The USMNT beat Ecuador 2-1 in a match that pretty much had everything. Clint Dempsey bagged a goal and an assist, Gyasi Zardes grabbed the second, and Michael Arroyo pulled one back for Ecuador to set up a grandstand finale.
There was a point, after the USMNT had been destroyed by Brazil, lost to Mexico, drew Trinidad and Tobago and lost against Guatemala, that Jurgen Klinsmann's job seemed very much on the line.
The dizzying heights of the 2014 World Cup seemed an eternity ago. The constant cut-and-paste approach that Klinsmann seemed to take resembled a six-year-old playing FIFA. The USMNT was at its lowest point in years.
Romania vs. Switzerland ended 1-1 after a frenetic and entertaining battle. Romania took a shock lead through another penalty by Bogdan Stancu, but the Swiss pegged them back in the second half on the back of an absolute stunner by Admir Mehmedi. Switzerland dominated the match for large periods, but their final ball was well below par and they wasted a multitude of good opportunities, while Romania threatened often on the break.
Euro 2016 is well underway as we approach the end of the first round of group matches, and there have been some engrossing storylines so far. We here at The18 took a look at some of the highlights and surprising moments from the past week across France.
Dimitri Payet
Luka Modric is a player that deserves to be talked about. His leadership and play are key for Croatia to operate as a unit. He demonstrated his "magic" Saturday against Turkey when he helped Croatia grab 3 points and jump to the top of group D. After a high Turkey clearance, Luka Modric came springing down the middle to hit a top spinning volley that skipped past the Turkish goalkeeper. A volley we all dream about, exectuted perfectly by Modric. The fans were so excited that they couldn't help but jump in and celebrate on the pitch with the players too...
Spain vs. Czech Republic ended 1-0 for La Roja. Gerard Pique scored the decisive goal in the 87th minute to break Czech hearts. It was not a vintage performance from Spain, as they struggled to break down a Czech side that had not kept a clean sheet in a competitive match since 2013. Three points is three points however, and Spain are now level with Croatia at the top of Group D.
Germany vs. Ukraine ended 2-0 in favor of Die Mannschaft in Group C, with Shkodran Mustafi and Bastian Schweinsteiger baggin the goals. The result sees Germany leapfrog Poland, who beat Northern Ireland earlier, into first place. It wasn't a vintage performance from Germany, and Ukraine were a little unlucky not to equalize in the first half, but the Germans stayed strong and ground out the victory.
It's a hard life for an England fan. As the England National Team gear up for another go at a European Championship, most fans can't help but remember the heartbreak and tears of past attempts.
Tomorrow, Albania vs Switzerland finish up the first game of Group A in Euro 2016, and while football will certainly take center stage, there is another intriguing plotline to keep an eye on as the game kicks off. Granit Xhaka, Arsenal's new midfielder, will take the field for Switzerland against his brother Taulant, who plays for Albania.
You may be wondering how two brothers became seperated in such a fashion, especially as both of them have acknowledged that they share a very close relationship.
37-year-old Eidur Gudjohnsen will be making his international swan song for Iceland at Euro 2016. The attacking player from Reykjavik is certainly the most famous footballer to have come from Iceland. He scored 54 goals over six illustrious seasons with Chelsea. He spent three seasons with Barcelona, capturing a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League treble in 2008-09.