After the United States unexpectedly made it to the last 8 of the 2002 World Cup, its otherwise lukewarm soccer media finally had a sense of the biggest single sports gala in the world.
With color pictures of its goalkeeper Brad Friedel and strikers Brian McBride and Landon Donovan, the Washington Post hailed the U.S. 2-0 win over Mexico as the "biggest accomplishment" for the United States in the World Cup tournament since 1930.
"In the rest of the world, they used to call us the sleeping giant, and the sleeping giant has awakened. We now have the respect we deserve," said U.S. soccer federation president Bob Contiguglia.
Goalkeeper Friedel, who saved two penalty kicks so far in the tournament, said: "This is the biggest accomplishment any U.S. soccer team has ever achieved. I know the women have won 2 World Cups, but this is something special. We've been chasing this for a long time."
The USA Today published its cover story of A Huge Step for U.S. Soccer, saying that Americans are winning over fans with surprising run.
The feat is stunning because the U.S. is in the final 8 for the first time since 1930 when the World Cup was contested for the first time with 13 teams, because the United States finished last 4 years ago in France, because a 2-0 second round win was the U.S. first World Cup shutout since stunning England in 1950.
And the Washington Times said, "the Americans made the kind of impact that could not be ignored in a sport that struggles for recognition" in the country and "American soccer reached its all-time zenith yesterday" by advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals.
The paper even hoped that "if they can somehow pull off a win in that one (against Germany on Friday), they would be two victories away from the unthinkable."
Editor: Ronnie
Source: Xinhua
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