Martin Rogers

USA TODAY Sports

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Landon Donovan had been reluctant to accept U.S. Soccer's offer of a chance to say goodbye, but when it finally arrived on Friday night, he was surely grateful for it.

Donovan's cameo appearance against Ecuador at Rentschler Field lasted 39 minutes and 56 seconds before he was replaced to a standing ovation, and despite no fairy tale goal to cap it all, it was an appropriate way for perhaps America's greatest ever player to sign off.

The well-wishes of a crowd who spent much of the first half chanting his name, watched by 20 members of his family and friends who had flown in, was a better final memory of a national team career than ending with getting cut from the summer's World Cup squad.

"I am proudest of this, what we have built. It wouldn't be like this 10 years ago," Donovan said. "I believe things work out the way they are supposed to. It has been an emotional week. I am going to miss this."

He departed with the U.S. leading 1-0 thanks to Mix Diskerud's fifth-minute goal, with Donovan having played a role in setting it up with a bursting run down the left. A goal for himself was painfully close after 25 minutes when Donovan fired towards goal but was denied by the width of the post.

Ecuador ensured the game eventually ended tied at 1-1 with a powerful 88th-minute equalizer from Enner Valencia, following a spate of substitutions on both sides.

It was an odd kind of night, one framed around a single man. It likely wouldn't be replicated in another country, or necessarily be repeated in this one. Yet it was a moment Donovan felt he deserved, and he did, from the tribute videos before kickoff to the framed collage presented to him, comprised of pieces of national team jerseys from throughout his career.

The initial plan was for him to play just 30 minutes in order to save his legs for Sunday's Major League Soccer game for the Los Angeles Galaxy, a stretch that was extended by Klinsmann in order to allow Donovan extra opportunities to score.

But in the end it was up, time for Donovan to leave and take the plaudits and prepare for his final few games with the Galaxy and then the rest of his life. American soccer meanwhile, will look for his replacement, no easy task given Donovan's impressive and timeless legacy.

Follow Martin Rogers on Twitter @mrogersUSAT.