In fact, you're out of luck unless you get the DISH Network, or you live in one of the three cities whose cable operators offer games on pay-per-view, or you have a local bar that cares enough to order the matches itself. (Thanks, ABC and ESPN, for cheaping out on the TV rights.)

It's a shame, too, because the Americans are looking awfully good. They played their best game ever against Brazil in Wednesday's 1-0 loss, in which U.S. midfielder Joe-Max Moore missed a penalty kick that would have given the Yanks a well-deserved tie. Sure, Brazil may be without Ronaldo , Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos , but that's like Dream Team I missing Magic, Michael and Larry. For the first time ever, the Americans attacked Brazil for an entire game and actually played to win. (Forget last year's 1-0 fluke upset, which the U.S. won only because goalkeeper Kasey Keller played the game of his life.)

We learned a few things in the Brazil game: midfielder John Harkes can still play at the international level (he ran the U.S. offense until leaving with a banged-up knee in the second half); Cobi Jones can get open but is woefully afraid to shoot the ball (Why is he playing forward if he's only scored eight goals in 115 appearances?); and Robin Fraser , at age 32, was the best defender on the field. (Why was this guy ignored for so many years? Injuries aren't the only answer.)

What's more, the terms "depth" and "U.S. soccer" can now be used in the same sentence for the first time. The biggest accomplishment of coach Bruce Arena 's brief tenure has been to give dozens of players international experience, as opposed to playing the same lineup every single game the way previous coaches did. That's crucial when your team is missing three of its best players (midfielders Claudio Reyna , Chris Armas and Tony Sanneh ) and you have to play two games in three days (against Brazil and Germany, no less).

We'll find out Friday how much of a bench the U.S. really has. In a game that the Americans must win or tie to advance to Sunday's semis, Arena is using several new starters, including goalkeeper Brad Friedel and midfielder Ben Olsen . It's a big risk, for Arena is gambling that his B-team can get a result against Germany (which, while struggling, is obviously still Germany) in hopes of having fresh players for a Sunday game that might not happen.

Then again, I'm predicting it will. The Germans haven't looked good in either of their games, a 4-0 loss to Brazil and a mediocre 2-0 win against New Zealand. They're playing like they don't want to be here (they don't, with the German season starting soon), and they're facing an American team that is 5-2-2 this year and is quickly making people forget last year's awful World Cup. The Yanks have been solid in every part of the game but one -- their usual nemesis, finishing -- which means tonight's game won't be too exciting. All they need is a tie, and I think they'll get it.

In other words, you're looking at a 1-1 draw and a U.S. date on Sunday with Mexico in front of 115,000 fans in Mexico City. It doesn't get any better than that.

Sports Illustrated staff writer Grant Wahl is a frequent contributor to CNNSI.com.

 

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