Get to Red Bull Arena tonight EARLY

If you are one of the lucky ones to have a ticket to tonight's very important World Cup qualifier at Red Bull Arena, both PATH and FIFA are urging you get to the arena early. If you thought security was high at Red Bulls matches, wait'll tonight. The match is at SIX thirty, got that? SIX thirty.

Get there early AND...

Spectacular USA win tonight in the Copa America!

Now, on to the semi-finals for the first time since 1995. Saturday the USA will find out their opponent (Buy share in Argentina) for Tuesday night's semi in Houston.

It's exciting, it's creating buzz and all the USA has to do to make the final is stop this, 5 time Balloon D'Or winner, 4 times Champions League champion, nine time La Liga champion and greatest player who ever played, Lionel Messi. Just watch the clips below because even if you don't normally watch soccer this is the match to watch. Johnny thinks the USA defense may have a long day.

"I Believe That We Will Win!"

Play this 5 minutes before the 6pm match tonight. Like Clint Dempsey you will be ready to wreck fools.

World Cup Today -- Day 11

Thanks but no thanks Germany. If Germany hadn't gone to sleep after they scored first yesterday and let Ghana escape with a 2-2 tie the USA could have advanced with said tie today. But alas, they'll have to do it themselves. More on this epic USA match later.

The day starts out with Belgium and Russia at noon. A great mix of styles in this one as Belgium looks to rebound from a dicey start (albeit a win) and prove they are indeed a pre-tourney favorite. The second game today is the Desert Foxes of Algeria against South Korea. S. Korea had a rather dull 0-0 tie with Russia starting their tournament and need a win vs Algeria, who play everyone tough yet usually end up losing late. Tonight's dinnertime matchup is the "Big One" if you're an American. Here's the story as of press time. If the USA beats the depleted Portugal side (and Portugal is ranked #3 in the FIFA world rankings) they go through to the knockout rounds, an amazing feat for the lightly considered USA in this "Group of Death." If they tie and have 4 points they would be tied with Germany while Ghana and Portugal would have 1 point each with a game against each other left this upcoming week. The USA plays Germany (#2 in FIFA world rankings) this week in their final group game. Germany cannot advance from any USA vs. Portugal result today so that means against the USA, Germany will be forced to play their best players and perhaps get some points off the USA to advance themselves. That's a SCARY thought. The USA can end all speculation and all hand-wringing with one win. One game, 90 minutes of hell in the Amazon to become heroes. Ronaldo, Portugal's elite as elite comes striker is hobbled. Their top defensive payer, Pepe is supended. One of their top midfielders who plays for Real Madrid (as Ronaldo and Pepe do) Fabio Coentrau will not play. Other Portugal midfielders Hugo Almeida and Bruno Alves are not expected to play. So here's the thing, if the USA does not seize the opportunity before them today they may well regret it forever. Getting points off of Germany is certainly so sure thing. Win today and this World Cup will have been a HUGE success and the knockout rounds merely frosting on a red white and blue cake.

The USA seem confident going in. They are far more used to playing in the tremendous heat and humidity of the Rainforest site in Manaus. All the USA's MLS players play in that weather as they play through the summer, not the winter like European sides. While Ronaldo vacations the American players play in 110º heat at places like Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City.

So here we go America, this is OUR day and OUR time. The United States Men's National Team WILL win tonight and they WILL make us proud.

USA 2 Ronaldo 1

Russia vs Belgium noon
Algeria vs South Korea 3pm
USA vs Portugal 6pm

You can never have too much America on days like this!

World Cup Today: The group picks

Never one to run from a prediction, here are Johnny's picks to come out of their groups and play in the single-game eliminations. Remember the top two sides in a group advance.

Group A
Brazil
Croatia
Mexico
Cameroon
Johnny is picking the two teams who play each other this afternoon. Croatia has just enough to stay ahead of Mexico who have been an utter mess in qualifiers.

Group B
Spain
Chile
Netherlands
Australia
So Johnny you're really leaving out the Netherlands who played Spain in that magnificent 1-0 title match in S. Africa? Yep, unless Van Persie carries this side, Chile with Alexis Sanchez and magnificent midfielder Arturo Vidal will keep Chile a nose in front.

Group C
Columbia
Ivory Coast
Japan
Greece
Columbia without superstar Rafael Falcao is still the class in this weak group. So weak in fact Johnny has the Cote' D'Ivorie side sneaking into the second slot ahead of Japan.

Group D
Italy
England
Uruguay
Costa Rica
Two things about this very tough (in name anyways) group. Has Italy put the 2010 debacle behind them and how fit is Luis "Bitey" Suarez, top scorer in the English Premiere League who plays for Uruguay. It's our guess that Bitey isn't in good health and England will grab the second slot. Oddly, the "Ticas" of Coasta Rica who aren't that in over their heads could decide this group depending on how other teams get results, or don't, against Costa Rica.

Group E
France
Ecuador
Switzerland
Honduras
Like Italy before them has France put the 2010 debacle behind them? They embarrassed their nation more than the Italians in S. Africa. We like them in this group and as a dark horse. Ecuador playing close to home noses out Switzerland.

Group F
Argentina
Bosnia-Herzegovia
Nigeria
Iran
The battle here is for second between the Bosnians and Nigerians. No team with Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel DiMaria and Sergio Arguero is going out in the group stage.

Group G
Germany
USA
Portugal
Ghana
Yes, Johnny is being a homer and going against all common sense picks that have Portugal and the Great Ronaldo grabbing second. Germany is going to win the group unless their goalkeeper Neuer can't handle the German high defensive lines. Doubtful. So Ghana who has knocked the USA out of the last two World Cups (but are not as good of a side as they have been FYI) and Portugal the #3 ranked FIFA team that when pressed into the middle can have their offense stultified. If you're betting money take Portugal as the second in group, if you're posting on a blog for fun pick the USA.

Group H
Belgium
South Korea
Russia
Algeria
Belgium is the best side you've never heard of. Unspectacular but they just do all the little things better than your nation. That second slot is very hard. Russia has some go-go juice but the South Koreans have greatly improved their international game. Putin's an ass so it's South Korea.

There you have it. Johnny and the staff would love to hear your opinions and wants to hear where You think he went wrong.

A World Cup primer -- The Howler

You will hear the magnificent Martin Tyler describe this monumental gaffe by England's Rob Green vs the USA in 2010 as a "howler." You may hear that term a couple times over the next month. Watch England's goalkeeper. That is a howler.

This never gets old. Except the part an in-over-his-head Eric Wynalda tries talking around the great Martin Tyler. Still, the Tyler line "But if you buy a ticket..." line describes this Clint Dempsey shot best.