Dwayne Northcutt: I Have A Dream (USMNT)

We start at WC 2018 in Russia as the United States has exited the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup in a semifinal against Jamaica, who lost to Haiti in the final. The WC 2018 participants are as follows:

UEFA (14)
Portugal (3)
Germany (Holders) (4)
Italy (6)
France (8)
Austria (9)
Poland (12)
Spain (14)
Croatia (15)
England (18)
Denmark (21)
Serbia (22)
Greece (28)
Ukraine (39)
Russia (Hosts) (=58)

CONMEBOL (4+1)
Brazil (1)
Argentina (2)
Colombia (5)
Chile (13)
Uruguay (16)

CAF (5)
Congo Democratic Republic (19)
Ivory Coast (26)
Ghana (30)
Algeria (36)
South Africa (63)

CONCACAF (3+1)
United States (7)
Mexico (24)
Costa Rica (31)
Haiti (32)

AFC (4+1)
Australia (17)
South Korea (46)
Japan (50)
Qatar (81)

OFC (0+1)
None qualified

GROUP A:
Russia
Chile
Haiti
Spain

GROUP B:
Japan
Croatia
Ghana
Colombia

GROUP C:
Austria
South Korea
Italy
Uruguay

GROUP D:
Ivory Coast
Germany
United States
Serbia

GROUP E:
Brazil
Poland
Ukraine
Costa Rica

GROUP F:
Congo Democratic Republic
France
Greece
Mexico

GROUP G:
Algeria
Australia
Argentina
England

GROUP H:
Denmark
Qatar
Portugal
South Africa
Notable teams out: Iceland (10th in WR), Belgium (11th in WR), Wales (20th in WR), Venezuela (23rd in WR), Peru (25th in WR), Switzerland, Netherlands, Nigeria, Honduras, Sweden

USA LINEUP:
STCL: Shane Route (STC) (D.C. United)
STC: Gyasi Zardes (M/AMRL, STC) (Los Angeles Galaxy) (Dual Nationality with Ghana)
STCR: Aron Johannsson (STC) (Werder Bremen) (Dual Nationality with Iceland)
MCL: Alfredo Morales (DM, MC) (Ingolstadt) (Dual Nationalities with Germany and Peru)
MC: Michael Bradley (C) (DM, MC) (Toronto FC)
MCR: Emerson Hyndman (MC) (AFC Bournemouth) (Dual Nationality with Portugal)
DL: Fabian Johnson (D/WB/MRL, AML) (Borussia Mönchengladbach) (Dual Nationality with Germany)
DCL: John Brooks (DC) (Hertha BSC) (Dual Nationality with Germany)
DCR: Omar Gonzalez (DC) (Pachuca) (Dual Nationality with Mexico)
DR: Timothy Chandler (D/WB/M/AMR) (Eintracht Frankfurt) (Dual Nationality with Germany)
GK: Brad Guzan (Atlanta United) (Dual Nationality with England)

BENCH:
S1: Bill Hamid (GK) (D.C. United) (Dual Nationality with Sierra Leone)
S2: Matt Hedges (DC) (FC Dallas)
S3: Christian Pulisic (MRL, AMRLC) (FK Molde) (Dual Nationality with Croatia)
S4: Jozy Altidore (STC) (Toronto FC) (Dual Nationality with Haiti)
S5: Steve Birnbaum (DC) (D.C. United) (Dual Nationality with Israel)
S6: Daniel (MC, AMRLC) (New York Cosmos) (Dual Nationality with Brazil)
S7: Julian Green (ML, AMLC, STC) (Stuttgart) (Dual Nationality with Germany)
S8: Edgar Castillo (D/WBL) (Monterrey) (Dual Nationality with Mexico)
S9: Wil Trapp (DM, MC) (Columbus Crew)
S10: Darlington Nagbe (MC, AMRLC) (Portland Timbers) (Dual Nationality with Liberia)
S11: William Yarbrough (GK) (Leon) (Dual Nationality with Mexico)
S12: Kellyn Acosta (DRL, DM) (FC Dallas)

WORLD CUP 2018 SCORES:
Russia 4, Spain 1
Russia: Oleg Shatov ('5, '52)
Gerard Piqué (o.g. '12)
Artem Dzyuba ('86)
Spain: Koke ('30)

Haiti 0, Chile 0

Japan 5, Croatia 0
Japan: Ao Arai ('35)
Morayamo Fukujima ('36, '66, '73)
Hisashi Inaba ('46)

Colombia 2, Ghana 0
Colombia: Carlos Bacca ('6)
James Rodríguez ('37)

Austria 5, Italy 0
Austria: Michael Gregoritsch ('3, '9, '11, '66)
Marcel Sabitzer ('24)

South Korea 2, Uruguay 0
South Korea: Koo Ja-Cheol ('20)
Gwak Sang-Yoon ('31)

The rest of the first matches will be posted later.

EDIT: Somehow forgot to post the South Korea-Uruguay match.

MATCH 1 VS. GERMANY
The U.S.A. managed to hold off Germany until the dying moments of the 1st half when Daniel Dörner found Ingo Aufhauser in the box wide open for a goal at 45+2.

The 2nd half, however, was a nightmare for the Germans. In the 49th minute, Tim Ablinger attempted to pass, but was blocked by Emerson Hyndman and the ball richocheted into the possession of Shane Route, who supplied Gyasi Zardes for the equaliser. Route scored the goal that flipped the scoreline after breaking away from the defense in the 62nd minute. The Americans quickly made it 3-1 after Gyasi Zardes emerged from a scramble in the box to score. It then became 4-1 in the 71st minute after Shane Route brilliantly passed beyond goalkeeper Etienne Friedlein and connected with Aron Jóhannsson who scored into the open net. The torture for the Germans came to a head in the 89th minute when Alfredo Morales and Gyasi Zardes 1-2ed to find Shane Route on a breakaway and Route placed it in the back of the net.

United States 5, Germany 1
United States: Gyasi Zardes ('49, '65)
Shane Route ('62, '89)
Aron Jóhannsson ('71)
Germany: Ingo Aufhauser ('45+2)

Serbia 3, Ivory Coast 0
Serbia: Andrija Zivkovic ('24)
Sergej Milinkovic Savic ('55, '73)

Costa Rica 1, Brazil 0
Costa Rica: David Ramírez ('86)

Ukraine 2, Poland 1
Ukraine: Roman Zozulya ('6)
Andriy Yarmolenko (pen '83)
Poland: Piotr Zielinski ('78)

France 1, Mexico 0
France: Antoine Griezmann ('42)

Greece 2, Congo Democratic Republic 2
Greece: Kostas Fortounis ('27)
Kostas Mitroglou ('51)
Congo Democratic Republic: Aldo Kalulu ('26, '50)

England 3, Australia 0
England: Harry Kane ('27)
Danny Welbeck ('46)
Adam Lallana ('50)

Algeria 1, Argentina 0
Algeria: Islam Slimani ('86)

Portugal 4, South Africa 1
Portugal: João Mário ('4)
André Silva ('6, '15, pen '49)
South Africa: Kermit Erasmus ('81)

Denmark 3, Qatar 0
Denmark: Niels Born Stab ('3)
Ivanildo (o.g. '16)
Ahmed Mohammed Taleb (o.g. '58)

Russia 2, Chile 0
Russia: Artem Dzyuba ('23)
Oleg Shatov ('90+1)

Haiti 2, Spain 1
Haiti: Hervé Bazile ('60)
Derrick Etienne ('81)
Spain: Iñaki Williams ('50)

Ghana 4, Croatia 0
Ghana: Bernard Mensah ('40)
Jonathan Mensah ('52)
Richmond Boakye ('80, '90+1)

Colombia 3, Japan 0
Colombia: Fredy Guarín ('18)
Radamel Falcao ('66)
Gustavo Cuéllar ('70)

Italy 0, South Korea 0

Austria 1, Uruguay 0
Austria: Martin Harnik ('83)

Germany 4, Ivory Coast 1
Germany: Mirko Küntzel ('4)
Christoph Friedemann ('42)
Denis Ziegler ('44)
Daniel Dörner ('58)
Ivory Coast: Lamine Koné ('48)

MATCH 2: VS. SERBIA
The match got off to a great start for the U.S.A. as Shane Route struck the post 22 seconds into the match. He eventually scored in the 10th minute when Emerson Hyndman took a free kick and Matt Hedges dumped the ball over to Route. Andrij Zivković had many chances of equalizing but couldn't actually put it in the back of the net in the first half.

Then finally, in the 60th minute, Fabian Johnson took a corner kick, Matija Nastasić cleared it away towards Zivković, who slotted it into the goal, manouvering around the American defenders. The game would end in a draw, and the United States would have to wait until the match against the Ivory Coast (who were eliminated with the draw) to try and qualify for the knockout round.

Serbia 1, United States 1
Serbia: Andrij Zivković ('60)
United States: Shane Route ('10)

Poland 7, Brazil 0
Poland: Arkadiusz Milik ('3, '66, '82)
Kamil Glik ('33)
Robert Lewandowski ('50, '61, '85)

Costa Rica 0, Ukraine 0

Greece 2, Mexico 2
Greece: Nikos Karelis ('69)
Dimitris Diamantakos ('81)
Mexico: Erick Gutíerrez ('10)
Javier Hernández ('43)

Congo Democratic Republic 1, France 1
Congo Democratic Republic: Yannick Bolasie ('34)
France: Larrys Mabiala (o.g. '49)

Algeria 1, Australia 0
Algeria: Islam Slimani ('15)

England 1, Argentina 0
England: Marcus Rashford ('20)

Portugal 2, Qatar 0
Portugal: André Silva ('17)
Cristiano Ronaldo (pen '24)

Denmark 2, South Africa 0
Denmark: Niels Born Stab ('1, '17)

Russia 1, Haiti 0
Russia: Artem Dzyuba ('45+3)

Chile 1, Spain 0
Chile: Maximiliano Ceratto ('61)

Croatia 0, Colomia 0

Japan 2, Ghana 1
Japan: Morayamo Fukujima ('10)
Atsuki Shitara ('40)
Ghana: André Ayew ('5)

Austria 4, South Korea 1
Austria: Marcel Sabitzer ('29, '51)
Aleksandar Dragovic ('47)
Stefan Schwab ('90+4)
South Korea: Ji Dong-Won ('4)

Uruguay 2, Italy 0
Uruguay: Edinson Cavani ('8, '18)

MATCH 3 VS. Ivory Coast
The scoring was opened up by brilliant passing from Emerson Hyndman to Aron Jóhannsson, who volleyed the ball into the velcro in minute #5, but the Ivory Coast came back with two goals from Wilfried Bony in the 22nd and 37th minutes. The two goals came on breakaways by either the assister Gervinho ('22) or the goalscorer Bony ('37), so far a common theme in the U.S.A.'s 2018 World Cup finals campaign.

It didn't get much better for the United States as they conceded a 72nd minute goal from Seydou Doumbia ('72), but equalised immediately after the kickoff on the goal from Emerson Hyndman ('73). It was all she roped, however, and the United States had to settle for 2nd place in the group.

Ivory Coast 3, United States 2
Ivory Coast: Wilfried Bony ('22, '37)
Seydou Doumbia ('72)
United States: Aron Jóhannsson ('5)
Emerson Hyndman ('73)

Germany 5, Serbia 0
Germany: Thomas Borsche ('9, '29, '67)
Sebastian Finke ('73, '76)

Poland 2, Costa Rica 0
Poland: Lukasz Teodorczyk ('24)
Bartosz Kapustka ('34)

Ukraine 2, Brazil 0
Ukraine: Gabriel Paulista (o.g. '42)
Artem Kravets ('78)

Mexico 3, Congo Democratic Republic 1
Mexico: Tobias Badila (o.g. '45+1)
Jesús Corona ('71)
Raúl Jiménez ('88)
Congo Democratic Republic: Rémi Mulumba ('14)

France 2, Greece 0
France: Karim Benzema ('43)
Antoine Griezmann ('88)

Argentina 2, Australia 1
Argentina: Sergio Agüero ('18)
Lionel Messi ('30)
Australia: Mile Jedinak (pen '39)

England 1, Algeria 0
England: Danny Welbeck ('4)

Denmark 4, Portugal 0
Denmark: Niels Born Stab ('5, '50)
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (pen '51)
Simon Kjær ('64)

South Africa 2, Qatar 0
South Africa: Kermit Erasmus ('28)
Daylon Claasen ('34)

Knockout Round Matchups:
Russia VS. Japan
Colombia VS. Haiti
United States VS. Austria
Germany VS. South Korea
Ukraine VS. Mexico
France VS. Poland
England VS. Portugal
Denmark VS. Algeria

Japan 7, Russia 1
Japan: Morayamo Fukujima ('11, '45, '46)
Hiromasa Koizumi ('36)
Hisashi Inaba ('54, '57)
Vasily Berezutskiy (o.g. '58)
Russia: Vasily Berezutskiy (pen '3)

Haiti 7, Colombia 0
Haiti: Judelin Aveska ('6)
Hervé Bazile ('24, '68, pen '70, '78, '79)
Duckens Nazon ('81)

Germany 2, South Korea 2
Germany: Daniel Dörner ('18, '33)
South Korea: Ji Dong-Won ('49)
Suk Hyun-Jun ('76)
(Germany win 3-2 on penalties)

ROUND OF 16 VS. Austria
William Yarbrough replaced Brad Guzan between the sticks for this matchup. The formation was also changed from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2. The game was all well at the start with a 25th minute goal from Shane Route, who managed to rainbow flick the ball into the net. I knew he used tricks, but I never knew he was capable of producing such wondergoals. That was pretty much the only memorable thing that happened in the first half apart from U.S.A dominating the shot counter (27 U.S.A. (11 On Target), 10 Austria (6 On Target)).

Unfortunately, a late equaliser by Martin Harnik ('77) devastated the squad and in extra time, Austria capped off the match by scoring in the 96th minute on Andi Weimann's goal, and with that, the Americans' participation in the World Cup had come to a close.

Austria 2, United States 1 (aet)
Austria: Martin Harnik ('77)
Andi Weimann ('96)
United States: Shane Route ('25)

Poland 3, France 1
Poland: Kamil Grosicki ('8)
Robert Lewandowski ('28, '73)
France: Anthony Martial ('46)

Mexico 1, Ukraine 0
Mexico: Javier Hernández (pen '28)

Denmark 4, Algeria 1
Denmark: Christian Eriksen ('39)
Niels Born Stab ('67, '86)
Kasper Dolberg ('89)
Algeria: Rachid Ait-Atmane ('88)

England 0, Portugal 0
(England win 6-5 on penalties)

QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS:
Austria VS. Haiti
Japan VS. Germany
Poland VS. England
Mexico VS. Denmark

Austria 6, Haiti 0
Austria: David Alaba (pen '11, pen '42)
Michael Gregoritsch ('27)
Marcel Sabitzer ('52)
Martin Harnik ('66)
Florian Grillitsch ('79)

Japan 2, Germany 1
Japan: Ao Shinozuka ('70, '74)
Germany: Mirko Küntzel ('3)

England 3, Poland 1
England: Adam Lallana ('2)
Harry Kane ('79, '87)
Poland: Kamil Glik ('56)

Denmark 5, Mexico 1
Denmark: Yussuf Poulsen ('25)
Christian Eriksen ('30, '71)
Niels Born Stab ('47)
Mike Jensen ('79)
Mexico: Giovani dos Santos ('36)

SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS:
Japan VS. England
Austria VS. Denmark

England 2, Japan 0 (aet)
England: Raheem Sterling ('99)
Harry Kane ('111)

Denmark 0, Austria 0
(Denmark win 5-3 on penalties)

RD-PLACE PLAYOFF:
Austria VS. Japan

FINAL:
England VS. Denmark

Japan 2, Austria 2
Japan: Morayamo Fukujima ('4)
Ao Shinozuka ('45+1)
Austria: Martin Harnik ('28)
Marcel Sabitzer ('90+1)
(Japan win 4-1 on penalties)

Denmark 2, England 1
Denmark: Niels Born Stab ('5)
Kasper Dolberg ('32)
England: Dele Alli ('57)

In case you're wondering, this dynasty is not yet dead. So just a little update: USA won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2019 and went on to defeat Haiti in the Confederations Cup playoff 2-0. The USA Under 23s squad went on to win the gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo after a 3-2 victory over Portugal in the final.

In other news, Mozambique won its second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations title in 2019 after a 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast, and Iceland defeated the defending World Cup champions Denmark 4-1 in the Euro 2020 final to win the title.

EDIT: I would also like to add that Belgium and (believe it or not) Georgia were semifinalists in EURO 2020.

2021 CONFEDERATIONS CUP:

Participants:

CONCACAF:
Canada (Hosts)
United States (2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup champions, CONCACAF playoff winners over Haiti)

UEFA:
Iceland (Euro 2020 champions)
Denmark (World Cup 2018 champions)

CAF:
Mozambique (2017, 2019 Africa Cup of Nations champions)

OFC:
New Zealand (OFC Nations Cup champions)

CONMEBOL:
Argentina (Runners-up to United States B squad in 2019 Copa America)

AFC:
Iran (AFC Asian Cup champions)

GROUPS:

GROUP A:
Canada
Mozambique
New Zealand
Iceland

GROUP B:
United States
Iran
Argentina
Denmark

SCORES:
Canada 3, Mozambique 2
Canada: Jonathan Osorio ('11)
Jean-Pierre LaFontaine ('65)
Scott Arfield ('88)
Mozambique: Danito Geraldo ('13)
Mauro Riquicho ('71)

New Zealand 2, Iceland 1
New Zealand: Bill Tuiloma ('44)
Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson (o.g. '72)
Iceland: Birkir Bjarnason ('39)

ROSTER:

STARTING 11:
GK: Benjamin Buckwis (Mainz 05)
DL: Patricio Trejo (CD Santos Laguna) (Born in El Salvador)
DCL: Matt Miazga (Rosenborg)
DCR: Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca)
DR: Kellyn Acosta (Colorado)
MCL: Peter Chan (Molde FK)
MC: Michael Bradley (C) (Orlando City SC)
MCR: Emerson Hyndman (Bournemouth)
STCL: Sage Thompson (Freiburg)
STC: Pete Gunner (Tigres)
STCR: Shane Route (Bayern Munchen)

BENCH:
S1: Bill Hamid (GK) (D.C. United)
S2: Tyler Adams (DL, DM) (Houston Dynamo)
S3: Christian Pulisic (MRL, AMRLC) (Newcastle United)
S4: Jordan Morris (STC) (Colorado Rapids)
S5: Ventura Alvarado (DRLC) (Monterrey)
S6: Julian Green (ML, AMLC, STC) (Genoa)
S7: Darlington Nagbe (MC, AMRLC) (Portland Timbers)
S8: John Brooks (DC) (Hertha BSC)
S9: Keaton Parks (DM, MC) (Belenenses)
S10: Ethan Horvath (GK) (Club Brugge)
S11: Cameron Carter-Vickers (DRC) (Tottenham Hotspur)
S12: Gyasi Zardes (M/AMRL, STC) (D.C. United)

MATCH 1 VS. IRAN

Craziness ensued against Iran as the USA scored 8 goals and Iran scored 4 , while Pete Gunner managed to score an unprecedented 'Pete Gunner double hat trick'; a hat trick at full health, and another with a minor injury (gashed leg). The score took everyone by surprise and it made the hairs of every defensive coach stand up.

United States 8, Iran 4
United States: Pete Gunner ('4, '28, '33, pen '70, '80, '90+1)
Gyasi Zardes ('73)
Matt Miazga ('84)
Iran: Alireza Jahanbakhsh ('12)
Yaghoub Karimi ('77)
Sardar Azmoun ('79, '90+1)

Argentina 2, Denmark 1
Argentina: Franco Cervi ('43)
Gonzalo Higuain (pen '90+2)
Denmark: Viktor Fischer ('84)

Iceland 2, Mozambique 0
Iceland: Alfred Finnbogason ('30)
Gylfi Sigurdsson ('80)

Canada 1, New Zealand 0
Canada: Russell Teibert ('20)