An Emotional Ending

It's funny how human emotions work, and how quickly they can be turned upside down. The United States Men's Soccer Team was trailing, at home to Costa Rica heading into stoppage time. The Americans were creating boat loads of opportunities but lacked that last finishing touch. Meanwhile, Costa Rica was counting down to the nation's World Cup birth, as a win would put them threw. The loss would end the Americans home unbeaten run in World Cup
Qualifiers, dating back to their last loss in 2001 in RFK Stadium against Honduras. Also with the loss the Mexico would pull ahead of the US and be winners of the CONCACAF group.

Then the moment of decision, an astounding five minutes into stoppage time the US earned a corner kick. Robbie Rogers, who just came into the game, sent the corner into the box looking for somebody to put a head on the ball. Then Jonathan Bornstein put the ball in the back of the net, and RFK Stadium was rocking. The last minute equalizer came after both the head and assistant coach for Costa Rica were sent off, and had to watch the last minute unfold on the locker room television.

The Americans fell behind 2-0 after Bryan Ruiz put in goals in the 20th and 23rd minute to give Costa Rica a secure lead heading into the late stages of the match. The Ticos needed a win to guarantee themselves a spot in next year's World Cup, and heading into the last twenty minutes of the match it looked like that to be the case. Meanwhile elsewhere in the region, Trinidad and Tobago was holding on to a 2-2 scoreline against Mexico-thus only a tie would be necessary for the US to win CONCACAF. As for Costa Rica, Honduras was holding a 1-0 edge over El Salvador, meaning a win is necessary for the Ticos to qualify tonight.

Then the world began to fall on the Costa Ricans. Michael Bradley put in a goal in the 71st minute, finally the breakthrough the US needed after a night of creating opportunities and not finishing them. The goal sparked life into the American crowd, as the tension began to build. Costa Rica began to fall back more, and the sending off of two coaches did not help their cause. Still, Costa Rica looked good heading into the closing seconds of the match. Then the US earned a corner, and everybody got a suspicious feeling that the Americans might pull this one out of nowhere. -At the same time, the Mexican/Trinidad result is final 2-2, the US needs only to tie to win the group. Also Honduras looking for their second World Cup birth all-time won 1-0, meaning Costa Rica needs to hold on-. Bornstein's header just made it inside the right post, and made the scoreline 2-2. In one second the United States went from desperation to jubilation, while Costa Rica descended from hope to despair. The final whistle blew, and the Americans celebrated another first place in CONCACAF, and finishing off a successful bid to qualify for the nation's sixth straight World Cup. Also the American finished ahead of Mexico in the final table, always an accomplishment to finish ahead of your hated rivals.

In addition to the official qualifying celebration, the US were sending salutes to Charlie Davies, the star-forward who was involved in a car accident this Monday Night, and required 8 hours of surgery. The team held a banner of Charlie's number 9, as well as the initials AJR, in honor of Ashley J. Roberta, 22, who was killed in that accident. Sam's Army as well as DC's Barra Brava showed support for Davies in the 9th minute by holding up his number throughout the minute-in which Conor Casey had a golder opportunity to put a goal in the ninth to make the story pure Hollywood. Still, it was a dream match for the Americans. A 2-2 draw was enough to secure first in the region, and end an emotional roller-coaster that is World Cup Qualifying. On the other side of the pitch, Costa Rica's emotions took a back seat. In the course of 30 seconds the Ticos went from being in the World Cup, to having to play a 2-game playoff with South America's 5th place team Uruguay, not fun. But, it is the hour belongs to the Americans, who after winning the group, still have an outside shot of claiming a seed for the World Cup in June, if other qualifying playoff results go their way. For now that is not the focus, instead that is on the people and families involved in Monday's crash, and an American team that can take a much needed rest after the grueling 16 month qualifying campaign, that began so long ago, with an 8-0 thumping of Barbados.