The match began with the U.S. being a bit too tentative, and that uncertainty would cost them as Slovenia's Vater Birsa found a pocket of space between the midfield and defense in the 13th minute, unleashing a shot from nearly 30 yards out. The defense didn't step to contest the shot, and Tim Howard was caught too far off his line, beating him over the top to his left.
With that extra incentive, the U.S. pressed the attack and after a couple of other promising attacks, a Francisco Torres free kick had to be punched out by the Slovenian goalkeeper to prevent a potential equalizer.
Just before halftime, Slovenia was able to beat a U.S. offside trap, and Zlatan Ljubijankic broke in off the left flank, slotting the ball under the arm of Howard as he closed the angle on the dive. Down 2-0 at half the challenge for American side was a steep climb. As is so often the case, the leader of that climb ended up being Landon Donovan. Only three minutes into the second half, defender Steve Cherundolo sent a pass down the right flank for Donovan, who skated to the endline, then sent a world-class finish into the roof of the net over the head of the Slovenian 'keeper.
The U.S. pressure continued on the attack and in the 72nd minute, Jozy Altidore was brought down from behind by the last defender, which resulted in only a yellow card for Slovenia's Marko Suler, not the customary red card for such a foul. Ten minutes later, Donovan served a high ball into the box, which Altidore went up and won for the knock-down header. The ball went right into the path of an on-rushing Michael Bradley, who leveled the score with a brilliant half-volley finish. The score had the stadium at a fever pitch, with momentum swung completely in the Americans' favor.
Three minutes later, the U.S. would ride that tide of emotion to the apparent winning goal. Maurice Edu would get on the end of another perfect free-kick delivery by Donovan, sending it into the roof of the net. It would have been the first time in World Cup history a team had ever rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a win. It was not to be, however, as referee Koman Coulibaly would whistle a phantom foul on the play, negating the goal. Television replays did indeed show three, perhaps even four, fouls, all, though, committed by Slovenian defenders.
It was far from the only questionable decision by the Mali referee, so obviously out of his depth in this match. Forward Robbie Findley was issued a yellow card in the first half for a phantom 'hand ball' when a corner kick glanced off his upper chest. Being his second of the tournament, Findley now misses the next match. And a couple more images show there was, shall we say, disagreement over the officials' decisions.....
And Landon's eyes at the end of the match say so much.
The press reports from the world's journalists are this morning saying the U.S. - Slovenia match has been the best of the tournament to date, but oh, what should have been. They should be writing about the greatest comeback ever in a World Cup match. Instead, the U.S., for the third World Cup in a row, has been on the short end of the referee stick, and I, for one, am getting very tired of it.
All of that said and done, our team's fate is now squarely in their own hands. A win over Algeria at Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday, June 23rd, puts them through into the knockout stage of the tournament.
Algeria's scoreless draw with England last night gives them some hope as well. For England, it was their 10th scoreless draw in 57 World Cup matches, and puts them in a precarious position against Slovenia, where they must win to have a realistic chance of advancing. With only one goal scored in two matches, Wayne Rooney needs to show up in South Africa.
Copyright 2010. Contents of this blog, written and photographic, are protected from unauthorized use and reproduction by any means, with All Right Reserved by Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA
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