PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Over and over, everything seemed
to go against them.

A referee took away a win last week, and a linesman disallowed
another goal Wednesday.

Now there was just 3½ minutes left in their World Cup, just that
much remaining until all the doubts about American soccer would
rise again.

But then, in one of the most stunning turnarounds in World Cup
history, Landon Donovan scored on a lightning fast counterattack 45
seconds into 4 minutes of injury time. With the most amazing
late-game moment in American soccer, the United States beat Algeria
1-0 Wednesday and reached the World Cup’s second round, winning a
group for the first time since 1930.

“This team embodies what the American spirit is about,” Donovan
said. “We had a goal disallowed the other night, We had another
good goal disallowed tonight. But we just keep going. And I think
that’s what people admire so much about Americans. And I’m damn
proud.”

Former President Bill Clinton lingered in the locker room for 45
minutes after the game to congratulate the players. When Donovan
scored, raucous cheers erupted on the floor of the New York Stock
Exchange and even in White House auditoriums in Washington, D.C.,
according to e-mails sent to U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil
Gulati.

The win, the first World Cup victory for the U.S. in eight
years, gave the Americans first place in Group C with just its
fifth shutout in World Cup play. The United States (1-0-2) will
face the runner-up in Group D on Saturday.

Donovan brought the ball upfield on a counterattack and Jozy
Altidore’s shot on the breakaway was tipped by Clint Dempsey into
goalkeeper Rais Bolihi. The rebound went to Donovan, who kicked it
in from about 8 yards for one of the biggest goals in U.S. soccer
history.

“I’ve been through a lot in the last four years,” Donovan said
half an hour after the end, crying and his voice cracked. “I’m so
glad it culminated this way. When you try to do things the right
way, it’s good to get rewarded.”

While he was speaking underneath the stands in the interview
room, American fans were still in the stadium, waving flags and
blowing vuvuzelas in celebration.

After his U.S. record 44th international goal, Donovan joyously
ran to the corner flag, sliding headfirst in a belly flop, and his
teammates ran down the touchline to mob him. Donovan was in tears
when the game ended and the United States had moved into the second
round.

“Clint made a good run in the middle, the ball fell to me …
time kind of stopped,” Donovan said. “You can’t miss from
there.”

As the final whistle sounded, the U.S. bench raced onto the
field and piled on top of the players on the far sideline. At
midfield, Steve Cherundolo and Jay DeMerit collapsed to the ground.
They all bearhugged Donovan, who with his fourth World Cup goal
tied Bert Patenaude (1930) as the American leader.

“That was a really special feeling,” U.S. coach Bob Bradley
said. “These guys put a lot into it, they never quit.

“We’re proud. We finished first in our group. Five points,
didn’t lose a match. So we’re ready.”

As the team returned to the sideline, goalkeeper Tim Howard
bounced up and down in elation. Benny Feilhaber took a water bottle
and sprayed his teammates, champagne-like.

“We’re not done yet,” Donovan said. “We believe, man. We’re
alive, baby.”

England (1-0-2), which beat Slovenia moments earlier, also had
five points but finished second because the U.S. scored four goals
to two for the English. Slovenia (1-1-1) was third with four
points, missing advancing because of Donovan’s heroics. Algeria
(0-2-1) was last with one point.

Until Donovan’s goal, it appeared the officiating would again be
the focus.

Dempsey put the ball in the net in the 21st minute off the
rebound of Herculez Gomez’s shot. But the goal was called offside,
just as Maurice Edu’s late goal was disallowed against Slovenia
last week, a score that would have given the Americans a victory.
Replays appeared to show Dempsey was onside.

Dempsey had another great chance in the 57th minute when Michael
Bradley stole the ball and sent Altidore streaking down the right
side. Altidore crossed, but Dempsey’s hit the goalpost. He shot
wide on the rebound.

Howard earned the first shutout in World Cup play for the U.S.
since the 2-0 victory over Mexico in the second round in 2002.

The U.S. kept up its pattern of good and bad World Cups. The
Americans were knocked out in the first round in 1990, 1998 and
2006, but went to the second round in 1994 and reached the
quarterfinals in 2002.

With Clinton watching from the stands at Loftus Versfeld, a
pro-American, vuvuzela-blowing crowd filled the old rugby stadium.
Donovan and Dempsey all had numerous chances in the first half but
either misfired or were stopped by Bolhi.

Bob Bradley revamped his lineup in an effort to add speed.
Jonathan Bornstein, the American player most maligned by fans,
started at left back. Captain Carlos Bocanegra shifted from the
left to the center, with the coach sitting center back Oguchi
Onyewu. Edu started in central midfield in place of Jose Torres and
Gomez, who made the World Cup roster in a surprise, started at
forward for Robbie Findley, suspended for yellow card
accumulation.

Algeria was making its third World Cup appearance following
first-round elimination in 1982 and 1986. Algeria was the fourth
African team to exit the first World Cup on African soil, with
Cameroon, Nigeria and host South Africa already eliminated.

“I think that Africa is on the right road,” coach Rabah Saadane
said. “What we need in our national teams and squads is stability
and a lot of discipline, and I think in a few years time, Africa
will have among the best teams in the world.”

The U.S. had eight shots on goal to three for Algeria, and the
Americans were on the edge until the very end.

Finally, though, Donovan connected.