There was a swell of fans and a swell of American pride Wednesday morning, June 23, as soccer fans converged at the Celtic Swell Pub, 2722 Alki Avenue SW, to watch the U.S. team beat Algeria 1-0. The game began at 7:00 a.m. Some of the 40 or so fans ordered breakfast burritos and coffee, others beer. But they all had one goal in mind. And they got it, when Landon Donovan scored in the 91st minute.

America scored a goal prior to that, but it was ruled off-sides. During slow-motion replay, the consensus at the pub was that it was a bogus call, but redemption finally came just before the game ended, and fans spilled out onto the Alki sidewalk with satisfied grins.

"I played soccer through college," said Peter Deeds, who teared up when America won. "As a kid I got to go to Europe to play in tournaments. It's been in my life. It's what I did since I was five. I just love it."

"It's incredible!" enthused Celtic Swell owner Gareth Hughes who grew up in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. "I grew up watching the sport."

So why all the excitement about the World Cup?

Said Hughes, "It's been this way forever. Why change the habit of a lifetime?"

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