Wales no killer

U.S. ends short-handed visitor's 10-game unbeaten run

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- No matter what jersey he's wearing, Landon Donovan always puts on a show at Spartan Stadium -- and this time, several young Americans helped him out.

Donovan scored on a penalty kick midway through another impressive performance, and Eddie Lewis also scored for the United States in a 2-0 victory over Wales on Monday night.

Goalie Nick Rimando earned his first career shutout as the Americans thoroughly controlled play while improving to 3-0-1 in their last four matches. Wales' 10-match unbeaten streak in international play, the country's longest, was snapped.

Donovan, who stars with Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes, delighted his home fans with a strong performance capped by the Americans' first goal. Afterward, he lamented a series of second-half chances that got away -- and thought ahead to bigger, more important matches this summer.

"It was a good warmup for what's coming, but I don't know how much Wales wanted to be here," said Donovan, who also scored four goals in the 2001 MLS All-Star game in San Jose. "It was ugly in the first half, and we obviously need to work on our finishing, as we saw in the second half, but if you win matches like these, that's the goal."

The Americans face New Zealand in Richmond, Va., on June 8 in their final tuneup before the Confederations Cup in France in late June.

In the first match ever between the United States and Wales, both nations used lineups comprised largely of reserves and youngsters -- and the top young American stars made the difference.

Rimando, a native of nearby Montclair, was barely tested by the depleted Wales lineup in his third appearance with the U.S. team. Wales played most of the second half with 10 men after defender Matthew Jones was sent off with his second yellow card.

"It was a good experience for many of our young players," U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. "It's good to me to continue to look at players in our pool."

Wales was unbeaten since Sept. 5, 2001, including five victories and two draws in the past 12 months. It was the longest unbeaten streak in the nation's 127 years of international competition.

But winger Ryan Giggs -- the Manchester United stalwart and Wales' biggest star -- was among the Welsh players who skipped the match. Giggs and Robbie Savage cited personal reasons for their absence; Craig Bellamy is injured; and John Hartson was with Celtic for the Scottish Premier League's final game on Sunday.

In the 40th minute, Jones leveled Jovan Kirovski from behind in the penalty box as Kirovski waited for a pass. Mexican referee Benito Archundia immediately signaled a penalty kick, despite Wales' protests.

Donovan slipped his ninth career goal past the post, then sprinted toward the stands and leaped in the air as his fans roared.

Jones, constantly beaten on the right side of Wales' defense, got his second yellow card in the 48th minute for stopping an American pass with his hand. He was jeered all the way to the locker room by Sam's Army.

"It was obviously going to be a difficult night from that point onwards, but I think we gave a good effort," Wales coach Mark Hughes said. "[The unbeaten streak] had to come to an end at some point, so it's probably better for it to end now, so we can start another one."

The United States added another goal in the 59th minute when Greg Vanney hit Lewis with a trailing pass. Lewis' left-footed shot from just inside the penalty box bounced underneath Ward and into the far corner of the net.

Donovan praised Lewis and Bobby Convey, who had an outstanding match on the eve of his 20th birthday.

"We've got so many good, young players," Donovan said. "I think people are starting to realize we've got a dangerous team."

A crowd of 12,282 enjoyed the match on a perfect night at the Earthquakes' home stadium. An enthusiastic knot of Welsh supporters sang and cheered throughout the match, but the partisan U.S. crowd gave its biggest cheers to Donovan, San Jose's star striker.

Defender Jeff Agoos, who plays with Donovan on the resurgent Earthquakes, made his 134th appearance with the U.S. team. It was the oldest American player's first outing since his dismal 2002 World Cup performance, which included an own-goal against Portugal.

Defender Ryan Suarez and forwards Brian Ching and Alecko Eskandarian made their first appearances with the U.S. team.

 

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