Boston's Boys: 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.