Olympics Gamenight: U.S.-Nigeria
The U.S. men need a victory or draw against Nigeria (live at 2 a.m. PT on USA) to win the group.
The math, courtesy of U.S. Soccer: The U.S. can also advance if Japan defeats or draws the Netherlands in their match, which kicks off simultaneously. Both the U.S. and Nigeria have four points from their first two matches, and have the same goal differential of +1, but the U.S. has the edge on the second tiebreaker - goals for.
Group B Standings
Team W L T Pts GF GA GD
USA 1 0 1 4 3 2 +1
NGA 1 0 1 4 2 1 +1
NED 0 0 2 2 2 2 --
JPN 0 2 0 0 2 4 -2
Notable:
*Freddy Adu and midfielder Michael Bradley will both miss the game due to yellow card accumulation.
*The U.S. has used a total of 14 of the18 players on the roster during the first two matches. U.S. coach Peter Nowak sent out the same starting XI against Japan and the Netherlands.
The view from Nigeria.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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