Even in South Africa, the bar is often the place to watch. Photo by Austin Danforth.

Austin Danforth, reporter with The Alexandria Times, is in South Africa for the World Cup. This is Danforth’s third travel dispatch for DCist from his trip; read his others here and here.

I was primed to write a post about getting out and seeing more of South Africa, aside from soccer games and the Johannesburg suburbs. Then Landon Donovan scored his stoppage-time winner against Algeria that rescued the hopes and dreams of U.S. fans.

It’s already been called the biggest goal in U.S. soccer history. I wasn’t there for it in person, but, like all the other American fans watching around the world, was there — and about 50 miles from the epicenter — in spirit. Yet after all those blown — and robbed — chances from the second half of the Slovenia game through the 90 minutes of regulation play two days ago, I was nearly convinced the U.S. was moments away from an early exit.

I’m pretty sure the bad vibes began with the disallowed Maurice Edu goal several days earlier, but the rooting interests of our four-man crew had taken a beating until Wednesday afternoon. Germany, down to 10 men, lost to Serbia. France was in shambles. Greece played themselves back into contention, but ended up losing out on the second round. Spain’s fight is brighter now, but it still could go awry.

At any rate, we decided to try a new place — Radium Beer Hall (perhaps familiar to previous Johannesburg visitors) — to watch the all-important U.S.A.-Algeria game before speeding off to Soccer City with tickets to that night’s Germany-Ghana clash. The Radium, established nearly 100 years ago, is supposedly the oldest continuously operating bar in Joburg, and a place we had put off visiting for several days.

We may just go back for the rest of our important games, until our luck runs out.