No room for mistakes when USA plays Slovenia

Now that each team has played in the 2010 World Cup, here are a few of the things we've learned:

The United States can't lose: No, really, the United States can't afford to lose Friday (9 a.m., ESPN) when it meets Slovenia. Tying England left the Americans in good but not great shape. They would have been even better off if Algerian goalkeeper Fawzi Chaouchi hadn't caught the Group C goalkeeper jinx from Robert Green. The Slovenians' soft goal put them atop the group and left the Americans with less room to manuever.

A tie and the Americans remain on track to advance. A win and they're all but through to the next round. A loss and they're just plain through.

The good news is the United States should defeat both Slovenia and Algeria and cruise into the Round of 16.

This is the time for Landon Donovan to step up and lead by example. He needs to be more a presence than he was against England.

And the United States needs to score the first goal.

Caution rules the day: At least for now, teams have been afraid to lose, and thus afraid to take chances.

Defenses have been stubborn and strong.

That should change the second time through. Now more teams know they need more than just the 1 point a tie brings. More teams will be aiming for 3. It should make for more wide-open, attacking soccer.

For the United States it means Jose Torres or Benny Feilhaber could replace Ricardo Clark in central midfield.

If Slovenia bunkers in, hoping to stay in the game and get a goal off a counterattack, then Robbie Findley's speed won't be as much of a factor up front. Maybe Edson Buddle partners with Jozy Altidore. Maybe Clint Dempsey moves up top and Stuart Holden plays on the wing.

Among the teams needing a win is Brazil: The Brazilians began Group of Death play with the Team of Life, North Korea. They might have squandered that life in the waning moments when North Korea scored and lost only 2-1.

Conventional Wisdom says the mighty Brazilians defeat both Ivory Coast and Portugal, which played to a scoreless draw. But if Brazil can only beat North Korea by 1 goal, then maybe Conventional Wisdom isn't so smart.

Say Brazil ties Ivory Coast and Portugal. Ivory Coast and Portugal both defeat North Korea as expected. All three of those teams finish with 5 points. The group is determined by goal differential. Beating North Korea by 2 or more goals sends Ivory Coast and Portugal into the Round of 16 and Brazil home.

One question: Who is Efan Ekoku, and why did ESPN put him in its broadcast booth?

Among a group of broadcasters that make your college philosophy professor sound exciting, Ekoku stands out for all the wrong reasons.

oschwarz@dailyherald.com