Good day from northern France (actually, it is cold and rainy, but you know what I mean). All the U.S. likely needs to do to play Brazil in the quarterfinals is beat Puerto Rico today. Yes, the Americans talked Friday about coming into this game and blowing out Puerto Rico to nail down the No. 1 seed, but because of other Olympic tournament rules, so long as the U.S. is among the top two teams out of pool winners, Brazil is the only team it can play.
Confused? I’d imagine. Let’s break it down.
*As things stand currently, the U.S. is the second-best No. 1 seed with a point differential of plus-43, trailing Germany with a differential of plus-47. Germany has played its three games and cannot improve or slide on points. Brazil, meanwhile, is the best of the No. 3 seeds with a minus-7 point differential. Brazil and Germany were in the same pool and are not permitted to play each other in the quarterfinals.
*South Sudan is currently a minus-6, but it plays Serbia tonight. The winner of that game is on to the quarterfinals as a No. 2 seed. If South Sudan wins, Serbia is likely in as a No. 3 seed, but cannot play the U.S. because they were in the same pool. So, in that scenario, the U.S. still would play Brazil.
