U.S. soccer team keeps focus on advancing

IRENE, South Africa - After Clint Dempsey held forth on the physical adventure that occurs "inside the box" on set pieces such as the one leading to Friday afternoon's now-infamous nullified goal, forward Jozy Altidore was asked if he had anything to add.

Dempsey had spoken of the difference in physicality between club and international play, the supposed pretournament focus on eliminating in-box grappling during the World Cup, and the mentality necessary when confronted with a defender engaging in a wrestling match.

So, what did Altidore think about such topics?

He leaned slowly forward, glancing sideways at Dempsey, and said into the microphone: "Ditto."

On Friday, the United States kept its World Cup hopes alive by scoring two second-half goals and earning a 2-2 tie with Slovenia. In the 86th minute, the U.S. team appeared to score the go-ahead goal on a set piece struck by Landon Donovan and finished by Maurice Edu.

The goal was waved off.

Referee Koman Coulibaly called a foul, apparently on someone in the box, a player whose name and offense remain undetermined. On Monday, FIFA is expected to issue a statement on the decision after meeting with Coulibaly.

But for now, a few days ahead of the United States' do-or-die match against Algeria, the questions still centered on Friday's 86th minute.

"The ref in this game was letting things go in the box, so you have to be physical," Dempsey explained. "If someone has his arms around you, you're not going to sit there and be like, 'OK, this is fun.' You're going to try to bust out."

Goalie Tim Howard said bits and pieces of the frustration displayed back home have been relayed into the team's camp.

"For people, particularly our American fans back home, to be so up in arms about it, it shows they're hip to the game and starting to understand how it all works," Howard said.

The U.S. team will have at least one more chance for victory.

The team practiced Sunday afternoon; Wednesday's match will be played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, not far from the team's base camp in Irene. To ensure that it advances out of group play, the U.S. team will need a victory. A tie will leave the team dependent on England's result against Slovenia.

"We kind of always felt it was going to take three games to get through," Howard said. "It's not like we're disappointed, because we knew if we played well in all three games, we would get through the group. And that's still on our minds."

The United States fell behind in both World Cup games. Neither Dempsey nor Howard - and probably not even Altidore, if he were to venture a guess - believed the U.S. team would alter its approach.

"It's something that's been with this team for a number of years now," said Howard, speaking of the team's propensity for allowing early goals. "It's not something we enjoy, don't get me wrong, but for whatever reason we seem to be very resilient and we play more to our strengths when we get desperate."