AGAINST ALL ODDS U.S. pulls off miracle, downs Egypt, 3-0, reaches Confederations Cup semis

Rustenburg, South Africa -- As soccer miracles go, it probably doesn't get any more improbable than this.

Left for dead by many of its supporters and soccer fans after Wednesday's embarrassing performance against Brazil, the U.S. National Team pulled off one of the most unlikely results in American soccer history if not in recent international soccer on Sunday night.

Needing two results to go a certain way to advance out of Group B, the U.S. recorded a 3-0 victory over Egypt. Coupled with Brazil's 3-0 victory over Italy, the Americans will get an opportunity to play European champion Spain in the semifinals in Blomenfontein on Wednesday.

The odds of that happening? 100-1? 1,000-1? 10,000-1?

“Big surprise, but we knew we were capable of this,” captain Landon Donovan said. “Now we have a difficult game ahead of us and a very big match.”

Former Westchester Flames Wing Charlie Davies, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey scored for the Americans, who were scoreboard watching all night at before a less than capacity crowd at Royal Bafokeng Stadium. The Egyptians (1-2) made the U.S. sweat as Wael Gomaa sent his six-yard header over the crossbar in the 90th minute.

The Americans' chances of surviving to play another day in the competition were slim and none. The U.S. (1-2) advanced on goals scored (four) over 1-2 Italy (three), the third tie-breaker.

“I wasn’t aware there was a possibility of getting through,” said Dempsey, who connected for the decisive goal in the 71st minute. “It was only after the coach mentioned it to us. We really just wanted to end on a good note.”

Donovan, a member of the 2002 World Cup team that advanced to the quarterfinals, said this result was bigger.

"I can't imagine many times that something like this has happened," he said. "To have advanced out of a group with Brazil, Italy and the African champions is phenomenal. And no one can take it away from us."

Even the players thought they were headed home. “But this morning we woke up and thought, you never know what can happen, so let’s go out and play a good game and try to score the first goal," Donovan said.

After the 3-0 loss to Brazil, fans filled message boards calling for the head of coach Bob Bradley and heavily criticizing the team.

"All the [expletive] experts in America, everybody who thinks they know everything about soccer, they they can all look at that score tonight," said the coaches son, midfielder Michael Bradley said. "Let's se what they say now, all right? Nobody has any respect for what we do, for what goes on in the inside. let them all talk now."

Bradley wasn't finished.

"You play Brazil and Italy," he said. "Breaks don't go your way. We play down a guy for 90 minutes out of 180 minutes against two of the best five teams in the world. It's not easy. We didn't for one second feel sorry for ourselves. We didn't give up. We kept running, We kept fighting. We did the same thing tonight. So what goes on in the team the last two or three days? Nothing different. Guys get ready for the game. Guys believe in one another. Guys are ready for 90 minutes to go out and run and fight and give everything they have for the next guy, put their heart and soul on the field."

The U.S. played an inspired game from virtually the opening kickoff.

"We had nothing to lose and everything to gain," Donovan said.

Through sheer will and determination, the Americans struck first during a scramble in the 22nd minute. Fullback Jonathan Bornstein started the scoring sequence with a throw-in to Jozy Altidore on the left side. The former Red Bulls striker sent a low cross to Charlie Davies at the near post. A scramble ensued and Egyptian defender Ahmed Fathi hit his goalkeeper, Essam El Hadary in the head while he was on the ground. Davies hustled to keep the ball in play and with Hani Said and Fathi surrounding him, he managed to knock the ball off Hadary's head into the net.

It was the U.S.'s first goal in the run of play in five matches, and Davies' second international goal.

Hadary was attended to by medical officials, forcing four minutes of first-half stoppage time. He wore a head bandage the rest of the match.

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who got the starting nod in goal over Tim Howard, made a key save in the 22nd minute, using both hands to knock away Mohamed Aboutrika's shot in the penalty area.

The U.S. probably kicked itself going into the locker room at halftime because the Americans had so many chances they could have put away.

Dempsey had a one-bounce free kick to Hadary in the sixth minute. Ricardo Clark fired wide right from 25 yards less than a minute later. Michael Bradley fired a long shot that Hadary knocked away with one hand in the 14th minute. Two minutes later, Donovan motored down the left side with the ball and appeared to try to cross it to Jozy Altidore, who stopped as the ball bounced harmlessly through the penalty area. There must have been a miscommunication between the two players.

The Americans thought they should have been awarded a penalty kick in the 52nd minute. Altidore blasted a 12-yard shot that Hadary saved. The ball ricocheted off to Said, who was guarding the right post. The ball went off Said's arm and chest. Altidore rasied his hands, signifying a hand ball, but referee Michael Hester thought otherwise. It could have been a red card and a penalty kick for the U.S.

The U.S. made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute on a nifty give-and-go between Bradley and Donovan in the penalty area. Bradley slid into Donovan's short pass from the left side.

As the play was developing, Egypt coach Hassan Shehata threw a plastic water bottle onto the field that right fullback Jonathan Spector threw off the pitch. No action was taken by Hester or the game officials.

The Americans reached 3-0 in the 71st minute. Right fullback Jonathan Spector sent a 40-yard right-wing cross into the area that Dempsey headed home from seven yards at the far post.

When Dempsey's goal went in, the usually stoic coach Bradley double-pumped his arms in celebration.

"We started the game with a lot of energy, which is something we didn't do against Brazil," he said. "We scored early and that helped settle us into the game. We talked at halftime about keeping up the pressure and trying to get as many goals as we could."

6/21/09