Match Report: United States 3 - 2 Portugal

So, I know I said a couple entries ago that I'm not a soccer fan. But I know just enough to look at that result and say ... Whoa.

Then again ... if this was, say collegiate basketball, and (to pluck examples from the air) 13th ranked Illinois State defeated 5th ranked Indiana ... it would be an upset, but not something earthshattering. Yet when the 13th ranked United States defeats 5th ranked Portugal (yes, international soccer teams are ranked -- the US is only four points behind traditional powerhouse England and five behind several-times champion Germany, for heaven's sake), everyone goes into shock. I don't quite get it.

That said ... this World Cup has had a few interesting jolts here and there, hasn't it?

• 13th ranked US defeats 5th ranked Portugal
• 42d ranked Senegal defeats top-ranked France (now THAT was an upset)
• 40th ranked and host country Korea defeats 38th ranked Poland -- how on earth is that anything other than a very mild upset? And yet it's treated as though a major power has fallen. Weird.

One wonders if, just perhaps, this might not be Europe's year. Maybe Brazil or Argentina might break through in a non-European site.

In the meantime, the US and Korea play this weekend for leadership of Group D and a berth into the second round, and Portugal and Poland play to avoid first round elimination. Not the way this group was predicted to go.

Then again ... exactly how many of us care anyway?