Read a full match report of the World Cup 2010 Group C game between Slovenia and USA at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg on Friday June 18 2010.

Friday, June 18 15:00
Group C Match 22
Ellis Park

SLOVENIA 2 - 2 USA
Birsa (13)Ljubijankic (42) (HT 2-0) Donovan (48)Bradley (82)

There is mutiny in the air in Group C. USA and Slovenia may have been cast as England’s supporting acts, dismissed as the sides who must scrap it out for second place, but both have clearly developed a taste for the limelight.

USA have already thumbed their nose at Fabio Capello’s side’s reputation. On this evidence, Slovenia are just as disrespectful.

These two teams fought each other to a standstill in a bid to gain a precious advantage in this finely-poised group, each enjoying a 45 minute spell to showcase their right to reach the last 16. USA, coming from two goals down, will feel the moral victors, but England beware: Slovenia are not finished yet.

Two goals to the good at half-time, Slovenia should have sealed their first ever place in the knock-out rounds of a major tournament. For a nation of just two million, it would have been a tremendous achievement.

Based on their first half display, it would also have been a deserved one.

Matjaz Kek’s side outclassed their much-vaunted opponents, Valter Birsa’s searing long-range shot handing the Eastern European team a thoroughly warranted lead.

When Zlatan Ljubijanklic, drafted in for Zlatko Dedic, calmly slotted Milivoje Novakovic’s through ball past Tim Howard just before the break, USA seemed beaten. They had offered little attacking threat, one Francisco Torres free kick aside, while Birsa and Robert Koren were cutting through their disjointed defence at will.

Within a minute of the restart, though, Landon Donovan had latched on to Bostjan Cesar’s slip, driven inside the box and unleashed a ferocious drive past - or possibly through - Samir Handanovic. Arms pumping, the former Everton midfielder urged his team forward. Do or die. Now or never.

Jozy Altidore twice went close, so too Oguchi Onyewu, as the Americans pressed for an equaliser. Slovenia rocked and listed under the persistent onslaught, their attempts to break free, to kill the game off coming to nothing.

It was left to Bradley, the coach’s son, to punish them for their profligacy, appearing unmarked in the box to turn Altidore’s knockdown past Handanovic in the most emphatic fashion imaginable. USA bench poured out en masse, their World Cup hopes saved by the skin of their teeth. They might even have stolen a victory, but Maurice Edu found his goal ruled out, controversially, by referee Koman Coulibaly, the Malian spotting a push few Americans saw.

Regardless, they will face Algeria next in inspired mood, knowing a win will see them through.

Wounded, and far more dangerous than they had been thought, Slovenia find England in their path. They are not to be taken lightly.