Landon Donovan Hits Post In U.S. National Team Send-Off Game (Video)

Landon Donovan almost ended his international soccer career in story-book fashion Friday.

Donovan hit the post during his 157th and final game with the U.S. men’s national team.

Donovan already had helped give Team USA an early lead over Ecuador when he ran onto a back-heel pass from teammate Jozy Altidore and shot in the 25th minute.

Donovan’s effort beat Maximo Banguera but the Ecuador goalkeeper’s best friend — the far post — denied Donovan from scoring his 58th international goal.

Donovan exited the game in the 41st minute after coming close to scoring three minutes prior.

“I was watching (Derek) Jeter a few weeks back. I thought that would be a perfect way to score a goal, but unfortunately it didn’t happen tonight,” Donovan said in a halftime interview with ESPN.

The U.S. Soccer Federation invited Donovan, who is retiring after the 2014 MLS season, to play in the game so that it could honor him for his achievements during his 15-year international career. Donovan had 20 family members in the 36,265-person crowd at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., who undoubtedly would have gone bonkers had Donovan scored. But it wasn’t meant to be.

The game ended in a 1-1 draw.