The Many Scenarios of Group G

     With their matchup less than 24 hours away with World power Germany, the US Mens' National Soccer Team is looking to secure a place in the round of 16 for the second straight World Cup. The US are tied with Germany atop Group G with both teams at 4 points with a win and a draw each. Both teams enter the game needing just one point to advance and there has been talks of the two sides engaging in a practice that is known as the convenient draw which would see each team go on. If the two sides did play to a draw in tomorrow's match Germany would win the group with a better goal differential and would go on to face the Runner Up from Group H and the United States would play the winner of Group H which is currently led by Belgium with 6 points.

     However, neither the Germans nor the Americans want to concede a draw in their final match as both sides look to control their own destiny with a victory. Both sides can use this game as a proving grounds headed toward the next stage, the Germans can prove their dominance and the Americans can prove their resiliency. A win in this matchup would put the victor straight through to the Elimination stages and would put the other side at risk of elimination based off of the Portugal - Ghana game. 

     The storylines around this game are nothing to forget either. Jurgen Klinsmann, the Head Coach of the United States and native German, faces off against his home country. The injury to Jozy Altidore, suffered against Ghana, will keep the striker out of this match as well. Of course, there is the fact that both teams do control their destiny and a win gives either side an "easier" draw headed into the elimination rounds.

     There are several scenarios for each team in the Group to advance. The US and Germany control the easiest scenarios as for either team it's win and you're in. However, there are a variety of other scenarios that could see any of the 4 teams advance.  

     Here are the scenarios:

Germany advances:
-Win vs. USA
-Draw vs. USA
-Portugal/Ghana end in Draw
-Loss vs. USA and better Goal Differential than Portugal/Ghana

USA advances:
-Win vs. Germany
-Draw vs. Germany
-Portugal/Ghana end in draw
-Loss vs. Germany and better Goal Differential than Portugal/Ghana

Ghana advances:
-Win vs. Portugal and better Goal Differential than loser of USA/Germany

Portugal advances:
-Win vs. Ghana and better Goal Differential than loser of USA/Germany

The current Standings are as follows in Group G

     There is much at stake in the Group G group stage games tomorrow and it will be decided who advances with the results.
     Both games begin at 12 ET on ESPN tomorrow 6/25.

The Group of Death

     Tomorrow marks the first game of the long awaited FIFA World Cup hosted by Brazil. Brazil takes on Croatia in the opening match of what is likely to be one of the best World Cups to date. With phenomenal talent across the globe in players such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and a slew of other tremendous talent, there are many teams this year in contention to take home the coveted World Cup trophy.
     However, one country who has slipped under the radar, and rightfully so, is our very own United States Men's soccer club. The US's most prolific player in history, Landon Donovan, has been left off the 23 man roster for this years' World Cup squad in a very controversial move by Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Despite being the US's all-time leader in both goals and assists (57 each) on the national stage, Klinsmann decided to leave the 32-year old striker off of the roster.

Landon Donovan, US leading goal scorer and assist leader

         Even with the omission of Donovan from the roster this year, the US already faced an absurdly tall task this World Cup. The United States has been placed in what has been dubbed the "Group of Death" for their Group G pool. Headlined by Germany and Portugal, two of the top teams in the world with Germany ranked 2nd and Portugal falling just behind ranked 4th, the 13th ranked US team has a huge hurdle to overcome either of those two teams.
     It doesn't get any easier when they play 37th ranked Ghana either. Ghana has eliminated the US from each of the last two World Cups, in Group play in 2006 and then in the round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup.
     The United States has got to be in top form the second they step onto the field versus Ghana in their opening matchup. Led by 31-year old Forward Clint Dempsey, and veteran Goalkeeper Tim Howard, the United States is not going to roll over and accept defeat based off of their draw in Group play. However, it will be a tall task for them to make it out and into single elimination play.
     With the Group that the United States has drawn I don't believe that they will be able to make it out of Group play, and neither does anyone else. However, if the US is able to shock the world and escape the "Group of Death" they have as good a chance as any to win it all. Here's to hoping.

  

     The United States kicks off their opening match against Ghana Monday, June 16th at 6:00PM ET.

Stanley Cup Dreams

     The final stage is set for the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. The New York Rangers will face off against the Los Angeles Kings for the right to raise Lord Stanley's Cup after a long, arduous season all culminating in this final series.
      For the Kings this is their second trip to the Cup Finals in the last three years and their third ever Stanley Cup Finals appearance. In 2012 the Kings run to the Stanley Cup was improbable as they entered the playoffs as the 8 seed in the West and defeated  top seeded Vancouver, second seeded St. Louis, and third seeded Phoenix before dispatching of the New Jersey Devils in 6 games.

Kings banner celebration 2012

      This years' run has been similar in that they have had to face off against all teams with better seedings' including their come back from 3-0 in their initial series with San Jose followed by erasing a 3-2 series deficit against the top seeded Ducks.
      The Western Conference Finals saw a matchup of the last two Cup Champions with the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the LA Kings. The series was one for the ages and was one of the best playoff series of the entire playoffs, including Game 7 which went into overtime where the Kings Alec Martinez scored just over 5 minutes into the period to send the Kings to a matchup with the waiting Rangers.
      The Rangers route to the Stanley Cup has been one of an underdog story this Playoff season. Their opening series went the distance as the Rangers exchanged wins and losses with the Philadelphia Flyers, in a hard fought series that the Rangers took in 7. The Kings aren't the only team who have faced adversity in these playoffs. The Rangers Conference Seminfinal matchup pitted them against the mighty Pittsburgh Penguins and the Penguins seemed poised to take the series jumping out to a 3-1 series lead. However, the Rangers battled with resiliency and convincingly took Game 5, 5-1 before winning the next two to lead them to a Eastern Conference matchup with the Canadiens, who as we all know had just upset the top seeded Bruins and seemed to be the favorites coming into the series.
      After an incredible 7-2 win in Game 1 for the Blueshirts, there was no one doubting the abilities of the Rangers to come out on top. Five games later and it was the Rangers taking the series 4-2 after Dominic Moore scored in the second period of Game 6 for the first and only goal of the game to send the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Finals for the 11th time and first since they won the cup 20 years ago on the heels of Captain Mark Messier.

 

 

 

 

Dominic Moore, Game 6 hero, adds the 12th piece to the Rangers Championship puzzle

      The final series of the season is shaping up to be a great one as the Rangers and Kings get underway Wednesday June 4th at 8PM in LA. Whoever wins this series deserves it as both teams have faced many trials and tribulations en route to the Cup Finals and this series will be worth the price of admission.

      My bold prediction for the outcome of this Rangers v. Kings series is that the New York Rangers continue to take the world by storm lifting the cup at home after Game 6.