There was a time in the not too distant past when the United States would win games by defending like madmen, get great goalkeeping, and be 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 them move on, and basically say, "Who cares?