Americans bemoan ref justice after stirring revival

UNITED STATES midfielder Landon Donovan and coach Bob Bradley were both left without an answer as to why what would have been a winning goal in their dramatic World Cup Group C match against Slovenia yesterday was disallowed.

The Americans had fought back from 2-0 down at half-time to 2-2 when Donovan put a free-kick into the box, and amid a tangle of bodies Maurice Edu applied the finish which looked to have completed an incredible turnaround.

But Malian referee Koman Coulibaly ruled it out, and did not give any reason to the mystified Americans as they surrounded him at the time and again at the final whistle, with the match ending 2-2 to leave the group wide open.