There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the United States would win games by defending frantically, getting great goalkeeping and being opportunistic in attack. It was an approach that tended to drive opponents -- Mexico in particular -- to distraction, and the complaints afterward became utterly predictable.
"We played the better soccer," was the standard reply, to which the U.S. would respond with a massive shrug of the shoulders and point to the result and the three points in the standings or the tournament bracket that saw the Americans move on, and basically say, "Who cares?