American midfielder Maurice Edu, who was on the U.S. World Cup roster, and veteran striker Kenny Miller scored first-half goals and reigning Scottish champions Rangers beat English Premier League's Blackburn 2-1 in a preseason friendly Sunday.

Disputed plays always have played a big role at the World Cup. Frank Lampard's no-goal Sunday in England's 4-1 loss to Germany is the latest, and will spark calls for FIFA to institute instant replay to help determine goals.

They started scattering Sunday to the United States and Europe, never to come together as a group again.

Grim-faced American players filed by one by one on their way out of Royal Bafokeng Stadium. Their World Cup was over.

Over and over, everything seemed to go against them.

Clint Dempsey says the referee who disallowed a late American go-ahead goal against Slovenia encouraged rough play in the penalty area by failing to whistle infractions early in the game.

The pattern is hard to miss: The United States falls behind by a goal or two, then tries to scramble back.

Modern football has turned the penalty area into a wrestling ring, and that's what cost the United States victory in its World Cup match against Slovenia.

The U.S. is moving on, with no way to appeal the disallowed goal that would have given the Americans a lead in their 2-2 World Cup tie against Slovenia.

Maurice Edu kicked the ball into the net just before the 86th minute. American players jumped around wildly, thinking they had capped a historic comeback, turning a two-goal, first-half deficit into a 3-2 victory over Slovenia.

Modern soccer has turned the penalty area into a wrestling ring, and that's what cost the United States victory in its World Cup match against Slovenia on Friday.

The day was sunny and bright, and so was the U.S. outlook.