USA vs. England World Cup: A Draw? We'll Take It, Say Yanks To Three Lions

I am not a Ruud Gullit fan. I did like his lion hair back in the 80's, and his skills as a player. But he can't manage his way out of a wet paper bag.

However, to his credit I will give him this: the former Los Angeles Galaxy manager sure can punt.

Gullit called for a 1-1 draw in the match between the United States and England...and he got it right.

Cold conditions gave way to an exciting match of football at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenberg. For a good deal of the first half, it seemed as if England were on their way to exacting revenge for their 1-0 loss to the Yanks at the 1950 World Cup.

A blown assignment by USA defender Ricardo Clark off a throw-in allowed Steven Gerrard to slip through the backline of blue shirts and give England an early 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.

But in the 40th minute, England goalkeeper Robert Green showed to the congregation in attendance why he is expected to feel the wrath of the local press back in the UK.

What should be a routine save on a shot by Clint Dempsey is handled poorly, causing the ball to squirm through. Note to self, Robert: it's a football, not a bomb. A young keeper in the high school ranks would be able to come up with this. Complete moment of madness.

I have to appreciate Tim Howard's toughness. A 29th minute tackle from Emile Heskey wasn't going to prevent the Everton keeper from making key save after key save.

A 52nd minute volley from Heskey...saved. A chance from Frank Lampard in the 63rd...denied. He prevented England striker Wayne Rooney from becoming the hero late, though the Manchester United forward didn't do himself well by missing some of his chances wide of the posts.

Never mind that the States themselves had a few chances to add to the lead. Jozy Altidore had a great opportunity to do so in the 65th minute, but it went all for naught.

Regardless, the result will surely put Slovenia on notice.

"I think we've had a good focus the whole time," Howard said after the match. "We've said it so many times. We understand what the first round is about, but we were still excited to start the World Cup playing against England.

"It's a big game and a big night, and overall we take away positive things as we get ready for Slovenia."

"I think the team has managed that very well," said the head of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Sunil Gulati. "It's been a big thing for the media and marketing, but the team has been focused."

Altidore, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Jay DeMerit, Robbie Findley, and Howard all made their FIFA World Cup debuts on Saturday.

With his goal, Clint Dempsey joins Brian McBride as the only U.S. player to score in two FIFA World Cups.

Findley is the first player to start the opening game of a FIFA World Cup for the USA without playing a qualifying match during the same cycle since Pablo Mastroeni started June 5, 2002, vs. Portugal.

I must also give my personal props to Oguchi Onyewu. The Gooch, for a good deal of the contest, cuffed the England attackers of Lampard, Rooney, Heskey, Gerrard and Aaron Lennon in grand fashion.

Onyewu went stride for stride with excellent closing speed. He did let a chance by Heskey get away in the 52nd, but this is why the USA is privelieged to have Tim Howard as their keeper.

And it looks to me like he's recovered in full from that ruptured patella tendon suffered in October against Costa Rica in qualification.

"There was big battle going on in the midfield all night long," USA manager Bob Bradley said after the contes, "and I felt that our midfield as a whole did a good job. That's a big challenge because England is also strong in there.

"In a game like this, it was a fast, hard game and we were pleased with the way our midfield was able to compete with England's."

Bradley also praised his players for neutralizing Rooney's ability.

"It was a good team effort defensively," Bradley said. "Rooney is such a mobile player, the way he moves around takes a good level of concentration. I thought in the first half there were still some times when our back line was a little bit out of synch, but I thought that got better in the second half.

"We've had a good focus the whole time. We've said it so many times that we understand what the first round is about, but we were still excited to start the World Cup playing against England. It's a big game and a big night, and overall we take away positive things as we now get ready for Slovenia."

As they do so, I am reminded of some allusions in the history of the United Kingdom and of the United States. If 1950's game was the American Revolution, then this was the War of 1812. The outcome of that war? The Treaty of Ghent.

The 1-1 draw on Saturday on a cold night in the Highveld was football's version of the Treaty of Ghent made manifest.