| The world will surely take notice of this.
The U.S. soccer team is in the final of the Confederations Cup,
beating mighty Spain 2-0.
Even more stunning, the Americans were on the verge of elimination
and ready to head home last weekend before a reversal of fortune.
On Wednesday, goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey led to
an upset of the planet's top-ranked team.
Call it a miracle on grass -- maybe not the World Cup, but still
an American soccer echo of the U.S. hockey team's upset of the
Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.
By winning, the maligned United States advanced to its first
men's FIFA final since starting play in 1916.
Altidore scored in the 27th minute and Dempsey added a goal in
the 74th as the Americans became the first team to defeat Spain
since Romania in November 2006.
"It goes to show what hard work and commitment to each other
can bring," said U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, who made eight
saves as he frustrated David Villa and Fernando Torres. "Sometimes
football is a funny thing."
Now the U.S. will play defending champion Brazil or host South
Africa in Sunday's final, which concludes a two-week tournament
designed to prepare the organizers of next year's World Cup.
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