U.S. comes back, draws with Slovenia

JOHANNESBURG – Maurice Edu kicked the ball into the net. American players jumped around wildly, thinking they had capped a historic comeback, turning a two-goal, first-half deficit into a 3-2 victory over Slovenia in the World Cup.

“Then I heard the whistle,” Edu said

Referee Koman Coulibaly of Mali had called it off.

Over and over, American players asked, “Why?” In English. Then in French.

“He just ignored us,” Landon Donovan said. “Or he didn’t understand.”

Perhaps Coulibaly, working his first World Cup game, will never explain himself. By the rules, he doesn’t have to speak to the media on game days, and his next availability isn’t until Monday. Perhaps it will remain one of those unsolved soccer mysteries.

What’s known for now is this: Donovan and Michael Bradley scored second-half goals that did count, and U.S. hopes to reach the second round remained alive with a 2-2 tie Friday night.

Slovenia (1-0-1) leads Group C with four points and would have qualified for the second round with a win. The U.S. and England (both 0-0-2) are tied for second with two points each following England’s 0-0 draw with Algeria (0-1-1).

The top two teams in the group advance, so the U.S. would make the second round with a victory against Algeria on Wednesday. The Americans also could advance if they tie the Algerians while England draws Slovenia, provided the U.S. maintains its advantage in goals scored over the English, currently 3-1.

“We can still get through,” goalkeeper Tim Howard said. “Being down 2-0 in a game, I’ve played long enough to feel very lucky and fortunate to come out of it still in the World Cup.”

Donovan took a free kick from the side of the penalty area in the 85th minute, as players jostled in front. Aleksandar Radosavljevic held Michael Bradley in a bear hug, and Edu spun away from Bojan Jokic and, one step into the 6-yard box, stuck out his left foot and put the ball in.

It was unclear to the U.S. what Coulibaly actually called. At the time of the whistle, American captain Carlos Bocanegra, who was a few feet away from Edu, did have an arm around Nejc Pecnik, preventing the Slovene from jumping for the ball.

“Whistles were blown very early. No explanation,” Bocanegra said.

“There’s no point talking about it,” said a disgusted Michael Bradley, the coach’s son.

But there’s no forgetting it either.

“What I’ve heard is that there were three fouls in the box, and all of which were against Slovenia players,” coach Bob Bradley said.

Solvenia went ahead when Valter Birsa got behind Bradley and caught Howard flat-footed. The goalkeeper was screened by defender Oguchi Onyewu, who slid across to deny Birsa the right side of the goal. The ball sailed past Howard and went in.

The U.S. nearly tied it when Clint Dempsey crossed toward Donovan inside the 6-yard box. But as Donovan was about to redirect the ball into the goal, Miso Brecko made a sliding deflection to knock it away.

On the counterattack, Zlatan Ljubijankic ran up the middle, took a pass and sent an 8-yard right-footed shot under Howard for a 2-0 advantage.

Donovan started the comeback in the 48th minute when he ran onto a Steve Cherundolo pass from midfield and got by defender Bostjan Cesar. Donovan originally planned to cross, but came down the endline and shot from the 6-yard box, putting the ball over goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and into the roof of the net.

“I decided to take a touch and aim high – and aim at his head,” Donovan said. “And I don’t think he wanted to get hit from there.”

Michael Bradley tied the score in the 82nd, when Jozy Altidore’s header off Donovan’s free kick fell in the middle of the penalty area. Running at full speed, Bradley caught up to it about 8 yards from goal and with his right foot tapped it over Handanovic’s head.

It was almost the first come-from-behind win for the Americans in World Cup play. The United States is 6-16-5 in the World Cup, never falling behind in its victories.