U.S. SHOWS US ITS GOOD SIDE.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

Jekyll meet Hyde, schizo meet phrenic, faint meet heart. U.S., meet your World Cup soccer team.

As disappointing and flat and uninspired as the U.S. was in that dismal opening loss to the Czech Republic, it was energized and inspired and determined in Saturday's rejuvenating 1-1 tie with Italy.

If not the complete redemption that a victory would have insured, it was the most significant tie in U.S. soccer history. It was unexpected, uplifting, plenty gutsy, a little lucky, but absolutely earned.

On Saturday in Germany, the U.S. overcame that embarrassing effort in the opener. Overcame harsh criticism from coach Bruce Arena. Overcame an early 1-0 deficit and some absolutely horrendous officiating. And overcame playing with only nine men in the second half to come away with a 1-1 tie.

Coupled with Ghana's stunning 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic earlier Saturday, the U.S. finds its World Cup hopes unexpectedly alive. The result was predictable as an earthquake, and about as jolting to soccer.

The U.S. was 0-8 in World Cup matches played in Europe. Was 0-3-2 lifetime against Italy. Had appeared to be the most overrated team in the World Cup following that opening loss. After a stirring run in the 2002 World Cup, expectations seemed sadly unrealistic.

But Saturday, the U.S. looked like it belonged. For most of the night, was the better team on the field. It pushed the action, controlled it, won balls, attacked. Did all the things it had not done against the Czechs.

``I thought our effort was fantastic,'' Arena said. ``That's the kind of team the U.S. should be putting on the field.''

This from the same coach who had strangely ripped his players after the opener. Who called them out by name. Who avoided his obvious responsibility.

Those guys he called out? Almost every one responded. Landon Donovan, their breakout star in '02, charged the middle, fed the wings, created.

``Landon Donovan was everywhere for the Americans tonight,'' said Italy's Andrea Pirlow.

DeMarcus Beasley, Donovan's pal and attacking partner, was benched but came on in the second half to provide a spark and scored what would could have been the winning goal, save for an offsides. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller, whom Arena had also criticized by name, came up with several outstanding stops, particularly a pair on Alessandro Del Pierro when the Italians finally controlled the tempo in the final minutes.

``Keller was our hero tonight, he made some outstanding saves,'' Arena said.

The list -- veteran Claudio Reyna, bloodied but unbowed Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey -- went on, every one seeming to step us as the team's character and chemistry had been called into question.

Yet, even though the U.S. controlled the game early, it was Italy that scored first. On a set play following a penalty, Bobby Convey missed heading out a cross and Alberto Gilardino got past Eddie Pope and headed in the opening goal in the 22nd minute. When the Czech Republic had scored first, the U.S. seemed to lose focus and confidence.

This time, the U.S. kept the pressure on. Then on a free kick, Italy's Cristian Zaccardo tried to clear a ball headed for McBride but scored an own-goal. Luck finally found the U.S.

It was McBride who suffered a vicious elbow to the face a minute later from Daniele De Rossi. He received an immediate red card and was ejected.

But Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda evened the numbers in the 45th minute when he red carded Pablo Mastroeni for a routine tackle. Maybe he thought there were too many Italian guys on the field. Mastroneni appeared to have made a clean tackle from the front of Andrea Pirlo. It might have been called a penalty, but wasn't deserving of a yellow card, let alone an automatic ejection with a red.

``There's no chance in hell Mastroneni should be sent off for that,'' Keller said.

Then in the first minute of the second half, Pope was given his second yellow card of the day (an automatic ejection) for a tackle on Gillardino, even though he clearly hit the ball first.

Larrionda was ruinous, easily the worst man on the field. ABC reported he was suspended by FIFA after the '02 Cup for officiating irregularities. He earned another, and at the worst, hopefully won't return to this tournament.

Pope's ejection left the U.S. with nine men to Italy's 10, and almost an entire muggy half left to play.

This is where the U.S. should have wilted, should have succumbed to the Italians (winners of three previous World Cups), to the odds, to fatigue, to the referee, to history.

Instead the U.S. switched to four defenders, three midfielders and one forward -- and still kept up the attack. No team with nine players has ever scored a goal in the World Cup.

Beasley thought he had in the 70th minute when he rifled a goal past keeper Gianluigi Buffon. But McBride was standing directly in front of Buffon and was called offsides for blocking the keeper, even though his back was to Buffon and he could not be certain where the keeper was.

In the final minutes, playing with nine men started to wear on the U.S. and Italy went on the attack, but Keller was there to thwart its best shots by Del Pierro.

It finally ended as an exciting, exhausting tie. Now, if the U.S. defeats Ghana on Thursday and Italy defeats the Czech Republic, the U.S. advances.

Beating an explosive Ghana team is far from certain, but a U.S. team that had lost its swagger, that had been embarrassed in its opener, now looks like a very different team.

[e-mail].

[phone]