2010 World Cup: USA v Algeria full time report
USA 1 Algeria 0
The USA defeated Algeria in their final Group C encounter at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Landon Donovan scored an injury time winner to put the USA through to the last 16 of the World Cup after a dramatic match.
Donovan was able to score from close range after Algerian keeper Raïs M’Bohlim parried the ball into his path. The goal was the least the Americans deserved after creating the best chances in the match.
USA finished on top of Group C ahead of England, who defeated Slovenia by a goal to nil in the other group match.
USA could be forgiven for thinking how they didn’t win this match if they didn’t score.
In the first half, the Belgian linesman ruled out Clint Dempsey’s legitimate goal in the 20th minute. Herculez Gomez’s shot was parried by M’Bohlim, but Dempsey was believed to have been in an offside position when he tucked the ball away. On first looking it seemed the correct decision, but replays showed he was onside and the goal should have stood. Like against Slovenia, the Americans had a goal chalked off unfairly.
Dempsey again had a great chance to give his country the lead. A neat through pass by Dononvan put the Fulham man in, but he shot straight at the onrushing keeper.
USA created chance after chance after chance, but could not buy a goal.
Jozy Altidore other than Dempsey should have given his side the lead, but instead he will join the club that Yakubu walked into last night for Nigeria. The Nigerian missed from three yards. Altidore followed in similar fashion, as it was harder for him to miss than to score, but he somehow blazed over from a similar range. He hit the ball so hard and high that it was going to come down with snow on it.
With only one goal to his name for his club Hull in the Premier League last season, you can see why he missed from where he did.
The match had everything but a goal, as both sides were pushing for the win. Early on in the match, Algeria’s Rafik Djebbour controlled the ball on his chest, turned and fired his shot against the crossbar.
A minute later, the Americans had their first chance, with Gomez managing to get a shot away with M’Bohlim pulling off a fine save.
The USA defence were twice beaten by what you can call basic punts upfield by M’Bohlim, showing signs of potential nerves.
Algeria adopted a shoot-on-site policy, with many of their efforts sailing over the bar. Karim Ziani was playing well again like he did against England last Friday. The tricky winger almost hit the target when he cut infield and hit a fine shot, but only to see the ball whistle wide of Tim Howard’s goal. The only shot from long range which forced Howard into a save was the one from Karim Matmour, which stung the fingertips of the American as he had to put the ball over the bar.
Dempsey was playing well, but was unable to get on the score sheet. On 57 minutes he collected the ball on the edge of the box and fired the ball against the post, but when he picked up the rebound, amazingly he missed an open goal.
The Golden Boy for the USA was the right man to grab the goal in the 92nd minute, sending the team into wild celebrations.
Anything other than a USA win would have been an injustice.
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