The United States Men’s National Team was minutes away from winning the FIFA Confederations Cup this weekend, taking a stunning 2-0 lead into half time. It’s two words in soccer. I don’t know why. Anyway, goals from Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan were not enough, as the clearly fatigued American side allowed three goals in the second half, giving away to championship to Brazil, 3-2. FIFA.com asked USMNT captain Landon Donovan what happened to his team in the second half:

What changed in the second half?
The first goal right after the break killed us. It just took the air completely out of the balloon and after that I have to give them a lot of credit. They just kept coming and coming and putting more and more pressure on us. They took their chances and put a lot of bodies into the attack.

Is there anything you think you could have done differently as a team in the last 45 minutes?
I think we probably could have done a little better job of counter-attacking and keeping them unbalanced and on their toes with our movement forward. But they’re a great team and they just didn’t give us an inch.

USA’s strong showing in the Confed gives them a great chance of qualifying for the World Cup. And what better place to bring the world together than a nation with a long and rich tradition of celebrating diversity: South Africa.

4TH UPDATE: Here are the highlights in case you missed the match, or just want to relive your jaunt onto the MNT bandwagon.

3RD UPDATE: It’s over! USA Wins, 2-0!

2ND UPDATE: USA’s Michael Bradley gets a red card with four minutes left. America’s a man down. That’s not good.

ZOMG! Clint Dempsey just scored on a loose ball! It’s 2-0 America! We’re good now!

Nineteen-year-old Jozy Altidore scored in the 27th minute of Team USA’s Confederations Cup semifinal with Spain, giving the MNT a 1-0 lead that they’ve managed to carry into halftime. Spain has since responded with well-timed attacks that have barely come up unfinished, and one has to think that the Americans can only dodge so many bullets before the world’s No. 1-ranked team finds the back of the net.

The second half just started. We’ll recap the game when it ends. You can follow the game here if you’re stuck at work. ESPN forgot to load this page with annoying videos, so you should be good.

For the US Men’s National Team to advance in the FIFA Conferderations Cup, they had to beat Egypt by three goals, and then Brazil had to beat Italy by three goals, and both of those things happened over the weekend. Sweet, we advance! We’re good now! The MNT advance out of the pool stage and will play their next game Wednesday in the semifinal against the slanty Spaniards of Spain. Spain?! Aw, no! We suck again!

Anyone ever heard the expression, “Three Spaniards, four opinions.” What the hell does that even mean?

Bolivian President Evo Morales is upset that FIFA has barred all international matches above 8,200 feet:

The president of Bolivia says he has the support of Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela in a bid to overturn a FIFA ban on international soccer games played at high altitude . . . [t]hat would exclude much of Bolivia as well as parts of Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Chile and Mexico.

So he sought the support of nations that would not even be effected by the ban?  And he didn't seek the cooperation of the countries that would?  That doesn't make any sense, unless, like me, he doesn't think South America is important enough to know which nation is which.  Take that, geography snobs!  The Bolivian citizens celebrated sport to show FIFA they mean business:

[S]tudents jumped rope, women danced and police cadets leaped through flaming hoops during celebrations of a high-altitude sport in the chilly Andean air. Joining the rally, the president ran a lap through the streets of La Paz, jumped on a trampoline and played pickup soccer against former members of Bolivia's national team.

Nothing exhibits your readiness to host an international competition like police cadets jumping through flaming hoops.  Or maybe that displays the first stage dementia of altitude sickness.  Whatever, it sounds like a vibrant culture wherever it is. -KD