USA vs Belgium

O my aching heart! In all honesty I did not expect the USA to beat Belgium, but I was sure they would put up a fight. The team I saw tonight had somehow lost the desire to achieve their goal, literally and figuratively. Missed passes, hesitation and refusal to drive the ball forward was the theme of the night. However, please do not lose heart Team USA, use this tournament as an opportunity to learn and grow. Recount what you did well, rethink what you didn't and know that as long as you keep trying, I'll keep cheering. 

Chin up y'all.

D.V.

USA vs Bosnia Herzegovina

You may think me biased for saying this, but I will say it anyway, I do not agree with that red card. I could see a yellow based on the tackle replay but malicious intent must be evident for a red and I just didn't see that. Two players going after the ball colliding into each other is not unusual in a contact sport, but what is done, cannot be undone. 

So USA, use this as more fuel for your fire and continue to write your story as only you can.

D.V

To Venezuela

 I just found out about the devastating earthquakes that shook Venezuela this week. My heart goes out to the Venezuelan people. It is impossible to imagine what you must be going through right now, you are all in my prayers. 

DV

Turkiye vs USA

What a match! There is something to be said about dogged determination driven by desire. That last second goal certainly had me screaming at the T.V. but I tip my hat to the Turkiye team. They played passionately to the bitter end and for that I have to say, well done. To the USA team, as a child we had a cheer for occasions just like this that said...That's alright, that's okay, we still love you anyway. 

So, chin up y'all, it's all a part of the learning process.

Good night world.

D.V.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the true Fathers aka Dads in the world, may you never forget the profound impact you have on the lives of your children. I hope your day is filled with wonderful reminders of the amazing men you are and how much you are valued.

D.V.

I love Futbol

I don't care what you call it, futbol, football or Soccer, it's all the same to me. A marvelous display of skill, teamwork and strategy propelled by determination while maintaining a decorum of sportsmanship and respect. This mesmerizing sport captivates people from all walks of life around the world like no other.

I personally look forward to watching the World cup every 4 years. Seeing these players at the top of their game giving their all for their respective countries is inspiring. This year I was pleasantly surprised to see how well matched most of these teams were in their opening matches. By my stats, of the 24 opening matches played there were 9 draws, 4 with a GD of 1, 6 with a GD of 2, 3 with a GD of 3, 1 with a GD of 4 and 1 with a GD of 6. If you exclude the 5 matches with GDs of 3 or more, there were 19 matches that could have gone either way, isn't that amazing? 

Good luck to every team, I look forward to seeing you all at your best.

D.V.

What a Match - USA vs Paraguay

 I cannot go to bed until I say it, GOOOOOAL!

Nice job y'all, as they say in the south. You played well most of the 1st half and got your rhythm back towards the end of the 2nd. Truthfully that last goal had me screaming. But more than that USA, you played as a team and that made this old soccer fan proud! 

Game on World.

D.V.