A crowd of 36,265 attended Galaxy F Landon Donovan's final game for the U.S. men's national team on Friday at Rentschler Field, in what was an "emotional evening choreographed by U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati," according to Filip Bondy of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. The "feel-good festivities had been threatened until the 11th hour by raw feelings poisoning the relationship" between Donovan and U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who left him off the roster for this summer's World Cup. But the two "negotiated a detente in the late afternoon before this event." When Klinsmann pulled Donovan from the match toward the end of the first half, the two "half-embraced [and] spoke briefly along the sideline." This was Donovan's "Jeter Moment, minus the moral support from his manager" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/11). ESPN FC's Graham Parker wrote Donovan's moment with Klinsmann "was suitably awkward." While both men "were polite after the game, some of Donovan's statements at halftime and after the game were less-than-subtle reminders that he'd been helping build U.S. soccer long before Klinsmann." Parker: "You may have been able to fit the nation of Brazil between Klinsmann and Donovan's attempt at an embrace midgame" (ESPNFC.com, 10/11). Gulati said, "It’s very few times you get to say goodbye in the right way, and this isn’t the perfect way, given the last 12 months. I get that. But it’s a pretty good way." In N.Y., Andrew Keh noted the "close friendship of Donovan and Gulati was obvious and essential to making the event happen." Donovan "thanked Gulati for orchestrating the night" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/11). SI.com's Grant Wahl wrote the game "was closure" for Donovan, and Friday’s festivities "were the best thing that could have happened for Donovan and for U.S. Soccer." Wahl: "Donovan needed this night. U.S. Soccer needed this night. U.S. fans needed this night. Closure finally came" (SI.com, 10/11).
WELL-DESERVED PRAISE: YAHOO SPORTS' Max Thompson wrote Donovan was "the face of U.S. Soccer during its most successful run ever." Even on this "celebratory night, the very fans here to say goodbye couldn't help but also feel like the children sitting down to graduation dinner with their divorced parents." Donovan got "a week of TV appearances, an endless branding campaign and a cold night in Connecticut in front of a nice enough crowd." Thompson: "It felt weird. It felt forced. It wasn't enough" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/11). In Portland, Jamie Goldberg wrote not only has Donovan "been the most decorated player in U.S. Soccer history," he "has also been arguably the most important player in MLS history" (OREGONLIVE.com, 10/11).
