The festive scenes inside Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa after Landon Donovan's game-winning goal for the USA against Algeria on Wednesday won't soon be forgotten, but as someone who was in the stadium, it was easy to forget that millions around the world were watching and celebrating that same goal.
Words can't do justice to the joy felt by American soccer fans all over the United States, and around the world, but this video does a great job of capturing the moment.
Enjoy:
How did you celebrate Donovan's goal? Where were you when he scored?
Share your thoughts below.
I have played this game since I was 6, and endured so many years of football and baseball fans ridicule the game that I love…words cannot describe the emotions that came over me as I watched this video…too see the thousands (millions) of fans gathered to watch and cheer in MY COUNTRY brings tears to my eyes!
I took the first two hours of the day off from work to watch the match with the woman I am seeing in a restuarant that only had one TV with game. As soon as LD scored the place erupted! First thing I did was high-five and kiss my date. Then the following chant popped into my head:
Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums rum-tumming everywhere.
So prepare, say a prayer,
Send the word, send the word to beware –
We’ll be over, we’re coming over,
And we won’t come back till it’s over, over there.
ThaDeuce: Yep – not only did I say they could take the test early, I sent them instructions via email on what arrangements to make.
John F: Yes it does; that and a department chair who played soccer in college (NAIA level).
Gerraldiño: Unfortunately it was unavoidable; it is an accelerated course (14 class meetings over four weeks) so I had to assign tests on certain days.
Wow!!!! My spanish is weak and I don’t understand some of what he is saying but that call just gave me goosebumps. I know he is an excitable guy but he that was awesome. Thanks for sharing that.
I am so ready for Tomorrow!
I was at James Hoban’s off Dupont Circle in DC. Hurt my knee badly in the celebration, but it was so worth it. I was close to tears. My mom called me and she actually was crying. And my girlfriend played her new vuvuzela – the first time I’ve ever been happy to hear it.
I was at home with my seven year old son. We had two footstools pulled right up in front of the tv. When Landon scored, we started jumping up and down, screaming, and hugging each other. The feeling I got from the goal was great. Celebrating like that with my homeboy was even better.
Thanks for the boots-on-the-ground report, and for bringing the American spirit in person to the game, for the millions of us who are keeping the home fires burning.
I loved this video. I loved the “Some guy in Arkansas” and the “I don’t really know” especially because the kid ran up the stairs and then fell back down.
I was at work and somehow managed to avoid the games’ score because I was DVRing it at home. I got home and watched the game and when Landon scored, my first reaction was to laugh, because of all people it was Landy…er, Landon Donovan!!
Then I was very, very happy. 🙂
I kept waiting for the phantom offsides call and finally realized there wasn’t going to be one when everyone was joining donovan at the corner flag to celebrate. An unbelievable finish to the group stage – I had lost hope after 80 minutes thinking it was going to be one of those days for us and was praying more for a slovenia goal. Hope there is more good USA soccer to come versus Ghana…
After we were done screaming and yelling and hugging, my wife and I made a baby, and we will call him or her Landon or Donovan.
Dude, if you do this after the Ghana game, make sure you put a video recorder in your front window to capture the hilarity that ensues. Make sure, of course, that you blur out your junk before subjecting us all to it!
It’s odd that these types are so vociferious in their objection to the sport. Why are they so passionate in their disdain for something they do not care about? I can’t recall other “fringe” sports generating this same amount of negativity. Why go out of your way to tell us how much you dislike something? When I don’t like something, I just don’t pay it any attention. Why would I care if some segment of the population watches Wimbeldon? I just turn the channel and move on with my life. With these types, though, it’s as though they feel threatened. Threatened by other countries being able to compete with the US in sport? Threatened by being exposed to other cultures? Threatened by the fact that something created outside of the US has merit? If so, that sounds like bigotry and jingoism to me.
Where was I? AT THE GAME, BABY!!
Truly an awesome experience, sitting with mostly Americans but next to a South African dude who was rooting hard for Algeria just to stick it to us. His gloating stopped in the glorious 91st minute. After so many missed chances, my buddy and I were in disbelief that the ball finally went in. We hugged and jumped at the same time. Our section (DD) went crazy.
The celebration/mosh pit was awesome outside the stadium. Thousands of Yanks singing, jumping, waving the flag. The Algerians were very gracious, and the neutrals from South Africa and Europe kept talking about the Americans’ fighting spirit. Damn straight! We don’t quit!
Was at Netherlands-Cameroon last night. And while it was a fun festival, and loud, the intensity wasn’t half as strong as the US match. (Yes, I know neither team had much to play for.)
Three days into my trip, South Africa has been a very pleasant surprise. Very nice people. Beautiful countryside (especially in Cape Town). And people from all over the world are going out of their way to chat with strangers, all of whom are linked by their love of soccer.
My friend, his girlfriend and I were at a bar here in Brooklyn, NY, which was absolutely packed (about 90-10 USA-England fans). There was lots of spirit (and spirits) flowing, and many resounding curses around the disallowed goal in the 20th minute. As the game wore on, the tension grew, but I think most of us kept believing, applauding the good attacking efforts and saves, chanting “USA!!” off and on, and otherwise holding out some hope for a victory. I have to admit that as the last 10 minutes of time wound down, I became rather distraught, pulling my hair, feeling some frustration about the earlier goal denied and all of the near misses. When the second official put up the 4 minutes of extra time, everyone let out small sighs of relief, feeling like something had to happen. Of course, a minute later, the place erupted. Strangers hugging strangers, slapping hands, jumping up and down, screaming (I was hoarse until this morning). Pure joy for so many people, it was awesome. Another fun highlight was when the Algerian was sent off a couple of minutes later, we broke out into a chorus of “Hey hey hey, goodbye!”
After the game, I came into work (took the morning off), smiling off and on all day long. Great day, looking forward to getting a better result against Ghana this time around on Saturday.
Go USA!!!
Watched in a bar in Maplewood, NJ. Probably about 35-40 people there of all ages. It was really depressing as the clock ticked forward and it appeared the soccer gods were against us. Even on the goal, when Dempsey’s prod was saved, my mind thought, “christ… that’s it–” then Donovan slammed it home.
The joint erupted exactly like all the places in the vids. 20-30 seconds of bellowing (one guy had a vuvuzela–I had no idea how loud they were!) followed by the “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chants. I think it’s kind of cool how that sequence was so universal.
Very very fun.
Twitter.
I love seeing Canucks support us! I pull for you guys every cycle too. I love the friendly rivalry between Canada and the US. It’s less passionate but much more mutually enjoyable than our violent one with Mexico (whose team I hate with a passion).
I can’t stop watching it either. Is it “goal, goal, USA?” or “go, go USA!”? It sounds very much like the latter.
FRANK THE TANK!
For those who couldn’t abide that idiot Jason Whitlock’s comments (presumably everyone) here’s a view from a different Jason (ignore his last name) at the Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704629804575324972912236204.html?mod=WSJ_worldCup_Left_TopStories. Love the title. The WSJ also has some pretty cool shots of traders on the NYSE floor going nuts (wonder if they ending making some trades they didn’t intend to?), and links to a site with shots of Clinton downing Buds with Carlos (Clinton hanging out with a bunch of guys acting like drunken college students? Never thought I’d see the day).
Consider this: the disallowed goal against Slovenia made the front page of the New York Times; the USMNT is getting mondo coverage from the WSJ; the sports pages of papers all across the nation are finally giving space to soccer. Dare I ask: has the time finally come?
i about did what that kid did, but instead of rolling down stairs, i jumped over like 3 coffee tables (screaming) and ate $#!+…..i have a life though, i didnt film myself….(:
I told her straight up, if we win the World cup, I swore to streak naked until the cops got me……Divorce or not, NO ONE WILL STOP ME
Now….tomorrow, she will be at work……….hmmmm, perfect time to streak if we beat Ghana (just a thought)
I really thought of streaking down our neighborhood until……My wife threatened me with a divorce (Our neighborhod is sort of a gossip column so i guess she didn’t want her reputation on the line with my actions, lol)
I was in Jerusalem, and watched the game at O’Connell’s Irish Pub with about 20 other Americans. It was the only bar around our hotel that we could convince to show the USA game, the others were all just showing England. The scene was just like those in the video – I love the hiccup with Jozy/Deuce’s chance right before Landon’s goal. Awesome.
I was in an irish pub called Finnegans in the ancient city section of Rome. There were probably 40-50 Americans and probably three times that many Brits. The place had 8 tvs and they put the USA game on one TV in the back corner of the bar. Needless to say we took that place over when Donovan put that goal.
We were all sitting on the couch. My mind had already accepted defeat and I was incredibly sad. I couldnt’ watch anymore World Cup, what was I going to do. Then I saw Landon get the ball and take off. Oh, oh, oh….could it be…keep running, pass, pass, blocked shot, Clint flying into the net, the ball just sitting there for an eternity, who is going to hit it, LD explodes into the scene and buries the shot and it’s pure ecstasy. We jumped up screaming and crying, the dog going insane. Then it all goes blank and we’re just dancing. Incredible.
Champs in Las Colinas, TX with two a few dozen folks playing hookie from work.
That is payback for the locals waking me up at 4am after their goal against Nigeria. It was like a crowd of raving lunatics, but I don’t even live neat a bar.
Canb’t believe you scheduled a test during the USA match man. Low marks (if you could avoid it)
Dona, for short.
I echo these sympathies. C’mon Canada!
I wonder how many kids have been names Landon or Donovan in the last 48 hours…
This was the greatest moment for me as a soccer fan, maybe even as a sports fan (close between this and NY Giants upset over NE Pats). I still have no voice 2 days later as a result of screaming in my office like a lunatic.
I’m another Ball Stater that is ashamed to be so today after reading Whitlock’s (whom I ordinarily like) article. He was missing the point. It really irked me that he tried to qualify himself by saying he covered Jerry Yeagley and IU Soccer when knowing full well Coach Yeagley was likely jumping out of his seat at Weds. result just like the rest of us. He just doesn’t get it and he shouldn’t even be trying.
Marvin’s on the beach in Myrtle Beach, SC. I picked up my five-year-old son son and ran through the place, screaming in his ears. He laughed and said “I love you Daddy.”
Think I’m ever going to forget that?
I was watching in a van down by the river.
Greatest. Video> Ever
I hugged a stranger when they won, in Jersey City, NJ. Amazing
Barrett,
What bar are you at in Boston that was shown in the youtube clip?? Anyone?
I was at my friend’s house. When the goal was scored, I was out the front door running down the street yelling at the top of my lungs…
I can definitely relate to that. Had I known this game was going to finish like that, I would have taken the day off and made up the hours later.
Pretty cool to see so many folks so overcome with the cathartic release that goal provided. And just a tiny slice of the US viewership!
Soccer may really happen here, yet!
I cried a little watching the video!!! USA! USA! USA!
pretty good one, Bob!
In the middle of a beer shower in Molly Malone’s in DC. Never hugged more men in my life, thankfully.
fantastic stories and reactions–and this all for a GROUP stage game! 🙂
I’d like to see a video that prefaces all the reactions with the actual build up (on field) along with the goal, followed by the reactions. There was ONE NY news story that kind of did, but the way it was edited and the celebration they showed doesn’t match the full excitement we’ve seen all over. Any produce such a video, or know of one?
ALSO, has anybody seen ANY footage of Tim Howard’s throw? The network footage really misses most of it. I wonder if ESPN has any other angle shots that focus completely on it.
As for my celebration–was in my neighbor’s basement–he is a good friend, never watched soccer in his life. But he, my 4-year old boy, and I all had great fun–especially their watching me lose my composure and yelling. Spreadin’ the joy one household at a time!
Here is Cantor’s radio call of the goal. It is a thing of beauty. You just want to hug the guy:
http://www.fanaticos.com/2010/06/23/asi-narro-andres-cantor-el-gol-de-landon-donovan/
Wolff’s Biergarten, 895 Broadway in Albany, NY. I was there on Wednesday. It was un-freaking-believable. Wolff’s is the place in Albany in the video. Plenty of screens, liter steins, totally packed house. That’s where you want to be.
lol, you have to listen to harkes try to “call it” . . . he stumbles, trails off, only to be rescued by Darke. (I think that is on the replay)