US Survives Wild Night in Salt Lake

The U.S. national team overcame a stunning early deficit and typically bizarre CONCACAF refereeing Saturday night outside Salt Lake City, defeating El Salvador, 2-1, in a wide-open World Cup qualifier that was surprisingly close and intense.

Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore scored near the end of the first half for the Americans, who had fallen behind thanks to the sort of early defensive lapse that has been uncomfortably common this summer. A second-half strike from Altidore was ruled out controversially by the Honduran referee, but the U.S. had done enough to secure a valuable three points on its road to South Africa.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley opted to go on the attack against the Salvadorans, who had never won a game on American soil. He paired Altidore and Charlie Davies up top, and had the skillful Benny Feilhaber partner with Michael Bradley in central midfield. The U.S. created little early but had the better of the play, and Landon Donovan was active from the start attacking from a deep position.

Davies had a near post shot parried aside by Salvadoran goalkeeper Miguel Montes in the 9th minute, and he found Dempsey near the penalty spot 20 minutes later but the Fulham midfielder steered his shot wide. The game was opening up and the Americans were starting to look more dangerous. Then disaster struck.

In the 31st minute, left back Jonathan Bornstein kicked the ball blindly back over his head from the corner and sliced it directly to Salvadoran midfielder Rodolfo Zelaya. He settled near the edge of the penalty area, froze three American defenders and chipped the ball toward Cristian Castillo, his teammate with Mexican second-division outfit Leon. Castillo outjumped Jonathan Spector and hit a perfect looping header that fooled U.S. goalie Tim Howard and gave El Salvador a shocking lead. Howard was cheating to his right to follow an overlapping run in that direction and was ill-prepared for the shot. It was the last in a series of American errors.

Three minutes later, former D.C. United midfielder Eliseo Quintanilla nearly doubled the lead, beating a struggling Spector and launching a high shot that Howard did well to block.

The match now was free flowing. Each team's midfield dissolved and the chances were coming from both sides. El Salvador effectively found seams in the American defense on the counterattack. Davies and Dempsey came close, the latter on a wide open header, before Davies had a shot cleared off the line in the 40th minute.

Just when it seemed the game was unfolding as one of those matches where the dominating team would do everything but score, Dempsey tied it up. In the 41st, El Salvador pulled an offside trap on a Donovan free kick to the right, but mistimed it. Dempsey was standing at the six and lunged toward the ball, heading it inside the left post.

In stoppage time, the Americans took the lead through Altidore. The burly Hull City forward finished a brilliant play that started with Michael Bradley's industrious work in the corner. He held the ball from two Salvadoran defenders, found space and passed back to Donovan near the left touchline. The Galaxy man, who set the all-time record for US qualifying appearances at kickoff, curled a pass toward an unmarked Altidore at the penalty spot. Montes had no chance, Altidore had his sixth goal of qualifying, and the U.S. was in front.

"I think it was a big goal for us. It was well earned as well. Most importantly, we had some type of momentum going into the second half," Altidore told ESPN.

Zelaya had a penalty appeal turned down early in the second, but the U.S. had a much bigger gripe with the officials in the 57th. Dempsey sent a perfectly-weighted pass through to Altidore, who held off Jose Henriquez, barreled in on Montes and slotted his shot home. Inexplicably, referee Jose Pineda called the goal back. The linesman had not raised his flag, and there was no indication on replay that any infraction was committed -- Altidore was a good two yards onside when Dempsey played the ball. It was typical CONCACAF shenanigans, but the U.S. still had the lead.

Each team continued to have acres of space on the ball, and each could have added to their total. Dempsey shot straight into the goalie's chest on a 65th-minute breakaway, two minutes after Castillo passed up an open shot and passed into goalmouth traffic. Davies limped off with a calf injury suffered in the 71st, and the game slowed until El Salvador's Williams Reyes saw his close-range bid snuffed by Howard in the 87th. A piledriver header from U.S. sub Jose Francisco Torres produced an even more impressive save from Montes.

The score was a fair result, but the game certainly was more problematic than the U.S. likely had envisioned. Their possession did not translate to control, and El Salvador was sufficiently dangerous to raise a few questions. However, Bradley will have the suspended Oguchi Onyewu back on the field next Wednesday in Trinidad, which should help shore up the back somewhat.

Still, a win is a win, and the U.S. is in good position at 4-2-1.

"This is what qualifying is all about. It's never easy," Altidore said. "There's always an extra bit of energy from [CONCACAF opponents playing the U.S.]. We have to deal with it, but I think we dealt with it well tonight. It was tough playing at altitude as well, but I think the guys hung in there."