Grades: 1-10 (1 is lowest; 10 highest)GK Tim Howard, 6.5: A solid game for the Timbot, who wasn't to blame on either goal.D Steve Cherundolo, 6: Made some good runs forward, but he was sometimes sloppy in the back.D Clarence Goodson, 5.5: Goodson didn't get off entirely scot-free on Matavz' first-half equalizer, but he had a strong performance in the air and was collected under pressure.D Carlos Bocanegra, 6.5: Earning his 100th cap, Bocanegra was sturdy for much of the game, putting a crucial stop to a long Matavz dribble through the box. But even he was prone to the odd wobbly moment.D Timmy Chandler, 4.5: Kept Ljubijankic onside early and frequently let down his team when called upon on defense, as he was accountable for the first Slovenian goal. His attacking play was strong yet again, but it didn't compensate for the failure in his primary task.M Fabian Johnson, 8.5: In his first start for the U.S., the German recruit was a sensation. Between a surprise shot in the first minute, an 11th-minute run that set up what could have been a 2-0 lead, an earned penalty and dangerous runs into the opposing box, Johnson's 60 minutes of work were among the best on the U.S. side.M Kyle Beckerman, 5: Covered a lot of ground, but his distribution was shaky and he came up short in the second half.M Michael Bradley, 8: Back into the lineup at last, Bradley distributed well, was strong on set pieces and did hugely important work on defense.M Clint Dempsey, 7.5: Won the ball that Buddle turned into a 1-0 lead and took advantage of the room created for him in the middle by fielding another striker well. His runs and distribution were among the main ingredients to the Yanks' attacking success.F Jozy Altidore, 6: As usual, some good and some bad from Jozy. Converted a penalty and held play up well, but he should have scored in the 11th minute on that Johnson cross and put the game out of reach. Was isolated late in the game.F Edson Buddle, 8: In 77 minutes of work, Buddle played himself squarely back into the national team picture, holding up play well, scoring off a great 25-yard shot in the ninth minute and linking up well with the advancing midfielders.Substitutes:M Brek Shea, 6.5: Shea brought good energy after coming on in the 61st minute but became less and less involved as the U.S. bunkered in.M Maurice Edu, 6: Helped plug gaps in front of the defense but could have cost his team a late penalty in the box with an uncalled handball.M Danny Williams, 6: Also helped keep Slovenia out of the box late.M Jermaine Jones, Incomplete: Brought on in the 90th minute to help waste time.
