By Stefan Bondy
The Record (Hackensack N.J.)
Patience had regressed into anxiousness, as the stream of American misfortune was resurrecting thoughts of past World Cup atrocities.
Not again. Not another injustice. Not another disappointment.
For 90 minutes, the doom and gloom had enveloped the Americans like a den of dejection. They only needed one goal, one measly rupture of the net amid a myriad of chances and one pivotal mistake from the sideline referee.
But like any great sports story, the failures merely were part of the dramatic buildup. It ended in the most dramatic fashion that soccer can provide: A stoppage-time goal from Landon Donovan, the face of American soccer, whose shot off a rebound transformed the Americans from eliminated to elated.
"This team embodies what America is about," Donovan said after Wednesday's 1-0 win over Algeria, which clinched the top spot in Group C and a second-round game against Ghana.
It's a great scenario for the Americans: According to the FIFA rankings, they are No. 14 in the world and Ghana is No. 32.
"We had a goal disallowed the other night. We had another good goal disallowed tonight. But we just keep going. And I think that's what people admire so much about Americans. And I'm damn proud."
Donovan fought back tears after the game and was rightfully praising the resiliency of a team that overcame a bevy of obstacles, most notably incompetent officiating. But his comparison of the nation and soccer team was incorrect. In most aspects of society including other sports - Americans are the privileged. They're underdogs in the World Cup, and have played with the appropriate passion and fight.
They had a goal incorrectly taken away for the second straight game, this time by a phantom offside call. They missed their first nine shots on goal, including Clint Dempsey's breakaway that nicked the inside post and deflected in front of the goalmouth.
England was on its way to a 1-0 win over Slovenia in the other Group C contest, meaning the Americans would be eliminated without losing a game if they remained tied.
But as they demonstrated by overcoming deficits in their other World Cup games - ties against England and Slovenia the Americans aren't afraid of the clock or the scoreboard.
In what was one of the last plays of the game in the 91st minute, goalkeeper Tim Howard jump-started a counter with a save and an exquisite throw upfield to Donovan. Striker Jozy Altidore received the next pass at the top of the box and crossed it to Dempsey, whose flicked shot was deflected by the Algerian goalkeeper.
Donovan finished his run by cleaning up the mess and powering in a 6-yarder around the outstretched goalie.
"The ball came to me and time kind of stopped," Donovan said. "You can't miss from there."
Except the U.S. had missed from there, or thereabouts. Herculez Gomez struck an open 10-yard look into the goalie in the 20th minute. Dempsey hit the post from the penalty spot in the 57th and shanked the rebound. Altidore sent a volley over the crossbar from 5 yards in the 36th.
It was the perfect storm of mis-kicks and misfortune. But that led to the dramatic conclusion and a dogfight entry into the second round.