Psychological factors could weigh heavily on a game that features two distinct superlatives: the world's best player (or at least the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner) and the best team the USA has ever fielded. How Jozy Altidore, Pepe and Fabio Coentrao will be replaced also promises to effect the balance.
PORTUGAL AGAIN HAS IT'S BACK TO THE WALL
If Portugal loses, they are all but mathematically eliminated.
The last time they faced this situation was in qualifiers, and their star responded in memorable fashion, outscoring the Swedish opposition by himself with a hat trick.
It was perhaps the memorable individual performance of the season, and caused a stir when ever-meddling FIFA quickly announced a halt to the Ballon d'Or voting, as if to let this achievement of Ronaldo's resonate before the international coaches and captains--as well as journalists--voted.
Predictably, Ronaldo received this year's award, and this made hordes of inhumane CR7 fans jubilant, and the rest of us either bitter, or, if we saw the Portugal-Sweden game, resigned.
The fact is that in his team's most dire test, he overcame Ibrahimovich--a substantial rival in both ability and arrogance--and played his best game when it mattered. This is admirable even when someone is as unlikable as Ronaldo is.
But Ronaldo has already received his vaunted laurel, and with a broken Portugal team around him and many excuses within grasp that include injury, one wonders if he has it in him to raise his game to that level again, against an organized, determined and physical American team. (Also, the pressure will mount on him after his diminutive rival's late winner against Iran.)
Pepe will be replaced by Ricardo Costa, who started most of Valencia's games in a campaign that saw them reach the UEFA League semifinals, but finish eighth in La Liga. It is important to note that Costa plays alongside starting right defender Joao Pereira at Valencia, so they will able to transfer a certain level of comfort with each other to the national side.
Portugal's situation is far shakier at left back, with Coentrao's likely replacement, Andre Almeida, only having starting once for Benefica's second team.
Hugo Almeida--who is the only forward in this tournament capable of losing a race to Fred--is in doubt, as is Bruno Alves, but it's hard to imagine he won't play through injury given the haphazard situation of Portugal's defense.
Joao Moutinho and Raul Meireles are both able tacklers in the midfield for Portugal, and Moutinho is Ronaldo's key provider.
Miguel Velosa--often used as a pivot--has looked quick, and his turning inside-out of Sammy Khedira to the point where the German fell down, was one of the lone bright spots within their 0-4 drubbing.
Last but not least, is right-winger Nani, Ronaldo's failed understudy, who is still fleet of foot and can provide major problems for any defense that chooses to overlook him.
THE USA BELIEVES THEY CAN WIN, AND THEY MAY BE RIGHT
Many Americans are so allergic to realism that they were deeply offended by coach Jurgen's Klinsmann's media-spun comments that the USA--as currently comprised--is incapable of wining the 20th FIFA World Cup.
The truth is that there have been eight winners of the tournament, and every winning team has had considerable pedigree before their triumph. The nature of the tournament itself makes it extremely unlikely for a long shot to even reach the final, let alone win it.
While both Hungary and Czechoslovakia have made it to two finals apiece, they were both soccer powerhouses of antiquity, as was resurgent Uruguay.
The strangest team to ever reach a final was Sweden in 1958, and of course, they were that year's hosts.
One serious advantage that this USA team does have is 200,000 ticket holders, second only to the current hosts, and recently described by Dempsey as their 12th man.
Clint Dempsey, for a long time inexplicably in Donovan's shadow despite having unprecedented success in the world's strongest league, is on the brink of legendary status after scoring a stunning 1st minute goal against perpetual rival Ghana, playing through a severely broken nose and becoming the first USA player to score in three World Cups.
He has perhaps waited his whole life for this opportunity, probably hates Cristiano Ronaldo, and has had a knack for scoring huge goals for former club Fulham--most notably against Juventus in the round of 16 of the Europa League, and against Liverpool to keep the London side from relegation. Against an aforementioned Portugal rearguard, he may find space to both shoot and create.
With a legit star, two highly experienced players in Bradley and Jones, and a team that looks more organized than many of the European powerhouses, USA fans can for once come into a game against a hobbled but 4th-ranked team, and believe, rationally, in their chances.
Klinsmann is not without decisions, however, and must address the injured Altidore, for whom he has no like-for-like substitute.
Because his midfield diamond has been relatively successful offensively, and impressive defensively, he may opt to simply put poacher Wondolowski where Altidore was. (Johannsson could also be called on as he was when Altidore went down versus Ghana.)
If he decides to shake things up and revert to the also-familiar 4-2-3-1, he has a lot of options that--while not being perfect--are valid.
He has three potential #5s (holding midfielders) in Jones, Bradley and Beckerman; three wingers in Jones, Bedoya and Zusi; three potential #10s (creative central midfielders) in Bradley, Dempsey and Diskerud and three potential #9s (strikers) in Dempsey, Wondolowski and Johannsson.
Without an impressive choice at striker, it would be interesting but not surprising to see the following line-up:
Howard
4: Johnson-Cameron-Besler-Beasley
2: Jones-Beckerman
3: Zusi-Bradley-Bedoya
1: Dempsey
While many USA fans would love to see Fabien Johnson attack more, this may not be the game for that.
Obviously, his primary task will be to attempt to neutralize Cristiano Ronaldo, but there is also a risky case for providing him coverage and having him purposefully attack that inevitable space Ronaldo forfeits.
Yet this would mean someone speedy on the bottom or the right side of the midfield diamond, or in the case of a 4-2-3-1, a fast, right-side #5.
The US does not necessarily have that option (with the exception of Jones who may relish the role), so most likely Johnson will stay put.
PORTUGAL AGAIN HAS IT'S BACK TO THE WALL
If Portugal loses, they are all but mathematically eliminated.
The last time they faced this situation was in qualifiers, and their star responded in memorable fashion, outscoring the Swedish opposition by himself with a hat trick.
It was perhaps the memorable individual performance of the season, and caused a stir when ever-meddling FIFA quickly announced a halt to the Ballon d'Or voting, as if to let this achievement of Ronaldo's resonate before the international coaches and captains--as well as journalists--voted.
Predictably, Ronaldo received this year's award, and this made hordes of inhumane CR7 fans jubilant, and the rest of us either bitter, or, if we saw the Portugal-Sweden game, resigned.
The fact is that in his team's most dire test, he overcame Ibrahimovich--a substantial rival in both ability and arrogance--and played his best game when it mattered. This is admirable even when someone is as unlikable as Ronaldo is.
But Ronaldo has already received his vaunted laurel, and with a broken Portugal team around him and many excuses within grasp that include injury, one wonders if he has it in him to raise his game to that level again, against an organized, determined and physical American team. (Also, the pressure will mount on him after his diminutive rival's late winner against Iran.)
Pepe will be replaced by Ricardo Costa, who started most of Valencia's games in a campaign that saw them reach the UEFA League semifinals, but finish eighth in La Liga. It is important to note that Costa plays alongside starting right defender Joao Pereira at Valencia, so they will able to transfer a certain level of comfort with each other to the national side.
Portugal's situation is far shakier at left back, with Coentrao's likely replacement, Andre Almeida, only having starting once for Benefica's second team.
Hugo Almeida--who is the only forward in this tournament capable of losing a race to Fred--is in doubt, as is Bruno Alves, but it's hard to imagine he won't play through injury given the haphazard situation of Portugal's defense.
Joao Moutinho and Raul Meireles are both able tacklers in the midfield for Portugal, and Moutinho is Ronaldo's key provider.
Miguel Velosa--often used as a pivot--has looked quick, and his turning inside-out of Sammy Khedira to the point where the German fell down, was one of the lone bright spots within their 0-4 drubbing.
Last but not least, is right-winger Nani, Ronaldo's failed understudy, who is still fleet of foot and can provide major problems for any defense that chooses to overlook him.
THE USA BELIEVES THEY CAN WIN, AND THEY MAY BE RIGHT
Many Americans are so allergic to realism that they were deeply offended by coach Jurgen's Klinsmann's media-spun comments that the USA--as currently comprised--is incapable of wining the 20th FIFA World Cup.
The truth is that there have been eight winners of the tournament, and every winning team has had considerable pedigree before their triumph. The nature of the tournament itself makes it extremely unlikely for a long shot to even reach the final, let alone win it.
While both Hungary and Czechoslovakia have made it to two finals apiece, they were both soccer powerhouses of antiquity, as was resurgent Uruguay.
The strangest team to ever reach a final was Sweden in 1958, and of course, they were that year's hosts.
One serious advantage that this USA team does have is 200,000 ticket holders, second only to the current hosts, and recently described by Dempsey as their 12th man.
Clint Dempsey, for a long time inexplicably in Donovan's shadow despite having unprecedented success in the world's strongest league, is on the brink of legendary status after scoring a stunning 1st minute goal against perpetual rival Ghana, playing through a severely broken nose and becoming the first USA player to score in three World Cups.
He has perhaps waited his whole life for this opportunity, probably hates Cristiano Ronaldo, and has had a knack for scoring huge goals for former club Fulham--most notably against Juventus in the round of 16 of the Europa League, and against Liverpool to keep the London side from relegation. Against an aforementioned Portugal rearguard, he may find space to both shoot and create.
With a legit star, two highly experienced players in Bradley and Jones, and a team that looks more organized than many of the European powerhouses, USA fans can for once come into a game against a hobbled but 4th-ranked team, and believe, rationally, in their chances.
Klinsmann is not without decisions, however, and must address the injured Altidore, for whom he has no like-for-like substitute.
Because his midfield diamond has been relatively successful offensively, and impressive defensively, he may opt to simply put poacher Wondolowski where Altidore was. (Johannsson could also be called on as he was when Altidore went down versus Ghana.)
If he decides to shake things up and revert to the also-familiar 4-2-3-1, he has a lot of options that--while not being perfect--are valid.
He has three potential #5s (holding midfielders) in Jones, Bradley and Beckerman; three wingers in Jones, Bedoya and Zusi; three potential #10s (creative central midfielders) in Bradley, Dempsey and Diskerud and three potential #9s (strikers) in Dempsey, Wondolowski and Johannsson.
Without an impressive choice at striker, it would be interesting but not surprising to see the following line-up:
Howard
4: Johnson-Cameron-Besler-Beasley
2: Jones-Beckerman
3: Zusi-Bradley-Bedoya
1: Dempsey
While many USA fans would love to see Fabien Johnson attack more, this may not be the game for that.
Obviously, his primary task will be to attempt to neutralize Cristiano Ronaldo, but there is also a risky case for providing him coverage and having him purposefully attack that inevitable space Ronaldo forfeits.
Yet this would mean someone speedy on the bottom or the right side of the midfield diamond, or in the case of a 4-2-3-1, a fast, right-side #5.
The US does not necessarily have that option (with the exception of Jones who may relish the role), so most likely Johnson will stay put.