off the submission. When Emelianenko tapped out, it marked one of the greatest upsets in the history of MMA. His first loss in over nine years is a huge blow for promoters M-1 Global and Strikeforce; they’ve lost their most important bargaining chip. Strikeforce Heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem looked like someone stole his lunch money while he watched Emelianenko lose. Now instead of Overeem receiving a massive pay-per-view fight with Emelianenko, he’ll face Werdum sometime later this year. The Strikeforce card also saw the rebirth of Cung Le, who destroyed Scott Smith. Hopefully, he’ll leave Hollywood behind and pursue his potential as a fighter.
Hangover Sports Roundup: The U.s. Is Out. Plus, A Major Mma Upset.
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