In desperate need of at least a draw to keep their hopes alive to advance out of Group C play, the United States clawed back from a 2-0 second-half deficit to Slovenia to secure just that.
But the Americans must be unsatisfied after coming so close to securing the three points a win would have given them.
Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley tallied second-half goals to forge a 2-2 draw with Slovenia in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday evening.
However, the Yanks’ Maurice Edu’s 85th-minute tiebreaking goal was disallowed by Mali referee Koman Coulibaly – due, according to FIFA, to a foul, which was not readily apparent on replay.Each side gets one point for the draw, leaving the Slovenes on top of Group C with four points after their win over Algeria. The U.S. has two points, having drawn England.
England and Algeria face off Friday night. If the English win as expected, the U.S. will have to win its final group game Wednesday with Algeria and hope for some help to have any shot to advance to the knockout stage.
As has become the norm, the Americans conceded early to put themselves in trouble. Slovenia’s Valter Birsa, unmarked, hit a long left-footed screamer from the back line of the box that U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard apparently couldn't see and didn’t even try to stop, putting the Green Dragons on top 1-0 in the 13th minute.
Then, just when the Americans were beginning to find some scoring chances, an unmarked Zlatan Ljubijankic scored in the box past Howard, who was diving out to stop the ball, putting the Yanks in serious trouble.Donovan got the Americans back in the game early in the second half. He slipped past defender Bostjan Cesar and over Marko Suler in the 48th minute and hit a laser from a tight angle right over Slovene keeper Samir Handanovic to cut the U.S. deficit in half.
Thirty-four minutes later, Steve Cherundolo sent a long kick forward and Jozy Altidore headed it on to Bradley, who finished in the net for the equalizer.
The Americans thought they had the match won in the 85th minute, when Edu scored in the box off Donovan’s free kick. But Coulibaly waved the goal off.
Howard then saved a couple of scoring chances to preserve the draw. He stopped Milivoje Novakovic’s 88th-minute header and dove to knock away a long Aleksandar Radosavljevic effort one minute later.
Herculez Gomez got off one final scoring try for the U.S. in the first minute of stoppage time, but missed high.
Slovenia faces England Wednesday. The English won the sides’ last matchup 2-1 in a September friendly in London.
NOTES: Slovenia is the least populous nation represented at the World Cup, while the U.S. is the highest. … The Green Dragons are 7-1-1 in their last nine matches. … The U.S. is 1-30-3 all-time when going down by two goals. The lone win came in a 1995 friendly against Saudi Arabia. … The U.S.' Robbie Findley was yellow-carded for the second straight game and will miss the match with Algeria. ... Donovan becomes the third American to score at two different World Cups, joining Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey, who accomplished the feat against England last week. Donovan scored against Poland and Mexico in the 2002 World Cup.
First image: The U.S.' Michael Bradley (4) celebrates with Herculez Gomez (9) after his game-tying goal Friday. (Luca Bruno/AP)
Second image: Slovenia's Valter Birsa (10) celebrates after his goal Friday. (Luca Bruno/AP)
Video credit – ESPN
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