The U.S. Men’s National team stared down mighty Argentina in a 0-0 draw at sweltering Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday night. The Yanks were every bit Argentina’s equal and even had several chances to win the game. The albicileste, by contrast seemed uninspired, particularly in the later stages of the game. Alfio Basile’s men, all of whom hailed from European clubs for this game, mostly appeared in summer holiday mode.

Still, the result is an impressive one for a U.S. team that lost its two previous games, against England and Spain. “I think we’re getting stronger,” U.S. Head Coach Bob Bradley said after the game. “I think we’re understanding what it takes to play in the better games and I think…we understand how to stick together as a team.”

The best player on the pitch in the first half was without question Tim Howard. The Everton keeper recorded nine saves in the first 45 minutes, several from point blank range. With Lionel Messi as its lynchpin, Argentina had the U.S. under pressure and would have scored at least once – probably more – if it weren’t for Howard’s heroics. “The first half we had to deal with a lot tactically,” said Bradley. “Timmy made some very big saves.”

“You know with Argentina they’re going to have their chances no matter how well you play defensively and those chances seemed to come one on one,” said Howard. “In a sense once I made the first save and felt comfortable and tight the saves kept coming.”

The U.S. came out inspired after half time. Messi made way for Jose Sosa and in the U.S. camp “there was some real resolve,” said Bradley. “We talked at halftime about being more calm when we got the ball,” said Landon Donovan, back from a hamstring injury. “They actually do give you some time to play. A lot of those players don’t like to defend so when we did break their initial pressure and get out…we got the ball in better spots.”

An Oguchi Onyewu header went off the crossbar in the 47th minute and Donovan was able to work himself free at the edge of the Argentina penalty area a minute later. His shot sailed high and wide, however.

“It would have been nice to score a goal,” Donovan admitted afterwards. “We had some decent chances to win the game but I think all in all we can’t be disappointed with the result.”

In the 70th minute, Pablo Mastroeni picked up his second yellow card for dissent. “I’m told that after a foul Pablo picked up the ball and threw it to Danny Califf, to buy a little bit of time,” said Bradley. “You never know for sure, but there’s part of you who thinks the referee in that moment didn’t realize he had already given him the yellow card.”

Justified or not, this gave the albicileste more room with which to practice their ball-control style of play. The two-time world champions did ramp up the pressure a bit, and Fernando Gago in particular worked hard to get his team a few mini chances, but Howard’s goal was never seriously threatened.

Then, in the 82nd minute the skies opened up and the rains came. With it, a surprising period of pressure from the short-handed U.S. Jay Demerit’s header was deflected over the bar and the Yanks had two corners in succession. Then Argentina captain Javier Mascherano earned his second yellow card – and automatic expulsion – in the 86th minute. The U.S. had one massive chance to win the game in stoppage time, when Sacha Kljestan found himself with acres of space at the top of the box. But the Chivas USA midfielder dribbled back into his marker and his shot was deflected over the end line.

It was the U.S.’ swansong at Giants Stadium, which will close later this year – a significance that was not lost on the New Jersey-raised Bradley. “I came to all the Cosmos games,” he recalled. “To see all those players here [...] that’s something that I think established a sense of what the bigger game was.” Bradley’s return to New Jersey, as coach of the then-Metrostars “meant a lot,” he said. “I always know that the commitment to give everything and to give the fans here a winner was there. Obviously it was disappointing the way it ended but all coaches know that’s the way it works sometimes. It was nice to come back tonight to see that kind of atmosphere for our national team. I know it means a lot to all our players.”