The Soviets felt that the 1980 semi-final game was a giant failure. Especially after the U.S. got 61 other nations to boycott the summer olympics in Moscow. (1979) The Soviets thought they were unbeatable, unstoppable, and could take anything they wanted. The loss on the ice in 1980 opened the eyes of the soviet people and they realized that America is a formidable opponent both on the ice and in the Cold War.