Slovenia 2 - 2 USA

Fri Jun 18 - The USA entered this game knowing that a win would put them on the doorstep of the next round. The way they played in the first halp, it appeared the USA team forgot that the game was real, not a training session. They went down 0 - 2 and their chance of qualifying for the round of 1 looked bleak.

USA Coach Bob Bradley made 2 changes to start the half bringing on Feilhaber for Findley and Edu for the ineffective Torres. The changes paid immediate dividends. Landon Donovon raced clear on the right and fired high into the roof of the net in the 48th minute and Michael Bradley, the coach's son, poked the ball past Handanovic in the 82nd minute.

USA though they had a miraculous victory when EDU put the ball in the back of the net only for the referee to inexplicably rule no goal. Clearly the USA players were furious. Replays do not show a clear reason why the goal was waved off.

After 2 games Slovenia have 4 points from a win and a draw, USA and England have 2 points from 2 draws and the possibility of an early exit for one of the 2 favorites from this group seems a stark reality.

Next Wednesday the England v Slovenia and USA v Algeria matches will be played simultaneously. The results could turn this group upside down.

There will be a nail-biting finish to the first round of matches for some of the teams looking to qualify.