No victory, but plenty of fans for U.S. soccer: Hundreds watch World Cup loss in Virginia Beach
The U.S. men’s soccer team was knocked out of the World Cup in Qatar after Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Netherlands.
Fans initially were optimistic when the Americans advanced to the knockout stage following Tuesday’s 1-0 victory against Iran. But hopes of going to the quarterfinals were dashed. The Dutch scored two first-half goals, which proved insurmountable.
ShoreBreak Pizza & TapHouse on Shore Drive was packed Saturday morning with hundreds of Team USA supporters of all ages. Ryan McClung, part owner and general manager of ShoreBreak, said he guessed about 300 people watched inside or on the outdoor patio.
Though the mood at the bar dampened as it became clear the Dutch would win, fans still said they were proud of how far the Americans had come.
“I mean, the USA has not been a world powerhouse in soccer ever, so anything they do is a plus,” said Bobby Reckling, 62. “You know they could very easily have lost earlier and not have even gotten here.”
Brannon Simpson, President of the Virginia Beach chapter of American Outlaws — a support group of the U.S. soccer teams — admired the team’s performance despite the outcome.
“So I think at this point, with the development of this current group, you can’t ask for a better showing at the World Cup,” he said. “We’re one of the youngest squads out there. So you have to have a lot of hope for the future. "
Simpson said the U.S. strength in the game was its quickness on the ball and high tempo, high-speed game. However, he said the team lacked good touches on the ball.
“You saw a lot of quality in everything that the Netherlands did,” Simpson said. “And they exploited a lot of deficits in communication.”
But, he said, “over time, with experience, we will be a force to be reckoned with for sure.”
Simpson also praised team captain Tyler Adams, who “showed a lot of heart in this tournament.”
The Navy’s Sam Leonard said he was “absolutely devastated.” However, the 25-year-old from San Diego said the team showed promise.
Many at the bar felt that the U.S. had a strong defense, but its offense wasn’t aggressive enough until the second half.
Virginia Beach’s Jeff Birch, 29, had mixed feelings as he was rooting for the Americans, but bet on the Dutch.
Trey Eagle, 32, also of Virginia Beach, felt U.S. was passing poorly.
“They’ve got some fundamentals to work on, but I see them coming back and doing even better next time,” he said.
Virginia Beach residents Mike and Amy Celec, 63 and 61, said the U.S. performed well despite losing.
“I thought the United States dominated the game, but every time there was a counter attack, the Dutch team scored,” Mike said. “I mean, they know how to strike the ball.”
The Netherlands faces Argentina or Australia in the quarterfinals.
Josh Janney, joshua.janney@virginiamedia.com
