Miracle Donovan Goal Lifts U.S. to Round of 16

U.S. fans could not leave Loftus Voersfield Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa on Wednesday. They hung on to the miracle moment of a stunning goal by Landon Donovan in stoppage time. The Donovan goal in the 92nd minute to beat Algeria 1-0 lifted “the Yanks” from the brink of elimination and astonishingly won them Group C.

Epic disappointment for U.S. soccer transformed into pure ecstasy in just a moment. World Cup football can do that. Every bit of hope drained from the U.S. fan sections as the seconds ticked away. With a 0-0 draw on the horizon that would have knowingly ended the World Cup road for manager Bob Bradley’s squad, U.S fans sat cemented to their seats – completely deflated. Then most we’re on the ground in a chaotic frenzy after a Clint Dempsey led counter-attack ended with a rebounded strike by Donovan that blew the top off the stadium.

South Africans all around us smiled in shock as they observed Americans celebrating in insane fashion as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Nobody could believe it. Algerians who were almost obnoxiously loud the entire game stood completely stunned, not even able to say a word to each other. Us U.S. fans got used to the ground as we wildly jumped from seat to seat looking for every person sporting an American flag during one of the best instants in U.S. soccer history. Surprise, relief and joy all flowed at once.

“This day will go down in history for the U.S,” U.S. fan Zach Levandov said after the game. “The drama was incredible, and we finished ahead of England in Group C.”

The Algerian Desert Foxes, similarly to the way Algeria tied England 0-0, gave the U.S. fits all afternoon long in what turned into a must-win for the red, white and blue. Of course, a handful of golden opportunities fell into the lap of the U.S. during the first half. Each time they seemingly took chances for granted.

The U.S. squandered an early possession in which two wide-open shots inside the box bounced right off the Algerian goalkeeper, and then Dempsey got caught offside as he put the ball in the goal. Then, minutes later, the U.S. almost shot the ball in again, the ball rolled in front of the goal and Jozy Altidore blasted a sure goal over the crossbar. By the end of the first half, it only seemed a matter of time before the U.S. found the net.

Then, the second half came, and the U.S. offense went cold, stuck in a 0-0 draw with the less talented Algerians.  Would the U.S. flop out in the group round for the 2^nd straight World Cup in an ugly draw to essentially internationally irrelevant football team Algeria?  If so, surely that would be several monumental steps backward for U.S. soccer.

But for the second consecutive game, the man who has become the face of U.S. soccer, Landon Donovan came through in the clutch.  Donovan, playing in his 3^rd World Cup for U.S. soccer, salvaged “the Yanks” from the upset ruins of this crazy tournament with one touch.

The Algerians threatened to beat the United States on the other end as stoppage time progressed.  Then, Clint Dempsey, who has looked the toughest of all U.S. players at this World Cup, started a counterattack in the final minute.  A U.S. shot bounced off the Algerian ‘keeper in what seemed to be the final missed opportunity.

The ball sat right in front of the ‘6 yard box for what seemed like minutes.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, the U.S. soccer reliable darted toward the rolling ball that held the fate of the U.S. He got to it before the ‘keeper, stepped up and kicked the U.S. to the next round.

As the final seconds ticked down, a journalist could not sufficiently describe the raucous moments that followed.  U.S. fans don’t have the unity of Argentines who chant deafeningly together, the class of the Brazilians or the fiery passion of the English, but every U.S. fan loudly made their mark in the midst of a “buzzer beater.”

The American play, goal and celebrations weren’t pretty, but it didn’t matter.  Bob Bradley and the determined U.S. players just found a way to survive. And not just survive, to finish ahead of football powerhouse England in Group C.

Fans of other countries wanted to take pictures with the hoarse Americans chanting U — S — A constantly.  After 15 minutes of constant celebration with U.S. fans, I exasperatingly sat down in my seat trying to think of how to explain this.  One word: inexplicable.