Soccer By Ives

2008 Men's Olympic Soccer: The Best XI

The 2008 Men's Olympic Soccer Tournament will be remembered for some classic matchs, amazing goals, and for most American fans, for a terrible elbow and tournament that was shorter than it could have been.

It should also be remembered for the memorable performances, be they stunning goals or masterful efforts over the course of the entire tournament.

There is little debating that Lionel Messi was the star of the tournament. He wasn't just the player so many casual fans wanted to see, he wound up being the best player in China, showing off his electric speed and beautiful passing.

There were plenty of other great performances, from Moussa Dembele's two-goal effort for Belgium to eliminate Italy, to Chinedu Ogbuke Obassi's display in the semifinal win against Belgium, and lastly Lionel Messi's showing in the Gold Medal match, when he raced around Nigeria's stingy defense before finally setting up the game-winning goal with another deft pass.

With all this in mind, here is a look at the SBI Olympic All-Tournament Team:

Men's Olympic Final: Argentina vs. Nigeria (Your Running Commentary)

Good evening folks. If you are a die-hard soccer fan getting ready to pass up a Friday night on the town for a Friday night of great soccer, this is the place to be.

Argentina will look to repeat as Olympic champion today when it takes on Nigeria in the Men's Olympic Final. The game is airing on CNBC and Telemundo, but you can also watch it at the NBC Olympic Website, where you can also get my running commentary on the match.

If you will be watching the match then please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the match.

Olympic Final: USA vs. Brazil (Your Running Commentary)

The U.S. women's national team has a chance for some sweet revenge, and a taste of gold this morning as the Americans face off against Brazil in today's Olympic women's soccer final.

You may recall Brazil is the same team that roasted the U.S. team, 4-0, in the World Cup semifinals last year. The U.S. team has overcome the loss of Abby Wambach, and a tournament-opening loss to Norway, to reach the final against a Brazil team that will be favored going in.

The game is set for 9am and will be aired on USA as well as the NBC Olympic soccer channel). If you will be at work, or can't watch it on TV, you can watch live streaming video of the match on the NBC Olympic website.

If you will be watching the match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the match

Olympic semifinal: Brazil vs. Argentina (Your running commentary)

Good morning everybody. Today is the day the participants for the Olympic men's soccer gold medal match will be determined. One of the spots has already been clinched. The second spot will be fought for between the two teams considered the best in the tournament.

Lionel Messi and Argentina faces Ronaldinho and Brazil in today's marquee match-up. Can Argentina's attack break down a Brazil defense that hasn't allowed a goal in the tournament? Can Brazil's offense get going after a flat performance in the quarterfinals?

If you want to watch the match, the best place to do so (especially if you are stuck at work) is the NBC Olympic website. I will be providing the running text commentary along with the streaming video on the NBC Olympic website so be sure to have two windows open on your computer, one for the video and one for SBI, where you can discuss the action. Yes, the game is on TV and can be seen on MSNBC.

If you will be watching the match (and how won't you be?) please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. (You can also feel free to discuss the Nigeria-Belgium semifinal here as well).

Enjoy the match.

Olympics: USA women vs. Japan (Your Running Commentary)

Good morning all. Today marks the Olympic women's soccer semifinal between the United States and Japan (9am, MSNBC) in a rematch of the group stage match won by the Americans, 1-0.

You can watch the action in live streaming video on the NBC Olympic website.

If you will be watching today's match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the match.

Olympics: Men's soccer quarterfinals (Your Running Commentary)

Good morning folks. The Olympic men's soccer quarterfinals kick off today with four quality match-ups. the games have taken place or are taking place this morning, but since they aren't being shown live I am not posting results until later today.

Here are today's match-ups:

• Brazil vs. Cameroon
• Belgium vs. Italy
• Nigeria vs. Ivory Coast
• Argentina vs. Netherlands

For now, if you can watch the games, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play on the quarterfinals in the comments section below.

Enjoy the matches.

Olympics: U.S. women vs. Canada (Your Running Commentary)

The U.S. women's Olympic team is taking on Canada today in the quarterfinals of the Olympic tournament. The U.S. team has done a good job of shaking off its opening-tournament loss to Norway, rattling off two wins to win its group and secure a match-up against a Canadian team it has dominated in recent meetings.

If you will be watching the match please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the match.

Olympic soccer: Matchday Three (Your Running commentary)

Good morning folks. Today is the last day of the group stage of the men's Olympic soccer Tournament. The first round of games are over and now we will have the last games of the group stage.

I am providing live commentary for the Ivory Coast-Australia match on the NBC Olympic website, where you can watch high-quality video footage of today's matches.

If you are watching these "late" games, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

Who should the USA start vs. Nigeria?

                                                                                     Photo by ISIphotos.com

The task is simple, but far from easy. Avoid defeat against Nigeria and the U.S. men's Olympic team advances to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Secure a victory against Nigeria and the Americans advance AND avoid facing Argentina in the quarters.

The Nigerians aren't going to make that easy, not when they enter the match needing a victory to assure themselves a place in the quarters. Throw in the fact that U.S. standouts Freddy Adu and Michael Bradley are out due to yellow card suspensions and you have a match that will define just how strong the USA really is.

After using the same exact starting lineup in the second match tie vs. the Netherlands as he used in the opening win against Japan, U.S. head coach Peter Nowak won't have that luxury this time. Now he has to make some tough decisions about his starting XI. Here is one guess at the starting lineup he will use when the Americans face Nigeria on Wednesday.

A look back at the USA-Netherlands match

                                                                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

It's okay to admit it. The U.S. Olympic team's 2-2 tie vs. the Netherlands feels like a loss, doesn't it? Just seconds from the biggest win in U.S. men's Olympic history and a sequence of poor decisions leads to a late Dutch equalizer and the painful feeling you would normally associate with a defeat.

Yes, it felt like a loss, but it certainly was not a loss.

That final play can't be forgotten and ignored, but it also shouldn't overshadow what was still one of the best performances an American team has put together in an international tournament. After being dominated for the first 20 minutes and trailing by a goal, the U.S. team responded with quality soccer and fearlessness.

Late Dutch goal forces USA to settle for tie

                                                                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. Olympic team was just a minute away from the most impressive result in U.S. men's Olympic soccer history. One minute from a place in the quarterfinals, and one minute from potentially avoiding Argentina in the quarterfinal draw.

All that changed when Gerald Sibon drove a low free kick under the U.S. wall from 23 yards out to give the Netherlands a last-gasp equalizer and force the Americans to settle for a 2-2 tie in Olympic action on Sunday.

Olympics: USA Men vs. Netherlands (Your Running Commentary)

Good morning all. Today the U.S. Men's Olympic team faces off against the Netherlands in a crucial group match for both teams. The Americans won their first group game, 1-0, against Japan, while the Dutch tied Nigeria, 0-0, in their opener.

I will be providing live commentary on the match over at the NBC Olympics website, where you can watch high-quality live feeds of all the Olympic matches.

If you will be watching the USA-Netherlands match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

For now, let's take a look at the lineups:

Olympic Men's Soccer: Matchday Two (Your Running Commentary)

Good morning folks. If you are up bright and early watching Olympic soccer then this is your place to discuss the action.

I will be doing live commentary on the NBC Olympics website for the Brazil-New Zealand game so whether you watch that game, or any of the others on the schedule, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

And for you U.S. national team fans, I will have a seperate running commentary post for the USA-Netherlands match so keep an eye out for that at about 7am, when I post the lineups for the match.

For now, enjoy the early-morning (or late-night) soccer action.

Olympics: USA women vs. Japan (Your Running Commentary)

Good morning folks. The U.S. women's Olympic team is taking on Japan in what is a crucial match for the Americans after their 2-0 loss to Norway.

If you are watching the match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the match.

Where will you be watching USA-Netherlands?

If you are planning on watching the USA-Netherlands Olympic match and don't want to watch it alone, don't you worry. U.S. Soccer is planning watch parties in several major markets so you won't have to be alone on a Sunday morning screaming at your television.

U.S. Soccer is hosting viewing parties at Nevada Smith's in New York City, The Globe in Chicago and Summer's Grill and Sports Bar in Washington D.C. (well, actually Arlington, Virginia). So if you live near any of these three establishments, it might be worth your while to join your fellow U.S. national team fans as they cheer on the USA against the Netherlands (7:55am Eastern time kickoff).

For those of you who can't make it to those parties, remember that you can watch the action on the NBC Olympic website, which has live streaming video as well as my live running commentary.

So let me ask you, where will you be watching USA vs. Netherlands on Sunday?

Who should the USA start vs. the Netherlands?

                                                                                     Photo by ISIphotos.com

With just two days between Thursday's 1-0 victory against Japan, and Sunday's showdown vs. the Netherlands, U.S. Olympic men's soccer coach Peter Nowak has some tough decisions to make.

With the heat and humidity in China making such a quick turnaround very difficult, Nowak figured to be making several lineup changes from the first to the second game anyway. Now, with several disappointing performances against Japan, Nowak will have even more motivation for the various changes he will likely make.

The Netherlands will be arguably the U.S. team's toughest opponent in the group and there will be a high price on maintaining composure and limiting turnovers against a Dutch squad that punishes opponents for mistakes.

With that in mind, here is the starting XI I see the U.S. team fielding against the Netherlands: