I spent the first 20 minutes of the match nervously waiting for Algeria to score (that great shot by Yebda that thankfully hit the crossbar almost killed me). We had our chances, a couple from Hercules Gomez, who should have started in our first two matches instead of Robbie Findley. Then we scored - a shot by Gomez deflected off the keeper, touched across the face of the goal and slammed in by Dempsey. The bar I was in went nuts, I went nuts, then the off side flag. Then the replay - he was clearly on side. Another legitimate goal called back by the referee. What the f--- do we have to do?
Then another 70 minutes of play back and forth with some good chances by Algeria, but many many more by the USA that we just couldn't damn well finish! Open nets shanked wide. Perfect shots blocked by defenders. Edson Buddle in the wrong position on a corner kick. The minutes were ticking away toward the 90 minute mark and I started remembering how I felt in the stadium at Nuremberg watching the minutes tick away as we were down 2-1 to Ghana. We were knocked out of that tournament and I waited 4 long years for vengeance. Now we were going to go out on a 0-0 draw to Algeria? Algeria!!! Who shouldn't have even been at this World Cup. Should have been Egypt. I started desperately hoping for a Slovenia goal against England in the final minutes which would have put us through. Then finally, Landon Donovan scores one of the scrappiest goals in US soccer history. But who f---ing cares! It counted! It wasn't recalled for an invisible foul, or a fake off sides, or the whimsy of the ref. Two minutes left to play in added time until the final whistle and we did it.
On to the second round and the winners of the group, to boot. That meant we were likely to avoid Germany. In the end Germany won their group, so we face Ghana on Saturday. I will have my vengeance!
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