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USA battles from two down to keep World Cup hopes alive

USMNT061810120 

Photo by Joe Toth/ISIphotos.com

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

The U.S. national team found itself in a familiar position, trailing Slovenia after surrendering an early goal, but once again it fought back to earn a 2-2 result in its second Group C match at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

Second-half goals from Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley negated a 2-0 Slovenia lead. Despite getting a draw, the Americans will feel somewhat disappointed with the result, having come close to claiming three points late in the game.

In the 84th minute, Donovan curled in a free kick from the right flank that Maurice Edu smashed home from close range, but it was disallowed due to a controversial call.

It was unclear what referee Koman Coulibaly called, but the United States' still managed to fight back and earn a result in a match that began in poorly for the Americans.

Slovenia got on the scoreboard in the 13th minute with a Valter Birsa strike from distance that soared into the goal. The Slovenians added a second just before hafltime, when Zlatan Ljubijankic took advantage of Oguchi Onyewu's positioning to slip behind the defense and score easily on a breakaway.

After a flat first half, the United States immediately cut the deficit in half when Donovan found space down the right flank before blasting a shot past goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and into the roof of the net from a tight angle in the 48th.

The Americans pushed for an equalizer and found it eight minutes from the final whistle. Donovan served a long ball to Jozy Altidore, and he knocked it down to Michael Bradley, who made a deep run from the midfield. Bradley finished with a one-time shot over Handanovic, causing the pro-U.S. crowd to burst into jubilation.

It appeared to get even better for the United States when Edu finished off Donovan's free kick from close range, but a phantom foul or offsides was called by Coulibaly.

The game ended 2-2, and although the result might not feel like a positive one for the Americans, it still gives them a chance to advance to the second round if it can defeat Algeria by two goals on June 23.

——-

What did you think of the game? Still believe the United States will make it out of the group? Who impressed/disappointed you?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. This is stupid. There is absolutely no justification for calling him “anti-american”. you only see him as calling fouls against the US because you were rooting for the US. if you were slovenian, you would be calling him anti-slovenian for calling the foul on jozy in the first place. Accept the fact that refs have bad games, just like USA defenders do (ahem, GOOCH), and don’t take it so personally.

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  2. OH C’MON…I’M SICK OF HEARING THAT ARGUMENT!!!!

    HE PLAYS INTERNATIONAL SOCCER…HE’S SUPPOSED TO ASSIST, DRAW FOULS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY SCORE AND SCORE OFTEN!!!

    BY THE WAY… HOW MANY GOALS AND ASSISTS HAS HE RECORDED IN THE PAST 6 OR 7 GAMES????

    ANYONE??????

    MAKES THE TEAM BETTER????

    NO…PLAYERS LIKE DONOVAN AND DEMPSEY MAKE THIS TEAM BETTER!!!

    JOZY WOULDN’T MAKE THE ROSTER ON MOST OF THE TEAMS IN THIS CUP!

    HE SIMPLY DOESN’T SCORE!!!!

    PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG AGAINST ALGERIA, JOZY!

    GO USA!!!!!!!

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  3. You didn’t like Altidore’s assist? Or the multiple fouls he drew (even though one was a clear dive)? It’s not all about goals. He makes the team better when he’s on the field.

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  4. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS ON THE US ROSTER AT THIS MOMENT…

    1. FINDLEY

    2. GOOCH

    3. ALTIDORE

    I RESPECT AND LOVE ALL OF THE US PLAYERS BUT THESE GUYS HAVE YET TO DELIVER WHAT THEY WERE BROUGHT HERE TO DO!!!!

    GO USA!!!!!!!!

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  5. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS ON THE US ROSTER AT THIS MOMENT…

    1. FINDLEY

    2. GOOCH

    3. ALTIDORE

    I RESPECT AND LOVE ALL OF THE US PLAYERS BUT THESE GUYS HAVE YET TO DELIVER WHAT THEY WERE BROUGHT HERE TO DO!!!!

    GO USA!!!!!!!!

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  6. This chant is anti referee, not anti black … isn’t it? You connected the race issue with it. Let the past be the past and get over it.

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  7. SCHOOLING DEFENDERS???

    TWICE IN TWO GAMES…GREAT!!!!

    PROVE ME WRONG JOZY AND I’LL BE A VERY HAPPY MAN!!!!!

    GO USA!!!!!!

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  8. CHASE-

    YOU WANT ME TO NAME ONE PLAYER ON THE TEAM THAT COULD HAVE DONE WHAT JOZY DID ON THE ASSIST????

    ARE YOU SERIOUS????

    ALL OF THE PLAYERS ON THE US TEAM COULD HAVE DONE THAT OR DRAWN A FOUL TRYING!!!

    YOU’RE BUYING INTO ALL THE PRAISE THAT HAS BEEN HEAPED UPON JOZY BUT I AM TELLING YOU WHAT I MYSELF SEE…AND IT ISN’T PRETTY

    GO USA!!!!!!!

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  9. READ MY 4:57 POST…

    I PRAISED HIS ASSIST!!!

    BUT IF ONE ASSIST AND NO GOALS IN THE PAST SEVERAL GAMES MAKES HIM A GREAT FORWARD THEN YEAH I GUESS YOU’RE RIGHT!?!?!?

    SCHOOLING DEFENDERS???

    TWICE IN TWO GAMES…GREAT!!!!

    PROVE ME WRONG JOZY AND I’LL BE A VERY HAPPY MAN!!!!!

    GO USA!!!!!!

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  10. As always anti-American jerks have to pollute every thread. I would say ANTI-AMERICAN ref. Why don’t you return to your home country?

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  11. Don’t get too high on Jozy though. He serves his purpose (but could work better defensively). He’s strong and physical and good at holding the ball up. He’s also improving in speed and touch. He should be shooting better, but our issue has always been, WHO ELSE CAN SCORE? CD9 doesn’t even really have a proven track record…certainly not Findley. But, really. Are these the only forwards we can produce in our country?

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  12. I know the players have to play the game, but what exactly does Bob Bradley coach? I was under the impression that he was supposed to stress team defense…Our concept of team defense is a joke. We have no concept of defending passing lanes. Why do Donovan, Dempsey, Altidore, and Findley always face our own goal and watch. It’s not how it’s done. IT’s BASIC defensive tactics. The first goal was all LD’s fault, so he owed us that first goal. And Onyewu is just lost.

    Rico Clark IS rubbish. Edu played well. Torres was my boy, but man, he played bad. Where is the service from our backs on the flanks? Cherundolo and Boca had little to no balls in the box…

    But hey, we like to start late.

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  13. What language or languages does he speak? I assume there are no US players that speak Malian, or whatever, though I’m sure a few have had classes in it.

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  14. The fact that that was the same team in the two halfs is amazing because they looked so different. Funny to see all the torres supporters take it back so quickly. I think they team makes more sense with Edu in their allowing Bradley to be the work horse. I am interested to see if BB keeps someone like Feilhaber in the line up next game or if he puts Buddle in there. I think they team would be a lot better with somone able to make something happen like Benny or Holden. Rather than a mediocre buddle or gomez. They are better off the bench. Donovan proved he could play up top effectivly and the team would be stronger with benny or stu on the field.

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  15. How can you question Dempsey’s commitment!!?? He wrestled a Slovenian player to the ground while a free or corner kick drifted into their box!!! (See that one?)

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  16. 1. In an earlier thread, I mentioned how good Slovenia is–they are what the USA used to be and you take them lightly at your own peril. I’m just stunned we managed to get 3 goals on them–they’re probably the best team defense in Europe–they certainly showed it in qualifying–only the Netherlands gave up fewer goals (and that was partially a function of how dominant they were in possession and offensively).

    2. I think Torres was a bad fit NOT b/c of our squad but b/c of Slovenia. They’re a smart team that exploited our gaps in the middle. Torres didn’t get it done as a defender/ball-winner. Combined with Gooch’s poor play in the first half and that explains a lot of the gaps and Slovenian chances we saw.

    3. We have GOT to stop giving up early goals. I don’t think it’s a question of “taking teams lightly” b/c we’ve given up early goals to good teams and weak teams. But some match we’re going to give up something early and the opposing GK will stand on his head.

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  17. I just wonder how this would look against Algeria:

    ————————–Altidore————————

    ——-Dempsey——————————-Donovan——

    ——————–Feilhaber—————————–

    ———————————Bradley——————

    ———————–Edu——————————–

    Bocanega————-Onyewu—-DeMerit———-Cherundolo

    ————————–Howard————————–

    I think this is a good structure for the USA to play in. Feilhaber the attacking midfielder, Edu the defensive midfielder and Bradley the box-to-box midfielder who assists both when the time comes. Here’s the difference between Torres and Feilhaber; Feilhaber doesn’t disappear when the USA plays longballs. He will get foward and isn’t set on being a deep-lying playmaker, although he’s perfectly capable of doing so when it’s needed ( USA vs Slovakia). When the ball is played into the attack directly, Feilhaber is there to help the attack, with Bradley probably following up the rear.

    Now, when the USA drops deep into their own half of the field, Feilhaber will drop in with them, and when the USA needs a link from the defense to the attack, Feilhaber is a reliable player whose deft passing and vision could not only get the ball forward, but actually crack the defense or spring the counter. A great demonstration would be when he had that great throughball for Altidore on the penalty against Italy, or his very similar pass to Johnson against Argentina in the Copa America.

    Feilhaber also offers a bit of patience and composure in the attacking third, the same way Torres is a cool number in the defensive third. What I noticed a lot of in the attacking third was that nobody could just calm down, pick their head up, and get the ball to a dangerous position the way Feilhaber can. Torres may calm the game down in his own third, but he can only keep it calm for so long before the tempo is pushed again and it doesn’t help that he was barely getting the ball.

    Generally, here’s what I feel:

    *The first goal showed that the USA need someone to close down that space in front of the defense. The USA’s best games(Spain)have come when the USA plays a defensive midfielder next to Bradley. Their shakiest games(El Salvador Home/away), have come when they have an attack-minded midfielder next to Bradley.

    * The USA rushing the game showed that the USA needs a calm, comfortable presence, but not where we should be defending. Feilhaber will assist the attack with his patience and composure in the final third.

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  18. well just because it is a common part of soccer hooliganism in the UK does not mean that it is appropriate in the United States. A county where hanging black men from trees has been to qoute you ” a common and old” form of racist subjugation for the majority of our country’s history. If you want Soccer to ever become popular in America beyond the boundaries of white suburbia you have to leave behind the hate speech and begin using well reasoned speech to criticize bad referees. I also was not pleased with the call and thought we should win, but you folks should realize that some hooligan chants are hooligan chants for a reason and should not be repeated in 21st century America.

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  19. Hate being screwed at the end…. but overall….

    Well done lads…great comeback…. now for the Algeria game… let’s do two crazy things….

    1. Not give up a goal in the first 20 minutes
    2. Score first!

    Complete those tasks and we will win… USA 2-0.

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  20. Watching the replay as slow as possible from different angles.. Edu fouled no one… he was just robbed of a great game winning goal.

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  21. I believe Charlie Davies will make a nice comeback also.. and Stuart Holden is 24 now.. so he’ll be 28 in 2014…. and hopefully a four year starter in the EPL by then… guy is talented.

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  22. Wrong… Clark isn’t rubbish… the English don’t think so… they thought he was nails after the one mistake with Gerrard’s great run…

    Clark was starting in Germany at the end of the season.. far from rubbish.. your comment is lame and lacks anything intelligent as discussion.

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  23. The BBC in-match feed could not stop showing that phantom call. They finally summed it up, “I see three fouls on that play… all of them by Slovenia.”

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  24. Black eye for soccer today. What an amazing comeback by the US. This match is a terrible reflection on FIFA. How can a match be decided by a ref without any explanation of the call? I love soccer, but days like today really make me question why I spend so much of my energy and passion on one team (the US) when an arbitrary call can take a well deserved victory away with no consequences. I have watched the US play every World Cup match since 1990 and I can honestly say that I have never been so disappointed as today. THE US showed so much spirit and fight to win the match only to have it taken away for a mystery call. Maybe there is an element of truth to the anti-US sentiment. How sad.

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  25. I am emotionally drained by our team giving up early goals so often. Chasing the game for 75+ minutes every game is grueling for players and fans alike.

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  26. The U.S. doesn’t need to defeat Algeria by 2 goals. They just need to win. There’s no scenario where the U.S. doesn’t advance as long as they simply beat Algeria.

    I won’t comment on the call. The outrage is clear, and at this point it would add nothing. Bottom line, we played like crap in the first half and shouldn’t have put ourselves in that position to begin with. When is the U.S. going to stop giving up early goals?? At this point, it’s like a virus…

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  27. Can someone tell me why Robbie Findley is on the field? Yeah he’s got speed but he doesn’t seem to know what to do with the ball when he gets it. He holds the ball too long, makes bad decisions on when to pass it and can’t finish. Edson Buddle and Hercules Gomez are at least scoring goals in their respective leagues. Findley has speed and nothing else, he really doesn’t deserve to be wearing the U.S.jersey. I despise the ref for costing the U.S. the game but he did us a favor keeping Findley out of the Algeria game since BB seems to be enamored with him and doesn’t want to bench him.

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  28. say man, this is the freakingworld cup. unlike honduras, these other little fishes dont f around. its all they have going for them, as a country. look at england & spain. however, the US was pretty dominant in the 2nd half with bradley and donovan taking a stand.

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  29. Sepp Blatter

    FIFA

    Box 85

    8030 Zurich, Switzerland

    Dear Sir,

    I have never in the last twenty years seen such sorry officiating as in the Germany v. Serbia and the USA v Slovakia today.

    FIFA should hang their heads in shame – where was the FAIR PLAY?

    Surely it’s a better idea to have the best officiating possible at the World Cup. Use referees who have the experience in the highest leagues to officiate. Not just anyone.

    Your choice of poor referees have impact and decided the games mentioned above – not the players and that very, very sad.

    Please find a way to rectify this situation in the future. If needed, I can always help you out, as I can referee up to the standard that had been set.

    Sincerely,

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  30. I’ll make excuses for Torres! He did give the ball away a few times, but name me a US player who didn’t? Dolo, Donovan, Edu, Demerit, Dempsey…on an on we made bad passes, were stripped of the ball, and played into empty spaces. It wasn’t just Torres.
    Thankfully each one of our players got better after these mistakes, including Torres. In the first half we could barely make the Slovenian keeper dive for a save, and the best shot on goal was a direct kick from, wait, Torres!
    What really annoys me is that when games don’t go right for us, US fans on these message boards always do things: look for a scapegoat, and call for someone on the bench to start the next game.
    In this game, there were a number of scapegoats (mostly in the first half) and a number of heroes (namely in the second half). To put it on Torres, or Gooch, or Findley is ridiculous.
    As soon as Slovenia went up, we went away from the possession game that Torres was set up to orchestrate. That’s the fault of 11 players on the field. When we came back, we did it with the personnel BB wanted on the field–attacking the flanks with cuts in the middle. It made sense to bring in Feilhaber and Edu for that style.
    Please, no more scapegoats. “We live together, we die alone.”

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  31. When is Bob Bradley going to give up his “kick and run” offense? That’s the offense where you kick it down field and HOPE someone like Findlay can RUN under it, or someone like ALtidore can get a head on it. It seemed in the first half, all the US offense was capable of was a few side-to-side passes and blast it down field resulting only in losing possession.

    Thank God! Findlay got a second yellow and now Bradley will have to start Gomez or Buddle, unless he chooses Donovan upfront, which is a mistake because he would not be able to link the defense and offense, or Dempsey, who is soooo much better on the wings, it’s not funny.

    The US looked very vulnerable at the back, very disjointed.

    Torres looked out of place and he was badly positioned on the first Slovanian Goal. Edu was not a whole lot better, but being big and strong he was able to out muscle some of the defenders.

    Why is Altidore NOT on the Bench? everybody remember a few of his good plays. like his header that resulted in Bradley’s goal, but they miss all his loss of possessions, poor touches on the ball and that he looks seemingly lost in front of goal.

    So it has come down to a 1 game playoff, the most important game of the last 4 years and I’m SURE Bob Bradley will start boo-boo- Bornstien!

    It’s clear to me now that Bradley is a “Pedigree over Performance” type of coach, and will probably make bad personnel decisions until he is fired. That will be soon after the US loses in the next round!

    The US did not win the last game not because FIFA wanted to be politically correct and bring in woefully inexperienced and just plain BAD, African referees, but because of the US’s head coach’s decisions.

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