I dont know if I would call Pope soft. I think he is just on the downside of his career. Too many injuries throughout his career does not help.
Does anyone else realize how much this cup resembles the last for the states, but in a different order. We tied a korea team that missed a pk. While we definitely deserved a point if not three against Italy, I dont think anyone would have given us a chance playing 10 v 9 before the match. We got blown out in one game in group play, Poland 02/CZE 06. We lost a starting centerback in group play and had to rely on a backup with limited international experience. Hopefully things will continue and we will beat Ghana 3-2 and advance.