There are only 99 inhabitants per square kilometer in Slovenia, but that’s a lot to be packed in around a goal today in Johannesburg. The United States’ opponent is a country that has made a wonderful adaptation to democracy since the fall of the Iron Curtain, yet plays soccer like hard-line collectivists.
“We’re not here to be tourists,” warns coach Matjaz Kek. If they were, the Slovenes wouldn’t wander far from the bus. They are a hoard-your-canned-goods-and-take-shelter kind of team, totally understandable after 2,000 years of being invaded.
The Slovenes, conquerors of Russia in World Cup qualifiers, can be rest assured today that any soccer team coached by Bob Bradley comes in peace. True to U.S. foreign policy since 1776, our World Cup soccer team generally only attacks when attacked. And there is no counter to the essential truth that while we have a huge vision for what soccer can be in this country, when we look in the mirror, we are Slovenia.
“Chess match,” predicts Bradley, who loves them, and, in his defense, probably has to coach them. Never mind the fact that we have 309 million persons to Slovenia’s 2.1 million, right now we’re short even one guy we know can put the ball into a soccer net when we need it, like today. Unless Slovenia goalie Samir Handanovic goes conveniently Robert Green on us, this will be as tight as Bradley with information.
Unfortunately, since the October automobile accident that fractured Charlie Davies leg in two places, the U.S. lacks a player who can both break things down and finish. Late in the first half against England, big Jozy Altidore bid to become that guy, busting wide and aiming for Green’s short side, but the keeper batted the ball into the goal post, leaving Clint Dempsey’s gift by England’s goalie the only U.S. score.
Against England, 1-1 was the best thing to happen since Yorktown. Against Slovenia, 1-1 or 0-0 will become problematical toward getting out of Group C, even with the weakest team in the group, Algeria, still left on the U.S. schedule.
Heaven-sent was Dempsey’s goal. Heaven forbid the Americans go into that Algeria game needing to make the round of 16 on goal differential. Somebody has to add one more goal today than can Slovenia.
It might be Dempsey, who led a middle-of-the pack Fulham team in the English Premier League in goals. It could be Landon Donovan, the team’s best player and chief creator. It could be young Edson Buddle, who scored twice in the final tune-up versus Australia and didn’t get the start against England in favor of Robbie Findley, whose play didn’t justify Bradley’s confidence.
Most likely, it has to be Altidore, the proclaimed Pele-to-be who broke into MLS with the then-Metro Stars at age 16, who commanded a U.S. record $10 million transfer fee from Villarreal in Spain, who scored the goal for the U.S. in its monumental upset of Spain in last summer’s Confederation Cup, and who struggled on loan for English bottom feeder Hull City this season.
Altidore forgets to practice hard, and sometimes we have to be reminded he still is only 21. He has the body to fight though half of Slovenia today to get the precious goal that may be the bottom line on U.S. success and failure in this World Cup. We’ll see whether he has the will.