Edu in midfield (no Clark!) and Gomez up top (Findley has two yellows if memory serves). No Guch after the last horror show he put on the field. I like our starting 11 to the extent that I can like our starting 11. Our defense remains incredibly suspect, but I think we’re throwing our strongest starting group out there, so I can’t complain.
England v. Slovenia is underway; I’m watching it on ESPN360.com. Early shot over the top for Algeria. Defense better not be losing headers today. US attacks down the flank to the keeper on the Donovan cross. Counterattack results in a goal kick for us. Looks like it might be an open game.
Algeria off the post in the 5th minute. Looked offside then DeMerit missed the ball. Good shot from Gomez on the counterattack. Nice save, corner US. Keeper has it. Algeria counters. Nothing.
Ref giving lots of warnings but no cards that I’ve seen in the England game. I’m not focusing on it but i looks like England is doing a lot of defending and hoping to counter.
First yellow to Yebda of Algeria for tripping Altidore.
Free kick England from distance; on frame but saved.
Gomez over the top on a tricky volley in the 15th minute. Donovan over the top in the 17th.
USA puts one in in a scramble, but Dempsey’s offside. Pretty close. Replay look indeterminate, so hard to condemn the linesman who had to call it live.
England scores on a cross in the 22nd minute! DeFoe puts it by the keeper! 1-0 England.
Dempsey fouled; player warned.
Gerrard with shot that’s barely saved by the keeper. Still 1-0 England. As things stand, the England wins group with 5 point and Slovenia takes 2nd with 4. The US would be out. With England winning, we need a victory to move on.
Good ball from Cherundolo that we can’t finish.
Donovan with a nice ball to Dempsey that he can’t quite finish. Close!
Altidore puts it over from a near in! Should have had it.
Howard saves a shot from distance. Corner. Foul; our free kick.
Yellow to a Slovenia player in the England game. Handball. Free kick England. Nothing. Now 40 minutes gone there.
England 1-0 at half; US-Algeria 0-0 at half. We need a goal in the 2nd—and we’ve had chances—or we’re headed home. We’re dominating.
Feilhaber on, Gomez off. Unclear what Bradley’s thinking exchanging a forward for a midfielder when a score is essential, but I’ll trust he knows what he’s doing.
Dempsey off the post in the 11th minute of the 2nd. Follow-up over the top. Geez.
Altidore picks up a weak yellow. Foul, but lame call on the card.
Edu out; Buddle in.
Feilhaber dribbled in the box and Altidore was open but the keeper blocked it out. Corner US. US heads wide.
Cross and pointblank header saved. I can’t believe we haven’t scored. US defense gets shifted in the counter attack and Algeria near makes us pay. Geez.
Buddle crosses one hard. Corner. Nope. Algeria counters. Picked, but turned over.
Still 1-0 England in the other game with England getting more chances.
Altidore fouled on the corner of the box. Bit of a dive, I thought. Another chance. Bradley heads over the bar.
Yellow to Yahia of Algeria for the foul on Buddle. About 15 minutes left. Cherundolo’s cross headed out; should have been a corner but ref couldn’t tell.
Dempsey is fouled just outside the box. We’re getting all kinds of pressure. You’d think we’d get one of these. Bradley’s nice shot saved. Corner.
In the England game, a couple of Slovenians have been booked. Yellows only.
Bornstein out; Beasley(!) in. Speed on the wing now if nothing else.
Dempsey’s bleeding on the face or mouth. Replay shows a player hitting at him and connecting. Ref missed it.
Lacen of Algeria takes down Altidore on the run and get a yellow. Good call. Free kick straight away to the US. Dempsey puts it high.
Three and half minutes to get a goal or we’re out.
Beasley witha yellow for a handball.
Four minutes extra time, which seems generous.
Break down the wing with numbers. Donovan scores the rebound! GOAL! We lead the group!
England has won.
CORNER TO ALGERIA. Yellow to Yaha! That’s it — a red he’s gone. Didn’t see the foul, but Algeria now to 10 men. Would like to see a replay.
Altidore fouled. 30 seconds. Free kick US. That’s it! Game US! 1-0. We win group! From out of the World Cup to Group winners in less than 3 minutes. Wow. Gritty performance.