Spain 8-2 USA, But Still USA Won

Statistically speaking, Spain were the better side.
They took 29 shots out of which 8 were on target while the USA took 9 out of which only two were on goal. They had 17 corner-kicks while the US had only three. Spain were caught offside on seven occasions while the US were flagged offside four times. The Spanish had 56% of the possession while the Americans had only 44%.
Yet there was one area in which Vicente del Bosque's side couldn't make their 'numerical superiority' count. And that was in the scoreline.
No, it was not that Spain spectacularly collapsed right from the centre or that they failed to get any hold on the game. It was not that they didn't get their chances or that the USA outmaneuvered their slick passing movement. It was also not that the USA played an exceptionally outlandish football that one could only marvel at or that Spain lacked that guile or lost their wonted rhythm.
It was that the USA took their chances when they prostrated themselves at their feet while Spain played with such a lack of sharpness upfront that it appeared that they could play all night and still fail to score. It was that the USA merged effectiveness with creativity in just the right proportions while Spain overplayed and overpassed and under-shot. It was that the USA played in a wholesome fashion, playing short passes, long passes, making darting runs and defending in numbers when need be while Spain played an unwholesome fashion, distinctly lacking that ability to break down a rather strong defence always ready to make crucial interceptions.
True, Spain were still the classier side on Wednesday night but they were certainly the second best overall. Perhaps Jozy Altidore's goal in the 27th minute owed more to the Spaniards cheaply losing possession but to take away anything from the Americans’ move would be demonstrating a nauseous sense of disrespect. It was only after that goal that the Iberians started to exhibit their football but there was a discernible lack in their attacking edge.
For once Fernando Torres failed to control the ball at all. Between David Villa and himself, it was the Liverpool striker who found himself at the end of more through balls and crosses but while on some occasions he couldn’t control the pass or cheaply gave the ball away to the Americans, on other times he took the wrong decisions. Villa gave an under par performance too, but his long range efforts and linking up with his teammates still had a hue of constructiveness about them. Those who have watched Torres from his Atletico Madrid days would recall how he would spurn the easiest of chances in La Liga and even though he is now a man that boyish 'misdemeanors' has stayed with him.
Xavi too appeared to lose possession in the midfield far too often while Cesc Fabregas had his first bad game of the competition. Albert Riera might be Liverpool material but he is no genius that David Silva is and that Juan Mata is rapidly developing into. Riera was playing in a pretty much one-dimensional way as he surged upfront on the left, gave crosses that didn't materialize into anything and occasionally cut inside with little effect. Mata's introduction to the game should have come earlier than the 78th minute.
Even in defence Spain lacked composure. While at the opposite end Real Madrid right-back Sergio Ramos was contributing with his crosses, cut-ins and dribbles, at his own end he contributed to USA's joy by showing rather too much laziness on the ball, presenting Clint Dempsey with the 'gift of the summer'. It was not a very uncharacteristic error from a man whom many believe to be one of the three best right-backs in the world.
Yet for all of Spain's erratic moments, you cannot undermine the Americans' brave and gutsy performance. The way Bob Bradley’s side came out in the opening minutes and put Spain firmly and awkwardly on the backfoot was perhaps the highlight of their tournament so far, their 3-0 win over Egypt notwithstanding. Tim Howard, Jay Demerit, Oguchi Onyewu, Dempsey all played with their hearts on their sleeves, playing with pace, finesse and enthusiasm that eventually led them to do what many have failed: beat the European champions. True, the Americans defended in numbers on occasions especially after they scored their second goal of the night but still they didn't resort to anti-football, still sustaining that zeal to ‘play’ football, to enjoy themselves to the fullest.
All of which makes them worthy winners of the semi-final against Spain, a historic moment not only in US's football but in world football’s too.