Don’t know who to support for this game, really. I somehow cannot be too bothered. The US will probably win. The Slovenes will be hard to beat. 1-0 or 2-0 to US although I think I called for a draw in my prediction. “Go USA!” comes the yell from the packed bar. Um, yeah, I’m bored. Already.
13th minute: Maybe not anymore. Birsa has the ball in front of the penalty area and not a single American player closes him down. He has all the time in the world to tee himself up for a shot that flies in. Howard in the US goal stands and watches it go in. The US are left chasing a game again.
41st minute: The bar is extremely frustrated as there are three straight opportunities for the US. But the Slovenes have scored again! Is that offside? Despondency here. It’s not offside as the Slovenian player (I’ll learn to spell his name in a bit) runs onto the ball and slips it under Tim Howard. That is going to break the US as they were in the ascendancy right before the goal and suffered from an idiotic handball decision from the referee. 2-0 to Slovenia.
Half-time: That’s a shock for the USA especially since it seemed like they were going to score at any moment. They have played well in attack but their defense was culpable for both goals, failing to close down Birsa for the first and playing Ljubijankic onside for the second. I also wonder whether that bruised rib has made Tim Howard more tentative, although he can do little when his defense is playing this way. The Slovenes are playing much better than they did against Algeria and it’s because they have been given way too much space in midfield by the US. Coach Bradley has a big job to do at half-time to lift his players, who are certainly capable of coming back into this match. And yes, I am a bit excited, but the bar is now bored. “Same old USA” as everyone turns away and starts talking about England’s goalkeeping issues (the news is that James is starting in place of Fumbleduddy Green).
2nd half:
48th minute: Minutes from the restart and the US have reduced the deficit. Bradley makes two changes at half-time and the team gets the best possible start as Donovan runs onto a great ball over the top. It looks like the goalie had the angle closed down but Donovan with a great finish from a tight angle. We have a match.
51st minute: Almost! Donovan again, floating in a free kick that Onyewu almost makes contact with the ball at the far post. USA doing exactly what they need to do.
70th minute: A great game so far. The Slovenes have responded really well and have kept their shape but their final ball now seems to be lacking. The US keep coming but have managed a few shots at goal. Slovenia’s keeper Handanovic has kept them in the game. At the moment, Slovenia conceding a lot of free kicks and have two yellow cards in two minutes.
82nd minute: You can’t say that they don’t deserve it, and it is the coach’s son, Michael Bradley, who pulls the USA level. It’s 2-2. This bar has never been louder; I’m the only one left seated but everybody wants to high-five me anyway. How wrong I was about this match.
86th minute: That’s the USA’s win stolen from out of their hands. Donovan floats in another free kick and Edu has the ball in the net but the referee waves it off for an offside. It’s simply not the case and there’s even a foul on Bradley in the box that could have been a penalty. Two bad referees we’ve seen today.
88th minute: Slovenia aren’t done yet either. A header is saved by Howard. USA have every cause for grievance. The referee has been atrocious.
89th minute: A long range shot from Slovenia again, and Howard has to punch it away. He’s furious with his defense as he should be, no one closed the player down. We’re into three minutes of added time.
94th minute: Very soon to the end here. I’m unsure now whether that USA goal was disallowed for offside or for a USA foul. Whatever it was, a horrible decision.
Full-time: The referee is being roundly booed. Without him, the USA would have the win. All credit to them for a cracking second half, Bradley’s half-time decisions paid off and they really should be the winners here. Who would have thought this game would have been one of the best so far? Certainly not Mufti. But, not to toot my own horn (actually, yes, to toot my own horn), I correctly predicted a win for Serbia and a draw in this game, so now I’m up 15-10 on El Pastor. It won’t last, but I must savour it! Take that, Pastor!
The Dark Horses 