Slowly, and only moderately grudgingly, England is learning to take the United States seriously. In 2009, when the draw for the men’s World Cup group phase placed the teams in the same pool, there was barely-concealed glee on the side of the Atlantic with edible cheese. “EASY,” as one tabloid put it.
The fact that it did not turn out that way — the game ended, as you may be dimly aware, as what one side called a draw and the other a tie — probably had some influence in changing the perception of the U.S. team, though far more significant has been the steady stream of American players arriving in the Premier League.