EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – Landon Donovan’s United States national team career ended on a high note Friday night, as he said goodbye in a 1-1 draw with Ecuador at Rentschler Field after a rocky six months that saw him miss out on a dream ending in Brazil.

It was a reluctant farewell, one Donovan had been hesitant to agree to at first but ultimately accepted and embraced. Caught between a coach in Jurgen Klinsmann that was done with him and a federation that still struggles to imagine life without him, the enigmatic No. 10 went through a seemingly rehearsed script that was only missing the Hollywood ending of one more goal.

[Slideshow: Landon Donovan's final match wearing the Red, White and Blue]

Donovan and the Americans started strong. An early cross found Jozy Altidore at the far post only to see the striker fail to control it enough to turn it into the net. He did manage to pass to DeAndre Yedlin, who quickly found an open Mix Diskerud for the opening goal after just five minutes.

Donovan’s greatest chance to score came in the 24th minute when Altidore beautifully back-heeled a pass between two defenders to set up Donovan with a clear look at goal. He fired past Maximo Banguera but was denied by the post and couldn’t recover in time to bury the rebound.

“It would have been nice,” Donovan said. “But that’s OK. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.”

A shot by Donovan a few minutes later rolled wide left of the post for his final chance.

Donovan, who was expected to play only 30 minutes, was replaced by Joe Corona in the 41st minute, walking off a field filled with young U.S. players he hardly played with. The Americans would've left Connecticut with a 1-0 victory if it wasn't for a swerving wonder strike by Enner Valencia for an 88th-minute equalizer.

[Max Thompson: Landon Donovan deserved a better sendoff than this]

“We saw a really entertaining game,” Klinsmann said. “I think we controlled the first 60 minutes for those 60 minutes [and] we should have scored the second goal, simple as that. And after those 60 minutes [Ecuador] got stronger and stronger and I think they deserved that goal. A 1-1 result is fine.”

The result became an afterthought on the night.

“It was exciting to see Landon in this game, playing full of energy,” Klinsmann said. “I think he really enjoyed it. He did really well, and that’s why I left him on longer than was planned. I kept thinking maybe he’d get another chance and put it in.”

Donovan’s career started at the end of an era dominated by Joe-Max Moore, John Harkes, Alexi Lalas, Eric Wynalda, Cobi Jones and Tony Meola. He leaves with the future in the hands of Diskerud, Altidore, Julian Green and John Anthony Brooks. A lot has changed, the results would say for the better, and much of that is because of Donovan.

So while his shadow loomed over the first step toward the next World Cup, the passing-of-the-torch symbolism could hardly be lost in the festivities. That transition wasn’t lost on the captain, who endured a weird week to be plopped right in the middle of a game that is crucial to the development of that new group.

[USA vs. Ecuador: Donovan's USMNT farewell as it happened]

“The energy felt different," Donovan said. "I haven’t been in camp all week, I haven’t trained with these guys all week. I’m not overly comfortable with a lot of attention on me. It was a battle with myself to allow it and enjoy it and appreciate it.

"For all of the guys, this was a big opportunity, so I wanted to make sure I took that seriously. And I wanted to make sure I contributed.”

Donovan finished his night with a post-match interview where he thanked the crowd and everyone watching on TV, admitted he’d miss playing, then watched a video tribute put together by U.S. Soccer. Scorer of the late, dramatic winner against Algeria at the 2010 World Cup that sent the U.S. through to the knockout round, Donovan took a long victory lap around Rentschler Field to the tune of Davie Bowie’s “Heroes.”

Now it’s up to Klinsmann to find new ones.