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Miracles, some believe in them while others do not. I believe in miracles. As a sports fan miracles are almost a part of everyday life. The 1980 Olympics when a bunch of college amateurs from the US played and defeated the mighty Soviets comes to mind. These moments are heartbreaking for some and for others a cause for celebration. One moment, or miracle, that will be replayed over and over in my head is the Landon Donovan goal against Algeria in the 2010 World Cup.
The 2010 World Cup was my first real experience with soccer’s biggest stage and I was beyond excited the US had a decent team and could make a deep run to the round of 16 and possibly further. The first game came and went to a 1-1 draw with England thanks in part to a slip-up by English keeper Robert Green. Game two against Slovenia was a slow start and the US was down 2-0 at half. The comeback started with a goal by Donovan. This momentum carried over into a second goal by Michael Bradley.
Then what followed was quite possibly the most controversial call in US soccer history. The US received a free kick and crossed it into the 18 someone got a toe to it and it went in!!! the US had just taken a 3-2 lead with less than 10 minutes to play or so we thought. The head referee Koman Kouliboly blew his whistle and called offside. Upon further review it looked more like a foul on the Slovenians then the US. I was livid. We had scored that goal and he had just taken it away from us. So now we had to beat Algeria to make it to the second round. The game started and opportunity after opportunity came and went. The ball would be to short or too long or we would be offsides or the keeper would make an amazing save.
The game kept going like this and eventually it got to the 90th minute I couldn’t believe it here we are one goal from going to the next round and the soccer gods looked as if once again they were not on our side. Then the amazing happened. Algeria crossed into the box and took a header at goal. Tim Howard gathered it in and launched a throw almost halfway down the field to Landon Donovan. Donovan pushed it up field and the US was on the counter. Stoppage time was winding down and the ref could blow the whistle at anytime and the game and the World Cup would be all over for the US. The US eventually got the ball into the 18 and took a shot at goal the goalie blocked it but fell to the ground and the ball rolled to just outside the 6 yard box. At this point I am standing and screaming at my TV hoping and begging for somebody, anybody tap the ball and it’s in the goal, we win, it’s over, and we go to the next round. Enter Landon Donovan. Just as I am screaming Donovan comes tearing through the 18 he taps the ball with his foot and it goes in!!!! I couldn’t believe it I was amazed. As the players and coaches piled on top of him I fell onto my couch mentally and emotionally exhausted. It had been 94 of the most intense minutes of my life it was over and I just couldn’t believe it.
Even though the US eventually lost in the next round to Ghana I will still remember that game for the rest of my life. That date June 23, 2010 will stick in my head and I will never forget it. Yes I believe in miracles and any doubts I had were silenced by that game.