USA vs. Algeria. Go, go USA. It’s probably the most memorable game in my life as a USMNT fan (at least in a good way). I watched this game in a group and what I remembered was growing more angry/frustrated as time went on before the elation of the Donovan goal.

Watching it again – I’d forgotten how snakebitten the US was on the day. We hit the post, had a goal incorrectly (imo) ruled offside, hit the ball straight at keeper a couple times… If I hadn’t known what was going to happen at the end this seemed like one of those games where the ball just wasn’t going to go in the net for the US.

Happily, the ball did go in the net and the US ended up winning it’s group due to England drawing Algeria on the previous match day/only beating Slovenia 1-0.

The performances in this match were almost universally positive. Even the couple guys that came out with low totals (Gomez, Boca, Bornstein) were mostly due to lack of events, not an excess of negative ones. The match was enjoyable to watch/grade with foreknowledge of the outcome. To the grades.

If you haven’t read one of these before click here for an explanation of the grading system.

Grades

Ratings Guidelines

15+ Excellent game 9-14 Played well to very well 5-8 Solid 0-4 Not great, Bob Below 0 My expectations for Bill and Ted 3 (I’m 100% watching it though)

*The Adjusted Total uses the Elo formula to take into account opponent and competition factors.*

MOTM – Jozy Altidore (+16/+27.2 adj.)

Jozy has been one of the best performers in all three games of this World Cup. Watching it has made me unexpectedly sad about his national team career. He is such a talented player. He’s so big and strong, has a really good first touch, passes the ball well…I could go on. I wish he hadn’t gone to crap teams in England after Holland back in the day. The fact that this is the only World Cup he’s really played in is a humongous bummer.

As far as this game goes, he was excellent. He held the ball up well when Howard would boot it long and find teammates/draw fouls once he’d deftly brought it under control. Jozy also played a skillful little pass to Dempsey on the winning goal in the 91st minute. If that ball doesn’t get to Clint then Donovan can’t slam home the rebound.

Other Notable Positives

Michael Bradley (+15/+25.5 adj.)

Bradley was really good yet again. Even watching the game ten years later I was getting frustrated that the team wasn’t giving him the ball enough. How did Algeria not have a guy sit on him? His ability on the ball, vision, and passing ability was streets ahead. (Sorry – just started watching Community😂) Feilhaber was about the same level on the ball imo, but he didn’t bring the defensive presence Bradley did. Bradley saw plays developing and did more to then make those plays happen then anyone else. Look at this 👇

If Donovan and Altidore communicate a little better this is probably a goal. Great close control and pass by Bradley.

Landon Donovan (+10/+17 adj.)

Donovan wasn’t consistently dangerous, but he’d pop up here and there with a moment and you could see the class. He’d play a pass, make a run, just do something that’d make you go, “That guy has something.” They’re very different players, but it’s reminiscent of how I feel when Pulisic skins someone along the sideline…it’s that extra piece of skill that pops as you watch. Lando was sort of a one man counter attack. If he got the ball on the run it got down the field rapidly. Oh yeah…he also scored possibly the most famous goal in the history of the USMNT in this game. Want to watch it like 15 more times?

Room for Improvement

Bocanegra, Bornstein, and Gomez: (0)

Bocanegra: I only dinged Carlos twice – once for losing his man in the 6th minute when Algeria hit the crossbar and once in the 35th minute for getting pulled out of position chasing an attacker. The problem is that there wasn’t a lot of defending for him to do and he isn’t exactly a line splitting passer. Not a “bad” game, but not a good one either imo.

Bornstein: A loose pass here (16′) and a defensive error (69′) there ended up cancelling out the small positives for Bornstein. The mistakes weren’t critical and none of them wound up costing the team, but they were present. Here’s an example:

Gomez: Gomez wasn’t bad or good. He just wasn’t involved a whole lot. I only had him down for two events and he got subbed off for Feilhaber at half time. I do wonder why Benny never started. The team usually looked better once he came on and there was no one that could do what Charlie Davies had done when he was the second forward with Altidore.

Random Aside – What do you want to bet that these guys could trade some pretty good stories? 👀

Bill: South Africa gave you what for this World Cup?!

Sepp: *cackles maniacally*

On to the Knock Out Rounds

I’m not looking forward to watching/grading the next game. I remember thinking the draw was setting up in such a way that the US looked like it had a realistic shot (although Uruguay was next so maybe I was dumber back then) at the semis…and then Ghana happened. :-/ Also, grading these games takes forever so an extra 30 minutes of game time is going to have me ready to be done.

This has been fun, but I’m also ready to see some actual live soccer again. Let’s hope things continue to look up and we can start watching Tyler, Gio, Weston, and the rest of the crew in the Bundesliga soon. *sigh*

Stay healthy out there, my friends.

If you enjoyed this and would like to be informed of future articles type your email address in the box and you’ll be notified of each new post. 🤓