The US team made it through to the group stage on a dramatic, stoppage-time goal from Landon Donovan. All seemed lost for the US after 90 minutes, reports NESN, with the team desperately needing a goal to advance. What looked like a goal earlier from Clint Dempsey had been disallowed for offsides, even though replays showed that he was clearly at least even with the Algerian defender.
But despair turned to joy after a 91st-minute counterattack. Tim Howard saved a header, and sent it up the middle for the US. Algerian keeper Rais Mbolhi saved the first shot, but Donovan knocked in the rebound. "I've been on a long journey for the last four years," said an exhausted Donovan after the game. "I'm shocked, and I'm just so proud of our guys." Asked to describe the goal, he said, "Time kind of stopped. You can't miss from there."
(More 2010 World Cup stories.)