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Day five of the World Cup features what most of us have been waiting for, as the U.S. takes on Ghana this evening at 6:00 PM EDT. Here is SB Nation's great preview of what most are calling a must win for the U.S. if they want any chance of advancing out of the "group of death."
Monday's action kicks off at noon when Germany and Portugal take the pitch in the other Group G battle of the day. The winner of the game will have a huge leg up in advancing out of Group G. Following that match, we get to see Iran take on Nigeria at 3:00 PM EDT. Want to know more about that game? Well here's another great preview of that match.
Maryland fans obviously have a special rooting interest in this year's World Cup, as two former Terps soccer players made the U.S. roster.
The first of those players that made it is Graham Zusi, who Jake wrote about after he made the U.S. roster:
He won two College Cups (2005 and 2008) and scored the game winning goals in both the Semis and Final in 2008. He scored 28 goals and had 20 assists in his 4 years with the Terps. Zusi currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in MLS, the defending MLS Cup champions. He's also been named to back to back MLS Best XI teams. He's a right sided winger/midfielder, and has scored three goals in 20 caps.
The other Terp to make it was Omar Gonzalez. Here's Jake's write up about him:
The youngest of the group, Omar Gonzalez, aged 25, played for Maryland from 2006-2008. He played with Zusi on the 2008 College Cup team, and was named an All-American in 2008. He also won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. He, like Edu, only played 3 years at Maryland before entering the 2009 MLS Superdraft where he was drafted 3rd by the LA Galaxy. He's played his entire career for the Galaxy, outside of a brief loan stint to German club FC Nuremberg in 2012. He's a Central Defender, and has been capped 18 times.
Date, time and location:
June 16th, 12:00 p.m., Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador (Germany v. Portugal)
June 16th, 3:00 p.m., Arena da Baixada, Curitiba (Iran v. Nigeria)
June 16th, 6:00 p.m., Estádio das Dunas, Natal (Ghana v. United States)
TV: ESPN
Online streaming: WatchESPN