USMNT 5-0 Charleston Battery

As we all know, there's an iron-clad rule of transitivity in soccer. If team A beats team B, and team B has beaten team C, then team A is necessarily better than team C. This operates along various dimensions, one of which was happily illustrated today when the US trounced the A-league Charleston Battery 5-0 in a Cary, NC scrimmage, thanks to goals from Donovan (2), Beasely, EJ, and O'Brien (from a free kick!).

How is transitivity relevant here? You may recall that in 2002, the MNT played the A-league Richmond Kickers at exactly the same stage of their WC camp and needed a late, questionably onside Earnie Stewart goal to salvage a 2-2 draw. Despite that dire portent, the US went on to enjoy great success in the Cup, reaching the quarters.

So if a 2-2 draw against an A-league team presaged our getting to the quarters, then by the transitive property a 5-0 destruction of an A-league team means we'll get to the finals at least, if not win the whole thing. You heard it here first.

(OK, I'm basically joking about this last point, but the result seems positive, especially with LD looking sharp, EJ getting a goal, and O'Brien playing and even scoring.)

UPDATE: Photo and video highlights available on ussoccer.com.