On Landon Donovan: An American Hero.

In the 90th minute yesterday, Tim Howard saved a scary looking header and proceeded to hurl the ball past the half-line. It looked as if the play had been rehearsed, as it was soon five Americans on just four Algerians. Jozy Altidore, who played his life out the whole game, put the ball over perfectly to Clint Dempsey, who got beat up the whole game, including an elbow in the box that wasn't called. Dempsey was only able to ricochet the ball off the keeper.

As America looked on, for that split second, it was over. We played over and over in our heads the Edu disallowed goal in the Slovenia game, the bullshit off-side call against Dempsey in this game in the 35th minute. America was going to go home early.

But then, in the right place at the right time, as he has been so many times for this country, Landon Donovan flew onto the screen and emphatically buried the ball in the back left corner.

What followed was one of the most passionate celebrations I've ever seen and the world record for increased internet traffic over the span of just an hour. The entire world now knows what the U.S.A. is capable of, and it's because an entire team of men who really care about this tournament and who are actually giving everything they have are delivering. It's also because Donovan has been the best leader you could possibly ask him to be. He also roofed the goal in the Slovenia game that would lead to the rally that led to the tie (should have been a win, but I'm over that now).

What did he have to say about it?: "The net looked like the ocean." Top that, William Butler Yeats.

This result couldn't be any better, the United States have won their group for the first time since 1930, they've recorded their first clean sheet in 12 games, and they have a great leader to rely on in Landon Donovan, an American hero.