Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu scored on second-half headers to
spark the United States past China 4-1 in San Jose, California,
Saturday in a football friendly that served as a tournament tuneup
for both.
The Americans, who improved to 5-1 overall against China, rose
to 4-0 with one drawn this year and stretched their scoring margin
to 12-3. They open defense of their North American crown next week
in the Gold Cup.
China slid to 2-3 in 2007 ahead of next month's Asian Cup,
pressure growing after losing last month to Thailand for the first
time in 14 years. China will open Asian Cup play in Group C with
co-host Malaysia, Iran and Uzbekistan.
US midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who plays for Germany's Hamburger
SV, scored his first international goal in the 28th minute,
chipping over goalkeeper Chen Dong off a pass from debutante Sacha
Kljestan to give the Americans a 2-1 lead.
China's Shao Jiayi had the best chance to equalize but blasted
the ball into the left side of the net in the 72nd minute.
Chen denied Clint Dempsey on a breakaway in the 64th minute and
dived left to make an outstretched grab to thwart Beasley in the
73rd minute, but the Americans would not be denied.
Feilhaber sent a corner kick into the area that Dempsey, the
only American goal scorer in last year's World Cup, nodded home in
the 75th minute to give the US squad a 3-1 edge.
US defender Oguchi Onyewu of Standard de Liege nodded home a
free kick from US veteran DaMarcus Beasley in the 78th minute for
his second international goal to seal a US triumph.
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Beasley opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the 10th minute.
The midfielder for Dutch champion PSV Eindhoven raced in alone on a
breakaway but was tripped in the penalty area by Chen.
Chen received a yellow card and Beasley strode to the spot, then
left-footed his 13th international goal straight into the net while
the Chinese goalkeeper leaped to his right.
Zhang Yaokun equalized in the 15th minute, taking advantage of a
scramble for a rebound in the penalty area. Off a pass from Wang
Peng, Zhang blasted the ball past Tim Howard for his second
international goal.
Fulham defender Carlos Bocanegra served as the US captain while
the US team used Tim Howard as goalkeeper in the first half and
Kasey Keller in the second, the veteran coming on as a substitute
for his 97th cap at age 37.
China's US tour also includes friendlies against Major League
Soccer clubs Real Salt Lake on Thursday and June 10 at
Colorado.
It was the first match for US coach Bob Bradley since he was
named the US coach last month after serving in the post for five
months on an interim basis.
China, like the rival US team, has a domestic league that is
early in its season. Both teams used a number of young
prospects.
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(CRI via AFP June 4, 2007)
