Captain America Saves the World Cup

The United States needed a miracle. With frustrations mounting and tensions soaring, the precious final seconds of US existence ticked away. And the time bomb appeared destined to destroy all hopes for survival in this tournament. That’s when Landon Donovan swooped in and saved the day, once again.

This World Cup has truly been a roller coaster ride of emotions, fortunes, and misfortunes for the United States. First, Robert Green‘s goalkeeping blunder gifts the US a valuable point against England. Then, in consecutive matches against Slovenia and Algeria, the referee disallows US goals that would have sent them through. On Wednesday, the Americans barraged the Algerian goal with quality chances, coming up short again and again and again and again. But just as Donovan carried the burden of his team on his back against Slovenia, igniting their comeback with his laser shot and goal from close range… he sealed the deal for them again, this time in the 91st minute.

Regardless of your feelings for the United States, our politics, our egos, our insistence on calling this sport “soccer”… as that 90th minute approached against Algeria, you had to feel sympathy for a team and a country that deserved to advance for its play on the pitch.  But in an instant, a simple goal reversed all misfortune… as if Super Man himself had reversed the rotation of the Earth, all had changed. The Americans finished top of Group C and find themselves in the least intimidating quarter of the elimination draw with Ghana, and either Uruguay or South Korea on the horizon. Reaching the semi-finals never seemed so achievable for the Yanks.

Over their last 3 halves of football the US has scored 3 goals, had 2 goals unjustly disallowed, and has squandered countless other opportunities. It’s not a stretch to say the Americans appear to be one of the more offensively threatening sides in the tournament. As an American supporter, you wonder… could our squandering of chances also reverse into an explosion of goals in the knockout stage?! Or do we just lack that finishing quality that the world powers of this game possess? We will know soon. With revenge on the mind against Ghana (who sent the USA packing in 2006), and swagger back in their step, the Americans move on.  “We’re not done yet…” Landon Donovan proclaimed after this latest match. We know if Captain American goes down, at least he’ll go down swinging.

"Cigars are on me tonight, Sepp!"

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We at Footy Factor would like to thank Andy Taylor from Washington DC for submitting this article.