USA vs. Slovenia 2010 World Cup: A Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)
T-180: Well, after an exciting NBA Finals series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, it's time for another Play-By-Play. Are you guys enjoying the World Cup? I know I am. And today, the USA will look to get their first win of their FIFA World Cup campaign against Slovenia.
T-170: Line-ups...from Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
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T-160: The forecast calls for a must-win for the States. “In all likelihood, if we lose Friday, we’re out of the tournament – that’s the reality of the situation," Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan said prior to today's match.
Therefore, this game will make or break Bob Bradley's career with the US Men's National Team, without any shadow of a doubt.
T-150: And if you say otherwise, well, let's just say you're not taking the USA's sense of urgency seriously.
T-60: Watch out for Robert Koren this contest. He will be a handful, as well as Robert Birsa.
T-5: I am still giddy from the Los Angeles Lakers securing title No. 16 in the National Basketball Association.
First half kickoff: 7:00 A.M. PT
1' - We are underway. Let's see if the States take control early.
2' - And we got ourselves an early collision here. No foul to Clint Dempsey. Sigh of relief for the No. 8.
4' - Here is Clint Dempsey, passing to Steve Cherundolo. The USA will need to get their possession early and often today.
5' - Corner for the USA. Findley was looking dangerous. Here's Landon Donovan. Corner found Michael Bradley (whose head is similarly cleaned up, just like his dad, the manager Bob Bradley), but he was out of bounds. Goal kick for Samir Handanovic.
7' - Set piece time for Slovenia. Header for Zlatan Ljubljankic was off. Goal kick, Tim Howard.
8' - The USA is 0-15-3 when giving up the first goal in a World Cup Finals match. A daunting statistic.
9' - Milivoje Novakovic looked very dangerous on that entry pass. Goal kick Howard.
11' - Jose Francisco Torres can't get anyone open on that pass. Here comes Robert Koren.
12' - Still haven't seen that sense of urgency come to fruition yet. Scoreless first half. Handanovic goal kick.
13' - Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey weren't clicking on that pass.
13' - GOAL! Slovenia 10 Valter Birsa
This is not gonna make yours truly happy. No one was guarding Birsa in the middle of the box, and now the urgency from the States must be shown as they have to rally AGAIN. Disgusting defence.
14'- Set piece time for the States.
15' - Diving save from Handanovic. He is a young star with plenty of potential. Terrible set piece.
16' - Good marking on Jozy Altidore by the Slovenian defense.
17' - Too ambitious. A one-time shot from Michael Bradley. Awful.
18' - There's Radosavljevic again (no relation to Predrag Radosavljevic, a.k.a. Preki).
20' - Birsa with the foul on Torres.
21' - Bob Bradley must be wondering, "Again? Against Slovenia of all teams?" They might as well forfeit the match against Algeria.
22' - Great save by Howard.
23' - This USA team needs to figure things out. Slovenia is breaking apart their possession at will.
24' - Does this USA side even know how to utilize the transition? Atrocious possession there.
25' - Corner for Slovenia.
26' - Here is Robert Koren. Nothing doing. Goal kick for Howard. 80,000 Slovenian-Americans residing in Cleveland...interesting statistic brought up by ESPN's Adrian Healy.
28' - Goal kick Handanovic. Dempsey was out of position.
29' - Another free kick for Slovenia. Howard clears that for a throw-in.
31' - Here's Oguchi Onyewu with the mark.
32' - We are 32 minutes into the match, and it's 1-0 Slovenia.
33' - More horrid passing. I don't believe this USA side came ready to play. I'm just not seeing the intensity from them.
35' - They need to get Edson Buddle in there, as well as Herculez Gomez, to do something.
Yellow card 5 Bostjan Cesar
Slovenia
Set piece time. Donovan gives instructions to Torres. What will they make of this?
Another save by Handanovic. They still can't figure this guy out!
36' - Corner. Jay DeMerit misses wide. Here we go again with the horrid shooting from the States.
37' - Aleksandar Radosavljevic is shaken up. But he gets back on his feet and is back on the pitch.
38' - Great defense from Bojan Jokic. These Slovenian young guns are getting the job done.
Yellow card 20 Robbie Findley
United States
He misses the next match for the handball. Does match official Koman Coulibaly have a personal agenda with the USA? Looks likes it so far.
40' - Inexcusable lack of finish. That should have been a goal for the States. Corner.
42' - GOAL! Slovenia 9 Zlatan Ljubijankic
This is what happens when you do not defend on the transition. This has been an inexcusable first half of play from the USA. Perfect timing and setup for Zlatan Ljubijankic. It's a well-deserved goal.
44' - Bob Bradley has to be wondering what the heck is going on with his team. His career, right now, with the USA Men's National Team, has been thrown into total turmoil.
Second half start: 8:10 A.M. PT
46' - The second half begins, and let me tell you something: Bradley could be on his way out ASAP if they don't turn this around right now. It really shouldn't matter what happens against Algeria; he should not be managing this team any more.
Substitution United States
IN
19 Maurice Edu
22 Benny Feilhaber
OUT
16 Jose Francisco Torres
20 Robbie Findley
47' - The USA women could kill the USA men with this half-hearted effort. Throw-in.
48' - GOAL! 10 Landon Donovan
That might make things a little bit interesting, but they are still a goal down.
49' - One of the players for Slovenia got upended. It's Marko Suler.
50' - Set piece for Oguchi Onyewu misses. Horrid.
51' - Great save from Howard. Corner for Slovenia.
52' - Goal kick for Howard. Time is not on the States' side as of this point.
53' - Terrible passing stanza in the midfield. Here come the Slovenians.
54' - Too long a pass inside the attacking third for Milivoje Novakovic.
55' - Challenge by DeMerit forces the throw-in for Jokic.
58' - This has to be cringe-worthy if you are a USA fan... 58th minute, 2-1 Slovenia.
58' - Jozy Altidore needed to do better on that pass.
59' - Set piece for the States. Andraz Kirm gets elbowed by Dempsey in the box.
60' - A throw-in for Slovenia. Back they come on the attack. Another handball, this time on Edu. I keep telling you, this Jabulani has a soul all its own.
62' - Wasted chance by Robert Koren.
63' - Way too long a goal kick by Tim Howard. Right into the hands of Samir Handanovic.
64' - Just what exactly is Benny Feilhaber doing? Squandered the possession.
67' - We are 67 minutes into the contest, and it's still 2-1 Slovenia. The Landon Donovan goal is nothing but consolation right now. Horrible pass by Onyewu. Was he passing to anyone?
68' - Yellow card 4 Marko Suler
Slovenia
Almost was a red right there as per DOGSO rule.
Set piece time.
70'- And they still can't figure out Handanovic. Goal kick Slovenia.
71' - Yellow card 17 Andraz Kilm
Slovenia
72' - Feilhaber should have done better.
73' - Substitution Slovenia
IN 7 Nejc Pecnik
OUT 9 Zlatan Ljubijankic
74' - Yellow card 8 Bojan Jokic
Slovenia
75' - 75 minutes into the match, and it's still 2-1 Slovenia.
77' - Excellent dispossession by the Slovenians. Altidore...another bad shot. This is turning into nothing but a broken record for Jozy. There's no excuse.
78'- Great defending again. Slovenia parks the bus. Unbelievable. Bradley needs to bring in Buddle or Gomez here. One of the two.
It's Gomez.
Substitition United States
IN 9 Herculez Gomez
OUT 5 Oguchi Onyewu
Little tactic right here.
81' - Another save for Handanovic! He is playing the game of his life today.
82' - GOAL! USA 4 Michael Bradley
And we are level at 2-2. Now they need to score one more time. A draw may not help them here. Right over the reach of Samir Handanovic. Bob Bradley's not out of the woods yet. They need to score one more time.
83' - That is a rally. This is going to energize the USA on both sides of the pond.
84' - Koman Coulibaly, I think, has officiated one of the worst games I have seen from him. Sorry, Slovenia fans. He has cooked up a stinker.
You know, I sometimes do not get Sepp Blatter and his ilk's rationale behind the choice of the officials. But in this case, it's backfired. Big time.
87' - Substitution Slovenia
IN 14 Zlatko Dedic
OUT 10 Valter Birsa
88' - Clutch save from Howard.
90' - Stoppage time becomes key here. Three minutes of stoppage time. These will go quickly.
90' + 3' - And another Slovenian player is down.
Substitution Slovenia
IN 20 Andrej Komac
OUT 7 Nejc Pecnik
And that is a wrap.
Well, friends, they turned this thing around, but they will glued to their tubes for the proceedings at the Green Point in Cape Town.
Stay tuned for my take on this match on The View and on Bleacher Report.
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