48 teams. 3 host countries. 3 united fans trying to keep up.
¡Buenos Días & Good Morning World! What a great moment for Olivia, Parker and Grandpa BoB to share across state lines. Let also consider what's actually happening with the USA squad.
My youngest grandkids and I have found a way to remain digitally connected by rooting for the home team from the two major states in America.
When I woke up this morning, I read the text Parker sent to his younger cousin Olivia ana grandpa... We won against Bosnia!! 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
This was the first time in a quarter century the USA has won a game this far into the playoffs.
Parker had it exactly right. The #USA beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 for a historic World Cup victory that sends them to the Round of 16 against Belgium. And Parker's math checks out — it was the Americans' first win in a World Cup knockout game since 2002. CNN NBC News
The game had real drama too. Folarin Balogun's 45th-minute goal put the U.S. up 1-0, but in the 64th minute he was sent off with a red card for a cleat-first challenge, forcing the Americans to play down a man for the final 35 minutes plus stoppage time. Malik Tillman answered with a free-kick goal that curled past the Bosnian goalkeeper to make it 2-0 and seal it. NPR CNN
Next up: the U.S. moves into the round of 16, where it will face Belgium in Seattle on Monday, July 6 — and they'll have to do it without Balogun, who's suspended. NBC News
So to wrap up, Olivia and Parker's got our home team win in the books. As you can imagine, we are all rooting for the same #USA squad from California and New York. The two corners of the nation.
Olivia is an avid soccer fan and Parker is excited about the USA victory, along with grandpa. In fact, the last time I saw them, I gave them both several gifts, including greenbacks and a cloth American flag for them to fly proudly.
A lovely image Parker and Olivia each with their own flag to wave for Monday's match against Belgium, and a little cash in their pockets to make it feel official.
I am blessed and proud of my young grandkids who are fans sharing our victories from two coasts, all three flying the same colors for this run.
Seattle on Monday is a great draw for the U.S. too, home crowd energy again, even without Balogun.
My grandkids and their grandpa are planning to text about the Belgium game the same way, and this may be shaping up to be a much bigger family watch-party moment?
Three flags flying, two coasts wide,
one grandpa cheering, bursting with pride.
From 2002 to now, the wait is through
Sweet Sixteen bound, red, white, and blue!
Parker's text said all we need —
"We Won" these words, a nation's creed.
Olivia knows the game, the fight, the grind,
now Belgium's next, with history in mind.
Wave those flags, my champions two,
this run belongs as much to you.
Whatever Monday's whistle brings,
Grandpa's proud of both my queen and king of the games.
Twenty-Four Years in the Making and neither one of my two grandkids were born yet, the first time around.
Dos banderas, dos costas, un abuelo que reventó de orgullo,
del 2002 pa'cá — ¡se rompió el maleficio, m'ijo!
Ganamos, escribió Parker — con eso dijo todo.
Ahora viene Bélgica — ¡vamos con la conga!
Two flags, two coasts, a grandpa bursting with pride, from 2002 to now
the curse is broken, kid! Ganamos Parker wrote
that said it all. Now comes Belgium Let's go conga! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9g4HCXuHRfg&list=RD9g4HCXuHRfg&start_radi…
24 años esperando llegar tan lejos. Parker's Ganamos dijo todo. Wave those flags, Bélgica is next. Vamos, campeones! 🇺🇸⚽ Los quiero mucho, GB
And so it goes... etc.