Charlie Davies sprints down the left flank, receives the ball from Landon Donovan and sends it right back to the surging Lando at the top of Brazil’s box. Donovan turns (future) Chelsea legend Ramires and sends a left-footed daisy-cutter past a hopeless Julio Cesar and into the side netting. The U.S. are up 2-0 in the Confederations Cup final against Brazil … can this be really happening?
For many soccer fans in the United States, the 2009 Confederations Cup was the moment U.S. men’s soccer finally arrived. Joy on the level reached the moments immediately following Donovan’s goal had hardly, if ever, been known to the American soccer fan.