JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - As the sun set over Johannesburg's Ellis Park on Friday, the U.S. soccer team was inside, trying furiously to keep its World Cup dreams from going dark.
Chasing every loose ball, pushing forward, going for the second goal it so desperately needed.
That second goal came in the 82nd minute and tied the score 2-2.
But like a sprinter on the final straightaway, the U.S. team went for the pass, attempting to steal the victory from Slovenia, and appeared to have done just that in the game's 86th minute on a miraculous go-ahead goal off the foot of Maurice Edu. Inside Ellis Park, the overwhelmingly pro-American crowd erupted, as furious in its celebration as the U.S. had been on the field.
But quickly, the whistle of referee Koman Coulibaly nixed the goal and silenced the crowd, which sat down reluctantly, confused about the decision.
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Goal disallowed, foul called, match stalled, end result a 2-2 tie between the United States and Slovenia.
That it even reached these frantic moments is a credit to the U.S. team, which trailed 2-0 at halftime and - seeing the opposition hugging as it walked to its halftime locker room - looked headed for certain defeat.
"We started the match poorly," said U.S. midfielder Landon Donovan. "We were tentative."
Slovenia scored in the 13th minute, a center blast to the upper right corner of the goal by Valter Birsa. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, caught too far from his line, didn't even move off his heels.
In the 42nd minute, after an array of just-missed U.S. goal attempts, forward Zlatan Ljubijankic slipped behind the U.S. defense and slotted a right-footed shot past Howard.
"At that point, we have no choice but to push the game," said Donovan of the team's halftime mindset. "It's easy in hindsight to say, 'Why didn't we start that way?'"
U.S. coach Bob Bradley made two halftime changes: replacing midfielder Jose Torres with Edu and forward Robbie Findley with midfielder Benny Feilhaber.
"Everyone had to understand how we were going to push the game," Bradley said.
"If we don't believe we can do it, then let's not go back out," said Donovan, summarizing the team's final thoughts before the second half, adding that the team also discussed the necessity of scoring its first goal early in the second.
Donovan did just that.
A few minutes after halftime, Donovan, his defender missing on a slide attempt to knock the ball out of bounds, took a pass down the line from defender Steve Cherundolo and turned at an angle toward the goal. A few dribbles later, Donovan stood directly in front of Slovenia keeper Samir Handanovic. Donovan crushed a shot past Handanovic, who looked as if he was protecting himself from gunfire, rather than keeping goal.
"As I looked up, my first thought was to pass the ball," Donovan said. "At the end, I decided to take a touch and aim high, aim at his head. I don't think he wanted to get hit from there."
Nearly 30 panicked minutes later, it was Donovan's long cross that was headed down by forward Jozy Altidore and booted off the sliding cleat of Bob Bradley for the game-tying goal. Bradley sprinted to the sideline and slid on his back, accepting the crowd's - and his teammates' - euphoria.
The U.S. team's hopes had survived another chilly South African night - but just barely.
"My guess is there are not many teams in this tournament that could have done what we did," Donovan said, "and, arguably, won the game. And that is what the American spirit is about."
On StarNet: Follow all the World Cup action at azstarnet.com/soccer
WORLD CUP 2010
Today
• Netherlands vs. Japan: 4:30 a.m., ESPN
• Ghana vs. Australia: 7 a.m., ESPN
• Cameroon vs. Denmark: 11:30 a.m., Channel 9
Sunday
• Slovakia vs. Paraguay: 4:30 a.m., ESPN
• Italy vs. New Zealand: 7 a.m., ESPN
• Brazil vs. Ivory Coast: 11:30 a.m., Channel 9
