I saw and read later written up neatly by Steven Goff of the Washington Post -  “Stephen Gerrard providing England the lead after just four minutes, rekindling memories of the Americans’ dreary start to the 2006 tournament. But with time fading in the first half, Clint Dempsey launched a shot from distance that Green failed to handle properly. The ball struck Green’s gloves and trickled across the goal line before the crestfallen goalie could recover.”

“Although they weren’t able to replicate their historic upset of England in the 1950 World Cup, the Americans exhibited courage and fortitude under immense pressure in the late stages.”

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The Steven Goff piece goes on and tells more to those really interested in soccer. I for one had other things on my mind, but first words to the fans:

Bradley turned to Oguchi Onyewu in central defense, despite the fact that Onyewu hadn’t played a full match since recovering from a long-term knee injury. The other slots were predictable: Steve Cherundolo at right back, captain Carlos Bocanegra on the left and Jay DeMerit alongside Onyewu.

Tim Howard, the clear No. 1 choice in goal, made his World Cup debut — one of seven U.S. starters with English Premier League experience. Many of the opposing players know each other well, and when the teams headed back to the locker room after warmups, several hugs and handshakes were exchanged.

There was another familiar face, though not in uniform: English superstar David Beckham, who is sidelined with an Achilles’ tendon and serving as an assistant coach. He is a Los Angeles Galaxy teammate of both Donovan and reserve forward Edson Buddle.

The start couldn’t have unfolded any worse for the Americans, who drifted into a slumber in the fourth minute on an innocuous throw-in by Glen Johnson. Frank Lampard touched the ball toward Wayne Rooney, who pushed it along to Emile Heskey. Before DeMerit could close him down, Heskey one-timed the ball into space for the hard-charging Gerrard, who had slipped behind Clark.

Howard came off his line but to no avail. The Liverpool star coolly used his inside foot to direct a 14-yard shot into the lower right corner.

Cherundolo waved his arms in disgust and Howard erupted in anger at the early lapse.

The Americans lacked the imagination and creativity to maintain possession, turning to counterattacks and set pieces. Their first threat came in the 19th minute, when Altidore made only passing contact with Donovan’s delightful service and a sliding Dempsey almost connected on the back side.

While Cherundolo was winning the right flank battle with James Milner, England looked to exploit the other wing with Aaron Lennon. In the 20th, he charged into the box and drove a low cross that Cherundolo cleared from danger with an English player lurking at the back post.

Lennon got loose again in the 29th, sending a low ball for Heskey that Howard disrupted. Heskey’s momentum sent him crashing into the keeper’s chest, delaying the match for several minutes.

England Manager Fabio Capello had seen enough of Milner, who had received a yellow card for cutting down Cherundolo a second time.

England seemed headed to the half with the one-goal lead when disaster struck. Dempsey turned Gerrard not once but twice before firing from 25 yards.

The shot had some pace but headed almost directly at Green, who dropped down to make a routine save. He didn’t have his body completely behind the ball, and when it caromed off his gloves, nothing stood in the way of the equalizer. Green desperately reached back but the ball was gone — and so was England’s lead.

Johnson nearly restored England’s advantage a minute later, but Howard dived to his left for the save.

After the break, England mounted a ferocious attack, finding acres of space between the U.S. defense and midfield. Rooney was a menacing figure. In the 52nd minute, Lennon’s through ball liberated Heskey for a clean run at Howard, but the finishing touch was poor and Howard smothered it.

The Americans began to find traction, and in the 65th, Altidore stormed the left side before firing an angled shot that Green touched off the near post.

England regained its stride: Rooney whistled a 28-yarder wide of the far post and set up Shaun Wright-Phillips for a rising shot that the well-positioned Howard blocked.

Bradley made his first substitution in the 77th minute, replacing Findley with Edson Buddle. Capello countered with Peter Crouch, a 6-foot-7 stick figure, for Heskey.

The Americans were fading fast, reaching and grabbing to contain the English. Stuart Holden spelled Altidore in the 86th, and when the final whistle blew, the Americans rejoiced. It wasn’t a victory, but in many ways, it felt like one.

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See in 1950, when the US was not yet in hock to China, it was able to beat the British 3:0 even in soccer, but then in 2006 was not able to face the Check Republic. Now, in 2010, both – the US and the English are in trouble – so a 1:1 is a fair result, and my analogy is the BP oil-spill, and not even US soccer Captain Carlos Bocanegra who usually plays in France, could pull out a goal for the US.

Today’s papers report on the game – “Hop, Skip and a Tie.” Robert Green did not blame the much-criticized World Cup ball or the wet grass at night or the short hop that bounced dreadfully off his gloves. he could blame only himself. This was better then the US President is doing on BP. “Green secured a place in soccer infamy when he fumbled a skipping shot.” In the BP case – the Brits, playing for the US in order to supply the US with the oil-they-want, fumbled because of the Washington coach that did not provide them with instructions on – don’t-drill if you cannot catch it when you fumble. A true tie it is.

But the American people are demanding to see the President’s emotions and want to see him draw British blood – this rather then asking him to deliver true results on the dependence on oil question. Fareed Zakaria on CNN/GPS puts it neatly:

There is very little the President can do in the short range – the people want to see the “image of action” and the public caused the thrashing of the situation. Meanwhile – the economy, the alliances, the security, all are nose diving. The media by highlighting the emotions bit – leads this self destruction desire.

Sure, the President did not cause the spill, but it happened one and a half years into his Administration and he did not clean up the mess that was left to him by the Bush people. This like in the other crises – and this does not call for an explosion of emotions but it calls for real leadership facing the miserable deck of cards that was handed down to him with policies that might actually be unpopular with that low level of understanding that put in place the people, that set up the wrong statutes, that allowed for this nose-diving of the US Superpower.

The Financial Times of London, Frontpage, is full with worrisome articles for that historic US-UK alliance.

“Attacks on BP cause concern in Britain” – Thursday, June 10th, 2010.

“Backlash grows to ‘anti-British rhetoric” in US.” – Friday June 11, 2010.

The Forguson cartoon showing BP as the ball in the “Political Football” game – Saturday, June 11, 2010.

So – PLEASE NOTE – I am not out of my mind writing this article!

And, also please note, on the McLaughlin Program, Sunday, June 12th, 2010, with the attention of all those Republican politicians beating on President Obama even McLauglin himself stated:

- The truth is that BP had an accident that could have been avoidable had the MMS prevented it with better regulation.

- The truth is that we know more about the face of the moon then about the bottom of oceans.

- The truth is that 35% of the BP stock is owned by US shareholders, the company provides oil to the US, and is a major part of US infrastructure because the US voters wanted it so.

- The truth maybe that the oil-spill is “permanently unstoppable.”

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At the games end, I went down to the Manchester Bar in the UN neighborhood where many English people came to watch the game. I spoke to two friends – one dressed in the US jersey, the other in the three lioned English jersey. They are real friends in private life differing only on this soccer game, but in full agreement that on BP there is shared responsibility – this was a BP accident set up by the US lack of regulation. They hate to see what is being made up of this in the press.