Bob Bradley: Neutralising Xavi Was The Key To Beating Spain

The upsets and surprises continued at the FIFA Confederations Cup after the United States pulled off a stunning 2-0 win over Spain to progress to the final of the competition for the first time ever.

Coach Bob Bradley entered the encounter with a clear game plan to stop the Spanish juggernaut, which had been undefeated in its last 35 outings, and he was a delighted man when his strategy paid off.

“Spain are a super team and it’s a great feeling to have beaten them. We always felt we had a chance in this game,” he said during the post-match interviews.

“When you play a team like Spain, you have to work very hard, defend as a group and be aggressive when you have the ball.

“We closed down their midfield and didn’t allow them to get comfortable, and we made a special effort to close down Xavi, trying to force him to play the ball square or to the back so that he couldn’t play any of those penetrating passes that he’s so good at.”

Having successfully negotiated one of the toughest tests possible in international football, Bradley is now looking ahead to bigger things: “It’s a big night and the players all worked hard to get here. We want to reach higher all the time and accomplish new things.”

USA could set-up a rematch against Brazil in the final of the competition if the Selecao can take down hosts South Africa in the other semi-final, to be played later on Thursday evening.

KS Leong, Goal.com