The United States defeated Algeria 1-0 through a last gasp goal from Landon Donovan on Wednesday. The U.S. knew a win was the only sure way to progress, and this requisite was later cemented when England defeated Slovenia. The victory not only sees the Americans through to the knockout stage, but also wins the group for them. This is important because it means the U.S. will face the runner up from Group D, as opposed to the champion.
It didn’t come easy for the U.S. in its first two games of the group, and that trend continued on Wednesday. The first half was littered with goal scoring chances for the U.S., but they failed to find the back of the net.
The first real chance for either team saw Algerian Rafik Djebbour hit a strike off of the crossbar in the sixth minute. U.S. striker Hercules Gomez had a great chance in the 20th minute. The ball came back to Gomez, and he passed it across the box to Clint Dempsey at the far post for a goal that was disallowed. Replay evidence shows Dempsey clearly onside, for what would be the second erroneous decision against the U.S. in as many games.
Dempsey and Jozy Altidore had great chances to give the Americans the lead before halftime but were unable to put them away. Algeria looked threatening, but most of their attacks flamed out in the final attacking third. The second half started off well for the U.S., and in the 57th Dempsey had two great opportunities to open the scoring. He received the ball on the counter-attack, and his first shot went off the woodwork. He collected the rebound, and with an open net he shot the ball over the goal.
They had several attacks, which produced some decent chances for Edson Buddle, but stoppage time had arrived, and the Americans had four minutes to salvage the tournament.
Algeria had the first good chance in stoppage time, which saw Rafik Saifi’s header saved by American keeper Tim Howard.Howard quickly distributed the ball to a streaking Landon Donovan, who led a vicious counter.
Donovan played a ball to Altidore in the box who crossed to a wide-open Dempsey in the middle. Dempsey’s shot was saved, but Donovan continued his run to slot the rebounded shot into the back of the net. The all-time leading scorer for the U.S. extended his national team tally to 44 goals, and none were bigger than this one.
England and Slovenia played simultaneously in the group’s other finale, which the English won 1-0. Tottenham Hotspur forward Jermian Defoe put home a cross from James Milner in the first half which would be enough to send England through with the U.S. The results mean that both the U.S. and England sit on five points, with the U.S. taking first place due to more goals scored.
The U.S. and England will await the results of the Group D games between Ghana and Germany and Australia against Serbia, to determine their next opponents. The U.S. will play one of those teams Saturday, June 26 at 1:30 p.m.
