America's Got Talent - even the Brits say so

London- Watching the Miracle of Bloemfontein from England was doubly delightful as the BBC were forced to eat their words on the US for the first time since World Cup 2002.

Korea was a flash in the pan, as the 2006 edition and the US defeat to England at Wembley last year confirmed, you see.

3-0 and 4-0 to the Spanish, confidently predicted the punditry duo of former Arsenal and England defenders Lee Dixon and Martin Keown (pictured) in the studio. Torres & Co. will win comfortably, chipped in French legend Marcel Desailly.

Once it became clear that Spain were in pain and the US were not on vacation, the sound of u-turns being made was heard across England's televisions.

"DeMerit has been outstanding," admitted commentator Jonathan Pearce. "Fantastic," agreed his co-presenter Mark Bright, ex-Crystal Palace. The Watford man was receiving a shower of affection as the game progressed, as was Clint Dempsey, perhaps helped by the fact they play in England and are known quantities.

"They look absolutely hopeless," Pearce said of Spain at 0-2, shovelling down another helping of humble pie.

"We're all incredibly shocked by that result," admitted a gobsmacked Gabby Logan, eye-candy daughter of former Wales coach Terry Yorath, back in the London studio, before attempting, with her best hack's hat on, to suggest it was because Spain had not faced the caliber of opponents the States had in the group stage, and had therefore come unprepared for this level of football in the semi-final...

The ex-players, thankfully, were having none of that, but did fall back on cliches to explain their voltes-face: "That result will send ripples around the world," opined Dixon, after Pearce had referenced Belo Horizonte and 1950. "They had the game of their lives tonight," added Keown, po-faced and probably unaware of its significance.

At least Dixon saw the funny side of it and chuckled at his less than razor-sharp prognostics: "I think Brazil, South Africa or the USA are going to win it now!"

How nice to see soccer 'experts' admit they're anything but! You should never pretend to be an authority on something so unpredictable and uncontrollable as the Beautiful Game.

So, a lovely summer evening watching the US trounce FIFA's No.1 ranked team and force the BBC to fall on their sword in one go. Their coverage of the US at the 2002 World Cup had been ignorant if not xenophobic, even when the States were winning, while the worst thing they said tonight was, "They call it soccer over there."

I suppose that's progress of sorts.

Doubly satisfied, I leafed through the TV listings after the final whistle in search of more entertainment. What did I find was on British TV later that night? "Spain: Paradise Lost" on ITV1 and "America's Got Talent" on ITV2.

I'll say.

-Sean O'Conor