Post-match: Italian press on USA vs. Algeria

Translated from La Gazzetta dello Sport:


USA finish first at the last gasp

Ten minutes afterward the players were still there, singing and dancing with the undulating sea of stars and stripes, and they almost still couldn’t believe it. Altidore climbed the sponsor boards and threw himself into the middle of it, risking suffocation. It wasn’t quite a final, but it felt like it. The United States moves forward and finishes top of Group C. In a stoppage time that was almost up they were nearly out of the tournament. Victories like this one are the most beautiful, those won at the last gasp after great suffering and, let’s go ahead and say it, horrible bad luck. Donovan, the hero of the new world (in soccer the definition fits), will one day say, “Even Bill Clinton was biting his nails in the stands, and then…”. Then the galloping run came from the winning tap-in off M’Bohli’s save.

Without borders
Someone started to pray. Without troubling the gods, justice was done. Not only, or not so much, for this game, but for what the USA has shown in these games; that they were the best team in the group. This is not a team short on quality. Surely it is an orchestra, in which all the instruments play in harmony. And conductor Bradley made it understood that this is where he wanted the crescendo. His 4-4-2 highly resembled a system with four forwards, since Donovan and Dempsey played so high. Edu and his “bravo” son Michael concerned themselves with plugging gaps and distributing. Given that a draw was no help to either team Algeria gave it their all, too. But with less conviction and tactical order. They looked good when attacking, through an unleashed Belhadi on the flank and a dangerous Djebbour (who hit the crossbar immediately). But without the ball they could only watch the Americans storm forward as they did in Normandy, leaving the poor defenders to fend for themselves. That’s how a spectacular game was born, with an industrial production of chances created by the USA (including a shot against the post from Dempsey) and many, too, from the Algerians.

The winning move
The plans quickly gave way for the fireworks to begin. Bradley was the most courageous and lucid in his changes; Buddle, to be precise, was the key to success. He showed his speed and good feet at the right moment, given that Altidore and Donovan continued to beat against M’Bohli. Also Saadane tried his luck with Ghezzal, but later on. He must not have had very clear ideas since, in three games, he continued to change players and formations. However, Ghezzal came on when the ball was almost always at the feet of the Yankees and Algeria was nurturing a small hope for a winning counterattack. In the end they got one and blew it, then got bitten by one themselves.

 

USA: 7

Howard: 6 – Suffered a scare at the beginning when Djebbour hit the bar. Then the Algerians never adjusted their aim.

Cherundolo: 6 – Continuous contribution to the offense, uncertain at the back.

DeMerit: 7 – Surprised at the beginning, then measured up everyone.

Bocanegra: 6.5 – Better in the middle; made his leaping and experience count.

Bornstein: 6 – The novelty who gave more push down the flank. (Beasley: N/R)

Donovan: 7 – A goal worth its weight in gold. Other flashes but also missed chances. (MOTM for USA)

Bradley: 7 – The good son was everywhere, helping everyone.

Edu: 6.5 – Directed traffic well, then was sacrificed for the cause.

Buddle: 7 – The cavalry; a tank with turbo. The assist was his.

Dempsey: 7 – The post, other chances and the shot from which the goal arrived.

Altidore: 7 – Struggled to get himself moving, but once he started it was hard to stop him. Took part in almost all the attacking moves.

Gomez: 6 – The forward added to substitute Findley. Had a few ideas.

Feilhaber: 6.5 – Came on to help raid down the center.

B. Bradley: 7 Cheered on his boys from beginning to end. Put gas in the tank with his ideas and changes.

 

Algeria: 6

M’Bohli: 7 – Gave in only on Donovan’s tap-in.

Bougherra: 6 – Altidore often went at him but he held his own against that tough customer.

Halliche: 6 – Held out until the last ball. From the middle he came out well on everything.

Yahia: 6 – Picked up a 2nd yellow for protests that weren’t his. Unlucky captain.

Kadir: 6 – Tried to push forward and cover. In the end he got by pretty well.

Yebda: 5 – Didn’t provide the filter in the middle and everyone slipped past him.

Lacen: 5 – Slow and, it would seem, lazy. Plugged up very little.

Belhadi: 6.5 – A fury on the flank, but imprecise.

Ziani: 5 – He would be a great player – in the 1970s, however. A sloth.

Guedioura: 6 – The most dynamic, but he came on during the U.S. assault.

Matmour: 6 – Elegant, also in his shot, but lacks a bite. (Saifi: N/R[/b])

Djebbour: 6 – Started off well and even hit the crossbar. Then was snuffed out.

Ghezzal: 5 – Received very few balls, but wasted the ones that he got.

Saadane: 5.5 – He also unbalanced the team. Changes came too late.

 

Referees:

De Bleeckere: 5.5 – Sent off the wrong man. Other errors, often pro-USA.

Hermans: 6

Vromans: 6