What’s up everybody? Good morning and welcome to LIVE coverage of the the US Men’s final group match against Nigeria. I’m Graig and I am up early again on the east coast to watch and comment on the encounter. If you are watching the game with me please feel free to comment and react in the comments section below.

If you haven’t seen the match yet you may want to watch it first and then come on back to The Original Winger and tell us what you thought of the game. Enjoy.

*Match results and commentary below*

Pre-game: US Lineup is in:

Guzan

Wynne – Edu – Parkhurst – Orozco

Rogers – Holden – Kljestan – Szetela

McBride - Altidore

 3rd min: My apologies for being a bit sluggish on the commentary to start. Still waking up.

4th min: WOW. Michael Orozco was just RED Carded! It looked like he threw an elbow into the stomach of a Nigerian player. Not how the US wanted to start this thing off.

6th min: It will be interesting to see if Nowak makes any changes after that card. I was surprised to see that Feilhaber was on the bench again to start the match. Do you bring on another defender right now and take off an attacker or let things play out for a little while?

9th min: The US is absorbing some serious pressure down the left side right now. It looks like Robbie Rodgers has slid back into the left back spot and Jozy Altidore is now the outside midfielder out on the left.

12th min: No real opportunities one way or the other as far as scoring goes. Rodgers made a nice run down the left wing a few minutes ago but it resulted in nothing for the US in the end.

14th min: Nigeria’s aggressiveness almost cost them against Japan as they were up 2-0 and still continued to press for more. I wonder if they get frustrated and start to press forward and leave openings at the back. Cross from the right hand side easy pickings for Guzan.

17th min: More pressure from Nigeria as Wynne and then Parkhurst are both forced to clear under duress. Maurice Edu gives up a cheap corner.

18th min: That corner almost cost them but a nice save by Guzan to deny Nigeria.

20th min: Good attack from the US as Altidore crosses from the left. Too high for McBride but Szetela follows up. He elects to drop the ball off to Holden but the two do not connect. The US has to be careful about sending too many bodies forward and getting caught out at the back.

23rd min: Nice tackle by Parkhurst to snuff out a Nigerian attack in the box.

26th min: More pressure from Nigeria finally cleared by Wynne. The dangerous thing about the current scenario is that attacking players (Rodgers, Altidore, etc.) are going to be forced to tackle and defend in dangerous spots on the field.

29th min: The US must do a better job of holding the ball when they win it. 10 men or not they are making bad decisions when they do finally get the ball. Too many times they are easily giving the ball right back to Nigeria with sloppy, rushed passes.

32nd min: Wynne loses the ball on the right wing and Guzan is forced into a diving save to keep things level. Best save of the match so far for Guzan.

33rd min: Two things: Robbie Rodgers is not a defender and the US is STRUGGLING to keep the ball.

35th min: Awesome run by Marvell Wynne down the right side. He is probably one of the fastest players that I have ever seen. Unfortunately his technical ability lets him down as he pushes the ball out a little too far wide and cant get off a great cross. Great run none the less.

38th min: A little time wasting by Guzan to give the US a breather. I really like what I have seen from Wynne in this tournament. He needs to really work on the technical side of his game but you cant teach speed.

40th min: Goal. Nigeria 1-0. Parkhurst is beaten down the left side and the ball is crossed past Guzan for an easy tap in by Nigeria. The US now needs to escape this half without giving up any more.

43rd min: Rodgers was the man ultimately beaten on the goal. Again, not really his fault. He is not a defender. Orozco was super naive to be red carded 4 minutes into the game.

45th min: The US was lucky there. Edu was too casual in trying to shield a ball down near the end line. He turned it over and almost gave Nigeria another chance to make it 2-0. Nice tackle by Szetela to clear the danger.

Stoppage Time: Corner eventually swung in and saved off the line by Szetela. The US is barely hanging on here and there is the half time whistle.

Half time: Wow. Orozco’s silly red card has really hurt the US. Rodgers has been forced to defend the left side and he is struggling. You would have to expect that Nowak will make a change at the half to bring in Ianni for Rodgers and sure up that left side.

Half time: Other results are going the US way as the Netherlands are tied right now with Japan at 0-0. If the results hold the US and Nigeria would both move on. Quick shower for me, be back for the second half.

46th min: Back for the second half and it’s Jozy Altidore that is removed for Benny Feilhaber. Not sure about that one. I have not been impressed with Nowak’s utilization of Altidore for this entire tournament. If he is carrying an injury that’s one thing. If he is healthy I just don’t get it.

48th min: Free kick from Holden into McBride. Header on frame but not hard enough to trouble the Nigerian goalkeeper.

50th min: I hate it when Ref’s make the game about them. Not saying that the Orozco red was unwarranted, he deserved it. That said, this dude from Russia has an attitude that I don’t like in officials. Stay out of the way and make the calls. That’s it.

52nd min: Ouch. Holden with a chance from six yards out and he scuffs it way wide. He was thrown off by McBride who jumped for a header right in front of him. Best chance for the US.

55th min: Another free kick that is headed over by Kljestan. You get the sense that a free kick is going to be the way in for the US.

58th min: I am going to say it. Brian McBride is rusty and looks tired. There.

59th min: Szetela with a chance. He actually rounds the goalie high in the box but cant get enough on his shot. It is stopped short of the goal line by a Nigerian defender.

65th min: Feilhaber showing a little bit of his Derby form by getting caught on the ball in the center of the field. Needs to move the ball quicker. Rodgers is able to run the ball clear but plays it out too far in front of Kljestan.

66th min: Great reaction save from Guzan. The ball was crossed in and deflected off of Feilhaber right at goal. Great save.

68th min: Dax McCarty has come in to replace Danny Szetela. Szetela ran his legs off today and made some really nice tackles.

70th min: 20 minutes to go and the US looks like they are running out of both gas and ideas.

73rd min: The Netherlands have scored and the US now needs to push and get a goal. They need a draw in this game to advance.

74th min: Marvell Wynne has been the most dangerous player for the US. Nice run and cross down the right side has Nigeria scrambling. Out for a corner.

77th min: Davies in for Holden. A forward for an attacking midfielder in a game where you need a goal? Holden might be limping there, but if he isn’t hurt he needs to stay on in this spot.

79th min: The US is winded right now and cant get the ball back. When they do get it they are struggling to get numbers forward.

80th min: Goal. Nigeria 2-0. Nail in the coffin? Parkhurst is cut to the ground and Wynne cant recover in time to block the shot.

81st min: The US needs to hope for a Japanese goal in the worst way.

84th min: This one looks all but over as the US cannot get the ball. They are so gassed right now.

86th min: Charlie Davies has provided a real spark for the US. Should have been in earlier in my opinion.

87th min: Penalty. Nigerian goalie comes flying out and takes out Edu. Yellow card.

88th min: Goal 2-1. Kljestan converts and the US has a slim life line.

89th min: Feilhaber is fouled and a dangerous free kick for the US deep in Nigerian territory. This game is getting crazy for the last few minutes.

90th min: DAVIES…off the crossbar. WOW.

91st min: Davies again with a nice move and shot. Again, should have been in earlier. Just saying….

93rd min: Amazing finish to this thing. I cant even keep up with the commentary. Back and forth up the field. Guzan got caught out but recovered and clears.

94th min: There is the final whistle and the US is out.

Final Thoughts: The red card from Orozco obviously killed this game for the US. They could never recover from that and were always fighting to get the ball back with one less man. I was not impressed with Nowak’s coaching this tournament, especially this last game. In the 70th minute the US were going nowhere and needed a goal. He waited almost until the 80th minute to introduce Davies.

In the end Nigeria wins the group and the Netherlands take second while the US finish third and will head home from China without an opportuity for a medal. How bad does that last minute goal from Sibon on Sunday hurt now?