Late Goal Denies USA Victory, Leads to 2-2 Draw

23 Jun, 2014

Portugal and Clint Dempsey traded goals on as the United States men’s national team were held to a 2-2 draw in Manaus on Sunday night.

Silvestre Varela scored with the final kick of the game to deny the Americans a famous win. The result denied the Americans an early berth into the knockout round — and left all teams in the Group of Death with a chance to advance on the final day of group play.

“We had one foot in the door,” Tim Howard said after the match. “It hurt when that [goal] goes in, but the game is cruel, and we will try to be positive. We’ll give ourselves 24 hours to see what we did wrong.”

With Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo still misfiring and the Americans’ Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley buzzing, it was the Yanks who had the better chances and looked more likely to win the game — but while this draw will feel like a punch in the stomach after the late dramatics we saw — in the end it is a result that the United States will take.

“We’re disappointed, but we got four points, and at the end of the day, we’re still looking good in the group,” said Clint Dempsey to ESPN after the match.

Varela stole the win from the USA late with a header past Howard on the final move of the game. Ronaldo, not a factor all game long, sent in a cross that the substitute rose and headed home, stunning the overwhelmingly pro-American crowd.

“Obviously when you get into the last second, it’s unfortunate,” said Klinsmann. “Now we got to beat Germany, and that’s what we got to do.”

The USA seized the lead with nine minutes to play, and it was a team goal that prised a fragile Portuguese backline apart. Jermaine Jones passed the ball down wide right to DeAndre Yedlin, who pulled the ball back up to Bradley at the top of the box. He put the ball down wide left to Graham Zusi, and his whipped-in cross was met by Dempsey’s chest to beat Beto in the goal.  That goal capped a recovery that had begun in the 5th minute.

But the Americans, who do not lack confidence, immediately came back with guns blazing. Dempsey fired a free kick just over Beto’s bar eight minutes later and then scooped another chance wide two minutes later. Bradley would whip a fizzing shot over in the 24th minute.

Soccer is a funny game. You can argue that the USA should have lost their opening match against Ghana on the run of play, but they did not. On Sunday night, they always looked as if they should win. They did not. And now they must wait.

Fox Sports

Image Martin Mejia

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