Team USA went into today's match against Slovenia in an unusual position for a mens soccer team: As a favorite.
But coach Bob Bradley may need to set the alarm clocks a little earlier for this team.
Once again the USA fell behind early. In the 13th minute Valter Birsa got loose and rocketed the ball past Tim Howard for a 1-0 lead.
It got worse in the 43rd minute as Zlatan Ljubjankic scores on a counterattack just before halftime to give Slovenia a 2-0 lead after the USA nearly scored an equalizing goal in the 41st minute.
The Comeback Kids were staring at a serious hole as the team trooped off the pitch into the locker room.
Whatever coach Bradley had to say, I hope he taped it for future use. The comeback started in the 46th minute with Landon Donovan going in uncontested on the right side and blasting the ball past the Slovenia's goalkeeper Handanovic to narrow the gap to 2-1.
Team USA kept up the offense pressure despite some crappy calls from the officials and tightened up their D. Their pressure was rewarded when Michael Bradley received a headed pass from Jozy Altidore and scores to tie the match in the 81st minute.
Then in the 86th minute comes the jacked up call that if the USA fails to exit Group C, will be griped and bitched about by USA soccer fans for eternity.Donovan is fouled (and I'm surprised the ref called it as horrible as he was) to set up a free kick. There was much pushing, shoving and holding of Dempsey, Altidore and Bocanegra going on in the penalty box that should have been called and resulted in a penalty shot.
Maurice Edu scores to give the USA what would have been a 3-2 lead, but referee Koman Couilibaly of Mali calls a foul on the USA to nullify the goal.
Excuse me?
"I still don't know why the goal was disallowed," USA coach Bob Bradley said after the match.
The game ended in a 2-2 draw that gave the USA a critical point in Group C play. They also made a little World Cup history as they became the 21st squad to be down two goals at the half but come back to get a point.It was the first time a USA soccer squad had ever done that.
But it should have been a win and three standings points. Had the USA played 90 minutes of soccer instead of 45 minutes, it probably would be.
FIFA may not like instant replay, but in a sport that has little scoring and your chances of advancing in a World Cup final may hinge on one goal, if for none other than fair play reasons alone they should consider instituting it in certain situations.Let's just hope this horrible call doesn't cost us any more than a critical win.
But that depends on the result of today's England-Algeria match.
We could either have hope of getting into the Knockout Round or be on the outside looking in after our final round robin match with Algeria's Desert Foxes.
