Twistity Sports Exclusive: Tim Howard’s saving grace

 
The soccer haters wonder why so few goals are scored in the game they despise. The answer, in two words, is Tim Howard.

The Team USA keeper could not will his mates to victory on Tuesday against Belgium in the World Cup. He could not carry them. He could save shots but not the USA’s nascent hopes of becoming a force in this, the world’s most popular sporting tournament.

“I will never forget this night,” Howard said after making 16 saves, most ever in a World Cup game since FIFA, the sport’s governing body, began tracking that statistic in 1966.

The 2-1 loss in extra time put the USA out and set up a quarterfinal round that features all of the original group winners. Don’t blame Howard for letting in two goals in extra time. Had he played like a normal human being, the USA would have lost by five goals or more. He blocked shots with his legs, punched shots over the net, dived and sprawled and frustrated Belgium as it pressed ever forward.

The USA barely attacked with energy until late in the match, way too late. Only Howard’s acrobatics kept the Americans competitive.

“The longer he keeps you in the game, the more you hope, `Let’s give us some breaks here and go forward and find our own chances,’” coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “The more the game went on, the more chances we created. That’s what you want to build on — the back of Tim, basically.”

A fun ride in the World Cup has ended but the games continue and newly-minted soccer fans can enjoy them, if just a little less enthusiastically than if the USA remained alive. Soccer seems to have found its place on America’s sports menu, the main course is over, but dessert is being served.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .