Italy scored all the games' goals, but had to settle for a draw in this bizarre and drama filled match that produced three red cards, an own goal, and nearly a second own goal.
United States gave an absolutely brave performance, being a man down for essentially the entire second half while fighting off a superior Italian squad and holding them scoreless during that time, thanks mainly to numerous great saves by keeper Kasey Keller.
Impressively, the US also found time to make good opportunities to score while shorthanded. They could have won this cracker and may have deserved it.
USA looked much better than against the Czechs and kept their hopes alive in this tournament with the draw.
Italy got on the scoreboard first in the 22nd minute.
With USA doing most of the attacking to date, Alberto Gilardino of Italy wonderfully headed a goal from an Andrea Pirlo free kick taken outside the area.
The lead didn't last long as five minutes later United States also got a goal from a free kick.
It was taken close to the corner flag and latched on by Italian Cristian Zaccardo, whose clearance attempt with his left foot near the goal line ended up with the ball inside his own goal.
A minute later, the Italians were down to 10 men.
Daniele De Rossi of Italy threw an ugly, intentional and brutal elbow at the head of American Brian McBride, whose face was covered in blood.
De Rossi's dirty play was akin to the work of a punk or a thug, not a professional footballer.
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Thankfully, De Rossi was given his marching orders.
With a man down, Italy put the ball in the back of the US net at the 36 minute mark, but it was no goal as an inaccurate offsides call was made early on.
Just before the halftime whistle, United States also went down to 10 men.
In an obvious attempt by referee Jorge Larrionda to even things out, American Pablo Mastroeni was undeservingly shown a straight red for a sliding tackle.
It was a bad call and referee Larrionda was setting a sour tone for the match.
Just after the start of the second half, United States went down to nine men.
Eddie Pope got a second yellow card on a questionable call.
Almost a second own goal in the 52nd minute, this time by United States when US' Carlos Bocanegra hit his own crossbar trying to clear an Andrea Pirlo free kick.
A missed penalty call by referee Larrionda occurred in the 60th minute.
Alessandro Nesta used his arm on the ball inside the Italian penalty area.
In the 65th minute, Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon could not handle a US shot and it went into the goal. But an offsides call cut short American celebrations.
Italy should have been awarded a penalty in the 88th minute, as an American was clearly holding an Italian shirt in the area.
The draw in this thriller and the Ghana win earlier in the day leave this group wide open.
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