United States goalie Tim Howard reacts to Belgium defeat despite his record breaking 16 goals saves.Getty Images
An Irish TV soccer pundit is feeling the heat on Twitter having referred to the hero US goalkeeper Tim Howard, who saved a record 16 shots on goal during the World Cup game against Belgium, as “average.”
Kenny Cunningham, the RTE soccer pundit and former Ireland and international soccer player, was left with egg on his face after the US versus Belgium World Cup game. Cunningham showed a montage of Howard before the game and predicted that he would be a possible weakness that Belgium could exploit.
Here’s a Vine of his prediction:
However Cunningham could not have been more wrong. Howard made 16 saves, the most any keeper has made during a World Cup match since 1966. Two goals in extra time saw Belgium emerge victorious.
After the match Cunningham went on to exacerbate matters by saying that while Howard kept the United States team in the match the keeper had only made saves that he should be making anyway.
A Twitter storm erupted.
Here are just some of the unimpressed tweets:
I really hope Brad Friedel is giving Kenny Cunning-HAM loads of stick after the nonsense he was spouting about Tim Howard bring a weak link
— Robbie Keane (@Robk1979) July 1, 2014
Kenny Cunningham talking pure slur about Tim Howard pre-match.... Haha what a moron! #rteworldcup
— Luuuuke! (@LukeDownes93) July 1, 2014
Brad Friedel makes Kenny cunningham look like an idiot #fact
Kenny Cunningham only goes and praises Courtois for your man missing chance������ Howard makes 15 saves in the game.. I give up ��
— David meehan (@Meener1) July 1, 2014
Just a little reminder that Kenny Cunningham said earlier tonight that Tim Howard wasn't the best goalkeeper...
— Rachel O'Neill (@ronronzo) July 1, 2014
Howard, from New Jersey, who plays for Everton in the UK, as well as the US, became an overnight hero and appeared on “Good Morning America” the following morning.
Despite breaking a 50-year World Cup record the humble 35-year-old player said “That’s what I signed up to do. Stick my face in front of balls and get in the way.
“That’s my job so I was able to do a lot of that last night.”
Here’s the full interview with Tim Howard the US soccer hero: