Marty Walsh: “early this morning while most Americans were sound asleep, about 1 billion people from all over the globe, myself…”

“early this morning while most Americans were sound asleep, about 1 billion people from all over the globe, myself included, watched a group of talented young American athletes do something truly remarkable. Against all odds, the U.S. Men's Soccer Team defeated Portugal in the first game of the 2002 World Cup. The Portuguese were one of the favorites to win the World Cup outright, but our team prevailed 3 to 2. And it was no fluke. We took them apart in the first half with slashing attacks, and wore them down with tough defense in the second half. It was a balanced effort with everyone contributing under Coach Bruce Arena's guidance. The win gave the U.S. the opportunity to move into the quarter finals, but they have more work to do. They play the host team Korea and then Poland, with the two best teams from the group moving on. These young men have already exceeded expectations. They are off to the best start for any American team in history. Please tune in. Set the alarm clock for an early rise, brew some strong coffee and enjoy a great spectacle. They deserve our support.”