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Team USA to Play Portugal in World Cup; Crisis in Iraq; Australian Authorities Announcing New MH-370 Search Area; Border Patrol Agents Overwhelmed by Illegal Border Crossings

Aired June 22, 2014 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN HOST: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM, everyone. I'm Deborah Feyerick, in for Don Lemon.

Well, the U.S. men's soccer team is 60 minutes away from the huge match up with Portugal at the World Cup from Rio De Janeiro, to Chicago, in New York, and all points in between, soccer fans can't wait to see the showdown. Portugal looking to bounce back from a huge loss. The U.S., hoping to build on a big win in its first game.

Our reporters are live across the U.S. and Brazil and have all of your story lines coming up in just 30 minutes.

But first, our top stories. Well, there is no easy way to say it, Iraq is in big trouble and it is getting worse every day. A very large group of well-armed militant fighters is sweeping across the country, taking control of towns and cities, killing, executing people who stand up against them.

Look at this map. Every red spot that you see is a place that the Iraqi government is no longer in charge. No Iraqi police, no troops. And this map changes every few hours. That's how moving this situation is. More red spots, is more towns fall.

New video into CNN shows that the town of Rahaula (ph), northwest of Baghdad, the person who shot the video says the smoke is coming from the police station which was overrun by ISIS militants and then set on fire.

And in Baghdad, Iraqis with their own weapons are in the streets saying that they are ready to fight if these ISIS militant extremists make a move on the city. These are the people who tell CNN's Nic Robertson that they're looking forward to the arrival of the Americans, the timeline of the deployment by the way, no clearer today than it was yesterday. The word from the Pentagon, still is soon.

We are going live to Baghdad, and Nic Robertson in just a minute. I also want to talk to our chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto. He in Jordan. And a man who commanded the marine division during the Iraq war, retired general James Williams.

Gentlemen, thank you for joining us.

General Williams, you're a straight talking man. What is the first element of American advisers? What are they going into? They've got to assess the situation but now you have Shi'as who are marching in Baghdad and they're ready to confront ISIS, the Sunnis.

GEN. JAMES WILLIAMS (RET.), FORMER COMMANDER, 4TH MARINE DIVISION: Well, you know, first of all, they're going to have to make contact with the military government in terms of working with the ministry of defense. They'll have to be assigned to various units of the Iraqi army and make an assessment of the situation.

And remember, they're in an advisement role. And in this advisement role, they're not going to be indirect combat but they're going to direct the individual Iraqi army elements on how to resolve their issues from a military perspective.

FEYERICK: And you know, General, you talk about the Iraqi army. But look, now you've got the Shiite maxi (ph) forces, you also got Sunni of ISIS, Sunni of Iraq, you got various tribes that are now following this. How is the Iraqi army the one who is ultimately going to gain control of this situation with possibly American help?

WILLIAMS: Well, you know, I think this is the difficulty, you know. In essence, the challenge that you have is now you have this faction of Sunnis and a faction of the Iraqi government representing the Shia sect of Islam and essentially what I believe you have here is this clash of civilizations. And as such, with this clash that's going on, the efforts that are being made by the secretary of state to talk diplomatically to countries in the region to help because it's going to take Cairo, it's going to take Riyadh and it's going to take Tehran.

And as you know, we have a -- we have difficulty talking with Tehran. And one of our challenges is, if you're going to solve this, you have to get the principal countries that are involved on the Sunni side of the world and those pretty much in Tehran as on the Shiite of the world to resolve this.

FEYERICK: Yes. And Jim Sciutto, you're in Amman, Jordan where secretary of state Kerry is today. He's been looking very closely at this growing crisis. And look, it's pulling a lot of different elements together, because as the general said you don't just have Iraq, but now you have Iran who could possibly become involved and even Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he is supporting the Iraqi government. So it seems like there's a singular galvanizing issue and that is stop ISIS, Jim?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly part of secretary Kerry's message here. In effect, he has two messages to deliver.

One, this is not just an Iraqi problem though it is a very grave threat to the state of Iraq. It's a regional problem. It's a global problem. And he's talking to the Jordanians who are neighbors. And in fact, as I speak to you, ISIS is just 70 miles off the border. He is speaking to the Egyptians saying this is a threat to regional stability. But he is also driving home the point when ISIS militants have a home base like this to safe haven, to train and to stage attacks that their concern is they will threaten Europe and even the U.S., the American homeland, they were worried about returning fighters from these battles carrying out attacks that far afield. That's one message.

And the second then is a sense of shared purpose. That because this is a regional and international threat, that all of these parties, that the general was referring to, have to be involved in the solution even parties that don't normally play well together.

The Iranians on the Shia side, the gulf countries on the Sunni side, Egyptians, Europeans, Americans, and of course, the uncomfortable relationship between U.S. and Iran. But his argument in effect is that all of these countries have the same goal and that is stabilizing Iraq because it is no one's interest to have a good part of the country under the control of militants as brutal as this.

Now, the trouble is, herding those cats to move towards that goal together. It's a lot of competing agendas. It is an extreme diplomatic challenge for him.

FEYERICK: Which is really remarkable.

But also, one thing that has been made very clear, according to one newspaper report today, and that is that all of the various militias in this region, the one thing that they don't want, is they don't want American troops back in Iraq, which is very interesting. They are willing to accept sort of the Americans in an advisory role but not in a fighting role.

So, first of all, Jim, is secretary Kerry dealing with that? And I'm going to ask you the same question, General.

But Jim, you first, is that an issue for the secretary?

SCIUTTO: Well, it isn't for the administration. And the president has made clear that they will not be in a fighting role. They'll be in an advisory role with the goal of building the Iraqi capacity to respond to the threat.

Now, when Iraqis on the ground who have bad memories of the U.S. occupation see American uniforms, they might make a different judgment and say these are fighters, they're not advisers. But it's a very small presence. They're not going to be in the feel. They're going to be at regional headquarters, so it seems, it's the administration's view, that would be a minimal risk.

FEYERICK: And we have Nic Robertson now in Baghdad with established communication with him.

And so Nic, let me go to you. We saw these Iraqi men, these volunteers in the streets. These are Shiites, these are men who support technically the existing government but they are also militias under al-Sadr. So the men you saw today, do you get the feeling that they're going to defend Baghdad or that they're going to march on these ISIS forces? NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think that

depends on what happens in the broader battle field. These are men who will go into action if they're leader (INAUDIBLE) tells them to. This march and demonstration was for multiple effect, one, it was to send a message to ISIS and more broadly, to the Sunnis that the Shia are ready to defend their shrines and defend themselves.

It was a message to Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki as well, every one of them that we spoke to said Maliki has done a bad job and he should go. Let's not forget al-Sadr gets some direction from Iran. Is this an expression of Iran's view on this at the moment? We certainly heard from the top Shi'a cleric in the country Friday press, essentially saying that Maliki really needs to go, needs to be a new government, that the new government shouldn't create the mistakes of the past. That's a direct shot at Nouri Al Maliki.

But this militia, really, that we saw on the streets represents and hinge at just how bad the sectarian fighting here could get if ISIS was able to get to one of the important Shi'a shrines, Samarra, Kadamir (ph), and Baghdad, Kabul and Najaf in the South. That would lead to really a massive outpouring of sectarian violence, which is exactly what ISIS wants. They want to get Sunni recruits, that's how they do it.

FEYERICK: And Nic, just before I let you go, because we are already running out of time. But you know, some of these men, these volunteers, they were answering the cleric's call to rally, to volunteer. But I also saw some in uniforms. Are these members who were part of the Iraqi army who are now sort of switching to these militias?

ROBERTSON: No, these are people who are in the militia before. Sadr stood down his militia around 2008. This is the first time he's called them out on the streets. You saw every shade of sort of, you know, the sort of police part of the militia, the army part of the militia, there was a women's part of it, there was a suicide bombers part of it, if you will, there was a roadside bomb maker's part of it, there was a guys with the rock the launchers, the guys with heavy artillery pieces, hidden too many of those. It was a big array. It was a big show of strength and is the first time that these guys have been put back on the streets in what about six or seven years now.

FEYERICK: It's really just from a U.S. perspective, it is fascinating to watch the dynamic that is going on between Iraq, Iran, Syria, United States, and now Russia.

Well Jim Sciutto, Nic Robertson, General Williams, we'll be bringing you back later on. Thank you so much.

Well, have search teams been looking for flight 370, Malaysia Air, in the wrong place this whole time? This week, they could move to a whole new area to look for the missing airliner. And while police push back against a report of a prime suspect in the plane's disappearance, Malaysia is also facing questions about how badly the investigation's been bungled.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Two big developments on the disappearance of Malaysia airlines flight 370.

On Wednesday, almost four months after Boeing 777 vanish with 239 people aboard, Australian authorities plan to announce that they've pinpointed a new search area. It is close to the other areas in the Indian ocean that have been scoured. But after re-evaluating satellite data, experts believe this could be where the missing airliner might be found.

Separately, also Malaysian airline authorities, Malaysian authorities, are blasting a report which names the plane's captain as the prime suspect into the plane's disappearance.

Clive Irving, contributor to "the Daily Beast," desert a scathing piece on Malaysia's handling of the probe.

Clive, a London newspaper now reporting that perhaps the captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah may be behind the disaster. There are a lot of ifs in this report. If it were human error, then perhaps it's the captain. So they really hedge it very carefully. But what are your thoughts?

CLIVE IRVING, CONTRIBUTOR, THE DAILY BEAST: Well, this is all part of a pattern that we've seen going on over the last months in the story where the they keep, that Malaysians for some reason, keep coming back to the idea of blaming the pilot, at someone, we don't know who. Where do the stories originate from? But they're very obscurely sourced.

And I think this is a real problem with all of us trying to cover the story is that once an allegation about the one that came out today, floats it gets picked up by people all over the world, a multimedia picking up everything from a tweet to bloggers.

FEYERICK: Sure.

IRVING: And so, the story gets carried along in essence. It gets carried along by events which are very dubious, by statements, which are very dubious. And I think here's a real public interest here in having better answers and I found it very significant, for example, that the head of emirates airlines which they fly more 777s than anyone else said two very important things.

He said one, he was not satisfied at all with the forensic standards of the investigation that's been going on in Malaysia. But, two, he said for everyone to have achieved what was achieved in cutting off communications, the three basic systems of communications during this plane in the ground. But for anyone to be able to do that, they had to have more skills and more training than any of his pilots had.

So if the man who runs the airline which flies the most 777s in the world says that, then, you have to be very doubtful about whether a captain of Malaysia airlines would be any more skilled than the pilots of emirates airline. FEYERICK: So where -- and you have written a scathing article --

where do you think -- again, people are saying where are we in the investigation? What do we know? What is the most plausible or likely scenario as to what happened given it's been months, given you had time to digest everything that's happened. What do you think, as an expert on this in.

IRVING: Well, I think that what I'm looking for is, what is it that we don't really know that we could know? I mean, we seem to be accepting an idea that we won't know anything until a piece of the plane is found. But that's not true.

This is whole another side of the investigation which is different than looking for pieces of the plane it's to do with the investigation of the hours leading up to the plane leaving the gate, to do with security around the plane, is to do with the screening of the passengers who got on the plane.

So I think one of the key things to come out, remember the story today said that it was the Malaysia police who are investigating, the switch they are, as well as the technical investigation, the police investigation. But it somehow going to be related to the passengers, if it's a police investigation.

So the profiling of passengers becomes important. Who amongst those passengers would have had the kind of technical skills, say if we accept the scenario posed by emirates airlines that someone got on --

FEYERICK: Shut off --

IRVING: Someone got into the cockpit, then, if you look through the passenger list, you're looking for a very narrow feel of people, people who have very rare to a combination of rare technical skills.

FEYERICK: Right. Well, it's certainly fascinating to watch. And just for the record, the family of the pilot has said absolutely not, that he was, you know, he's the father of three children, happy, jovial.

IRVING: Absolutely.

FEYERICK: They've defended him as they should until anything that is known. And I think one point out that was raised in the that article was that well, he seems to have been the only one that didn't have plans following the flight which is a little bit --.

IRVING: What a tenuous thing to advance a whole theory on.

FEYERICK: Yes, exactly. I don't have plans for next week.

IRVING: That's right.

FEYERICK: And I'm certainly not doing it.

IRVING: I'm going to sabotage the plane I don't have plans for next week. FEYERICK: OK, Clive Irving, always such a pleasure to speak to you

and get your insight. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

IRVING: Thank you.

FEYERICK: Well, when immigrants come to the U.S. many leave friends and families behind, sometimes forever. One woman left Honduras 20 years ago, she left behind her mom and hasn't seen her since. Well CNN found a way for her to see her, at least, for a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Just in to CNN, U.S. army says that doctors will now treat Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl as an outpatient. The military says his status has changed at Brooke army medical center. They are still working to, in their words, reintegrate Bergdahl after his captivity at the hands of the Taliban. Psychologists are also trying to make sure that he is making progress. The military says specifics of his location will not be revealed in order to safeguard him and his treatment.

Well, border patrol agents in south Texas have been overwhelmed by the rising number of illegal border crossings from Mexico. A shocking number are unaccompanied minors, children, and according it a congressional advisory, more than 3,000 of those children have been detained crossing the Rio Grande into south Texas.

Border patrol facilities in Texas cannot deal with that many people. And the "Associated Press" reports that about 300 of the detainees will actually be flown to San Diego on Monday and be processed there. One Honduran woman made the dangerous journey north into the U.S. some 20 years ago. She's not seen her family since then. But CNN's Rosa Flores found a way to help.

Here's her report in today's "American journey."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This neighborhood in Honduras is not only home to both poverty and violence but to families as well. And to this mother, who would give anything to see her daughter again.

Natalia Lopez Manuel (ph), she has always supported her children, even when one of them wanted to take on the dangerous and uncertain voyage to the United States in search of opportunity.

Nearly 20 years ago, Natalia kissed her daughter Leslie good-bye. The 25-year-old left on foot. Never to return to Honduras.

This mom says, she's now trapped in the very situation her daughter left behind. Over the years, she has only spoken to her daughter by phone, never seeing her face to face.

I met the family filing Special Reports for CNN in Honduras. And when I learned about the agony they were facing, due to separation, I thought there's something we can do here. And I started looking for her daughter, Leslie.

And found her living in New York, sharing her mother's grief.

Leslie says she used to cry alone, thinking about her family thousands of miles away. She was undocumented and couldn't visit.

We took a DVD of my interview with her parents and showed it to Leslie. She was finally able to see her parents for the first time in almost two decades. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her mom showing the many years on her face.

When you left, they were --

LESLIE, UNDOCUMENTED: Big different.

FLORES: As does the home she grew up in, a shell of what she remembers.

LESLIE: Homesick.

FLORES: And also shocked at the poverty and violence plaguing her old neighborhood. What didn't surprise her -- her father talking to CNN.

He's never been timid, she says. And while this unconventional reunion brought her some joy, nothing replaces seeing family in person. Her dream now, aside from becoming a U.S. citizen, is to visit her family in Honduras one day.

Rosa Flores, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: And be sure to watch "Documented," a feature-like film that explores journey of undocumented immigrant and Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Jose Antonio Vargas. It airs next Sunday at 9:00 p.m., CNN.

Well, soccer experts didn't give the U.S. much of a chance at the World Cup but after a big win in their first game, the U.S. is just, well, about 90 minutes away from a place in the second round. We'll answer your questions about the big game. Can the U.S. beat the heat and Portugal in this World Cup showdown?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Yes, it's the World Cup. Well, soccer fans are pumped up and they are counting down the minutes until Team USA's World Cup show down with Portugal. Right now the U.S. players, well, they are warming up, and they are getting psyched for this rumble in the jungle. And it's truly the jungle.

In 30 minutes the U.S. team is going to take to the field in a new stadium, deep in the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus, Brazil. Temperatures, according to Shasta Darlington who is there, 90 degrees in the shade. The humidity, overwhelming.

The U.S. team considered underdog. Across the nation, fans are primed for victory after Team USA's stunning win over Ghana just days ago.

Well, the U.S. has a golden opportunity for World Cup advancement. A win today would guarantee that the U.S. team gets a spot in the World Cup knockout round. Here's our World Cup coverage team in Rio.

Laura Baldesarra, host of CNN international's "WORLD SPORT," correspondent Shasta Darlington is outside the very hot sticky stadium in Manaus, Brazil and correspondent Richard Roth is with the outlaws, the official U.S. soccer fan club in New York. We have also got correspondent George Howell, well he is in Chicago with frenzy fans there.

Laura, you first, is the U.S. catching Portugal at the perfect time? U.S. momentum on the upswing, Portugal still reeling from getting stomped by Germany, 4-0?

LAURA BALDESARRA, CNN HOST, WORLD SPORTS: Yes. It is one way to look at it, However, the other way to look at it is that Portugal is absolutely desperate right now. They desperately need to win this match against the USA and they really will do absolutely anything to do so. So that means that it might not be as easy as some would think for the USA.

Now, I want to tell you about one big thing for USA. We know that Jozy Altidore is out. We were wondering if perhaps, it was going another striker would come in but it's not. I is not. We have Graham Zeusy who is coming in. And this is the guy who spent four years at University of Maryland, but he plays soccer. He has a degree in criminology. He is the guy who is very reserved but he is very powerful on the field.

And how about this, Deb? This is the guy who is spending his World Cup bonus to fly his entire family, that his parents and three siblings down to Brazil. That even like everywhere and allowing them to watch every sing World Cup match that he's playing in against. So, this will be the first World Cup match that his entire family will see him play in.

FEYERICK: Yes. And it is amazing because, really, if you've got money, that's the way to spend it. It is to make sure your family is there to celebrate those kinds of moments.

You know, Laura, it's fascinating. I'm watching the excitement behind you and the World Cup, that's what they do. They set up huge screens, not only in Rio and Brazil but all over the world so that people can come together. There is such a collective experience for people. I know Shasta is outside the stadium.

What fans are you seeing there? Has the U.S. more people than Portugal right now?

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, there's been an invasion, an American invasion here in the Amazon. The U.S. ambassador of Brazil is here. She said there are 20,000 American fans in Brazil right now. And a lot of them are right here in the Amazon. We have run into them everywhere. We have run in the playing soccer on the banks of the rivers. We have run in to them catching bunks to go check out the Amazon. And, of course, a lot of fan fests and watching these games on the big screens.

And they're very optimistic t this point. I think with the win against Ghana, and with the real go get them attitude, you know, they say the team's going to play like a team, that Portugal's, if they play like individual players and they're ready to take on Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal and the fans here are just extremely enthusiastic, Deb.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWD: USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

We will win! We will win!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DARLINGTON: So as you can see, whenever you get a few American outlaws or fans, whenever you get American outlaws here, things really do get out of control. So, it is really electric atmosphere with all these fans here. And they've been so graciously accepted and welcomed by the people of Manaus and the Amazon. They're having a heck of a time, Deb.

FEYERICK: Yes. We saw you before surrounded by a whole team of people. That was just great to watch because there really is a wonderful spirit there. The World Cup is unlike, really, any other sporting event because it really does have the entire world watching. It is not like, you know, the world series here when you have a bunch of American baseball teams playing with each other. You actually have real world teams that are competing.

Richard Roth is with the American outlaws here in New York. And how are they doing right now, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they've been screaming and yelling for hours here as the temperature reaches rainfall conditions as the US Team is facing in Manaus, Brazil. Let try to talk to some of the fans. I've realized after three hours here I may be the oldest person in the room.

What are your thoughts on this Portugal-USA match, your honest assessment?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the U.S. was built on improve ability and tonight it's no different. USA is going to win.

ROTH: How worried are you about Cristiano Ronaldo, somewhat injured, star player, won the European championship with real Madrid, a force to be dealt with?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that the match against Ghana proved the United States can take on any team in this world. So, we've got this.

ROTH: All right. Are you overenthusiastic because of the win over Ghana? You realized, he is a tough European matchup.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't really think there is being overenthusiastic with the U.S. right now. They probably said that 12 years ago when we play with Portugal. And we all know what happened then. We'll go to get the same result today. We are going to go through against Portugal, get into the knockout round.

ROTH: All right, Deb, that is definitely a small sampling size. But I can guarantee you, it's what everybody's seeking here because the manager (INAUDIBLE) ordered anybody who is supporting Portugal to please leave immediately. I'm not even sure that poor soul could reach the exit. But there's this line of about 80 to 100 people still trying to get in there. I haven't worn these headsets since I listened to a blue oyster cult album, I think, on new year's eve.

FEYERICK: OK. Richard Roth, there at the Amazonian bar that he is standing in. Everyone stay with us. Today's game is taking place in the sweltering jungle. Maybe, nice for a visit, but a huge soccer game.

Ahead, how will the USA handle the heat and humidity? It's like playing in a sauna. Is Brazil warming up the World Cup?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Brazil spot to be host of the World Cup but at $11 billion and a poor country the excitement isn't shared by everyone. There is so much poverty there.

We're joined once again by Laura Baldesarra and Shasta Darlington.

Shasta, let's go to you first. You are outside the stadium in Manaus, Brazil, where Team USA and Portugal about to face off. We saw protests last week over the enormous amount of money that Brazil is spending on these games, as we mentioned $11 billion.

Are the people now in the spirit of the game as opposed to sort of the money that's been spent on it?

So, Laura, sorry, we seem to have lost Shasta right now. But I love watching the excitement that's going on behind you, this big screen set up there, all of those fans, all of those people. You're in Rio where so many are watching this game what happen is the mood, just bring us into what you're experiencing there.

BALDESARRA: This is nuts. I'm going to say it like that plain and simple, nuts. It absolutely packed here at fan fest. We are right on Copacabana. So, this the place to be when you come to Brazil, especially when you come to Rio. Everybody knows Copacabana. And certainly, everybody here is here to be at fan fest.

We are talking about people wearing jerseys of every country they support, a flag. Now, as games have ended and new games started today, different fans have moved in and moved out. So we just saw all of the Algerian fans move out and now all of the American fans are moving in. And we think everybody with their flags draped behind them.

And I was out there trying to talk to as many people as I could and they're all extremely excited. They've come from all over the USA. A lot didn't really want to go to Manaus. It's quite a trip from Rio. And Rio, it seems to be the home base for absolutely everybody. So, they're all here. They are enjoying this. And you see it, there is a concert happening behind me right now. But when it game time, that screen behind me, that will be filled up with the game. So everybody here will be in very, very quiet and they will be watching this game, and rooting for their team.

Now, I have to add as well, that we are in Brazil. And of course, there is a very strong tie with Portugal. So it's going to be very interesting to see who the neutral fans and who the Brazilian fans are cheering for in this match. I have a feeling it won't be the Americans.

FEYERICK: Yes, it's incredible. And obviously, he Brazilians speech Portuguese. But Laura, you mentioned the time, you know, how big it is where Shasta's standing in Manaus. I mean, it's dark behind you. But where Shasta is right now, we can see the sun sort of just beginning, it seems, to go down.

Shasta, we were talking earlier before we lost you about the fans. Are people now more welcoming? Because there was a lot of hostility over how much Brazil was spending to host this World Cup. Has that changed now? Are they in the spirit of the game, see maybe a financial benefit to it?

DARLINGTON: You know, Deb, they're really seeing all angles. Of course, they are still angry about the spending. They think that in a country that has so many problems with education, and health, and public transportation, that $11 billion should not have been spent on the global sporting event.

On the other hand they love their soccer. And they're also extremely gracious, welcoming, hospitable people. So they're not going to let one overshadow the other. And really, as soon as the ball started rolling, they got into the game. And you know, with the American fans here tell us, they feel like celebrities especially in places like Manaus, like Nepal, where they don't see that many foreign tourists coming through. They say everywhere they go, people want to take their pictures, they want to take their pictures with them, and they want to shake their hands. They said it has just been an incredible experience.

But that doesn't mean that Brazilians are excited about hosting the World Cup. They're excited about meeting all of the people and of course about soccer.

FEYERICK: All right. Well, it is. We're very excited. We'll have that game right here in a little television just to right of me here.

Shasta Darlington, Laura Baldesarra, thank you so much. Stand by. There is a fine line between confident and overconfident. Fans of Team USA, what side of the line are they on? We are going to find out for ourselves, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Well, we're minutes away from start of the World Cup match between Portugal and the United States. A win for the U.S. guarantees a slot in the next round. American interest in the World Cup has surged since Team USA's stunning upset of Ghana. And just to put it in perspective, the World Cup match between the U.S. and Ghana had more viewers than the NHL Stanley cup final.

Richard Roth, right now at a sports bar in Manhattan with jungle-like conditions.

First of all, Richard, where's your jersey?

ROTH: My jersey, I left it in New Jersey. Why don't you come down here, Deb? The conditions are marvelous. I was on my way to the U.N. to hear a lecture and someone grabbed me and now in the steam bath with 15 minutes to go before the big match. Ladies, how are you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi. Good.

ROTH: Usually, I get rejected in the bar with that approach. But tell me, what do you think of this big match, Portugal/U.S.?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very excited. Very, very excited.

ROTH: Why do you think they will win?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are USA.

ROTH: But that's not enough.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The whole nation behind them. We got the underdog this weekend, it's proven. Have a great chance of winning.

ROTH: Do you like looking at Renaldo?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

ROTH: Admit it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not even a little bit. No.

ROTH: You don't like Renaldo?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is a good guy, but not today. Not today we don't like him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like him better on the sidelines, not in the game.

ROTH: I'm going to go just mingle here for a second. I know you have the rest of the show to do, I'm just curious what's back here. These people have been -- what do you think of the chances of the U.S.? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Their chances? There are no chances. We will do

this! It will happen.

ROTH: What do you think of the U.S. chances? I talked to you ten minutes ago, you changed your mind?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think USA all the way, baby.

ROTH: How long have you been here or how long have you been drinking?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been here for two hours, I've been drinking for 15 minutes.

ROTH: OK. Well, all believers on that apparently, we are in the United States. A match the U.S. needs to win, a tie could still keep them alive, the third match. Back to you.

FEYERICK: Richard Roth -- the United Nations. The center of world diplomacy right there. He is there searching for the apparently lone Portugal fan.

OK, Richard, George Howell, thank you so much.

So here's the $64,000 question, can the U.S. do it? Defy the skeptics, beat Portugal and guarantee a place in the second round? Our predictions coming up.

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FEYERICK: Well, Team USA is moments away from a date with World Cup destiny. As the U.S. team prepares to take on Portugal, fans worldwide, well, the outfits just give it away. They are loud, they are proud. OK, that's little bit scary, and patriotic.

A win today would propel Team USA into the World Cup knockout round. It is time now for our World Cup lightning round. Our reporters ready with insights.

Laura, you first. You got it wrong last time, you picked Ghana over the U.S. Here's your chance for redemption. What do you predict?

BALDESARRA: I don't like that everyone is rubbing that in my face, especially Don Lemon who did, I don't want to do this again. But I'm going to. I'm going to say this time though the USA is going to win, 2-1. I will say that they are the 2-1 underdogs as well. But that's what I'm going with. Americans to win, 2-1.

FEYERICK: All right. So we will see. Portugal is a pretty strong contender.

Shasta, now you, U.S. or Portugal, who is your pick?

DARLINGTON: I've been convinced by the fans, also saying 2-1, because they are going to have to let probably one through from Cristiano Ronaldo and bottle one up.

FEYERICK: That's right, Ronaldo. You know, for the person who said they didn't like Ronaldo, I simply cannot condone or agree with that.

Richard Roth, you know soccer, can the U.S. realistically go up and bring down Portugal?

OK, Richard apparently has been abducted by American fans a that the bar where he is at. We will check with him later. If the U.S. does win today, they will advance to the knockout round.

How far, if they do win, Laura, how far do you think they can actually go, given really how incredible and how conditioned all of these teams are, Laura?

BALDESARRA: I think that we have seen one game so far about to see a second one against a very good team. So, after the second game, you can ask me that question, and I will give you an answer. I'm going to play it the way that the U.S. men's national team coach played it he said that they are taking it one game at a time and that's what I'm going to do. I'm stepping back from answering that one.

FEYERICK: I just -- I love -- I love watching the crowds behind you, because I was at a World Cup and to see these people, the energy there, you can feel the energy wand have both teams going up against each other.

Hold on one second, ladies, we have Richard Roth with us, made it back from searching for that lone Portuguese fan. Richard, what's your prediction?

ROTH: My prediction, oh, boy. We are supposed to be neutral. I always do not like this. But if you force me, these men behind me beating me up, I would say Portugal, 3, USA, 1. And I could be wrong though.

FEYERICK: You definitely know soccer. Richard, how big -- if it is Portugal, I guess do you think they've got a chance to go all the way?

ROTH: Well, a tough German match, anything is possible in this World Cup. We seen some unpredictable results, USA may be better fit in the heat, facing a European team in Portugal if you go by the previous record. Ronaldo goes out injured, my score prediction is not valid. Back to you.

FEYERICK: All right. And Shasta, you know, you are there at the game as well. And you know, I love watching soccer. I think it is one of the most exciting sports. What is your favorite thing, just being there and being able to watch this game, so close.

DARLINGTON: I think what's just so amazing is you feel like you're part of a global sport. There are so many people from around the world here, also lots of Brazilians. And just to see the way they interact. For the most part, instead of getting the hooligan rivalry that maybe you get at a club level, it's such a friendly rivalry. You just get really drawn up in it you come out just happy with life. You have got to love the World Cup, Deb.

FEYERICK: That's exactly right. And as I said before, I've been to World Cup back in 1998. And just the excitement, the exhilaration, watching these players, to me, run 90 minutes, virtually with one 15- minute break and then some extra injury time after that, it is unlike any other sport. And the conditioning that it takes for these individuals to play as long as they do.

Well, we are turning on our television sets here just to watch this game, while we watch CNN, because you can do that now, picture in picture.

Laura Baldesarra, Shasta Darlington, Richard Roth, thanks to so much to all of you. We will be checking back a little later on. Thanks so much.

And hello, everyone. I'm Deborah Feyerick.

Rulings at the Supreme Court, big changes in the search for flight 370 and Iraq on the edge. It's all happening next week. Our fast forward look at the week ahead. That is coming up right now.