U.S. Shocks No. 1 Spain In Confederations Cup

United States 2, Spain 0

The 2-0 victory over Spain yesterday probably won't be considered the greatest upset in the 93-year history of the U.S. men's national soccer program, for it unfolded at the Confederations Cup, a mere rehearsal for next year's World Cup extravaganza.

But when you consider Spain's international rank (first), status (European champion), winning streak (world-record 15 matches) and unbeaten run (a record-tying 35 games since the fall of 2006), when you take into account the Americans' troubling path this year and their uninspiring play in the early stages of this eight-nation tournament, the outcome on a 36-degree evening in Bloemfontein, South Africa, will undoubtedly rival U.S. shockers on grander global stages: World Cup victories over England (1950), Colombia (1994) and Portugal (2002).

The reward is a berth in Sunday's championship game at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, the first time the senior men's team has ever played in the final of a major international tournament outside of the North American, Central American and Caribbean region. The opponent will be Brazil or South Africa, who play one another in a semifinal today.

"It's a great night for American soccer," U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said in an e-mail interview. "We'll try to close the deal on Sunday."

Jozy Altidore, a 19-year-old forward who plays professionally in Spain, scored in the 27th minute -- the first goal conceded by Spain in four matches at this tournament -- and veteran midfielder Clint Dempsey added the second goal in the 74th minute.

Sporting a collection of international superstars, Spain was vastly superior from an individual standpoint. But the Americans, anchored by 6-foot-4 central defender Oguchi Onyewu, a District native who graduated from Sherwood High School in Olney, maintained their composure amid unrelenting pressure. Goalkeeper Tim Howard made several quality saves.

The victory came at a crucial juncture for the Americans, who have struggled in World Cup qualifiers this year and face several more difficult matches, including a visit to Mexico in August, in pursuit of a berth in next year's 32-team event in South Africa. On Internet message boards, Coach Bob Bradley has been criticized by U.S. fans for both lackluster performances and personnel decisions.

Last week's Confederations Cup losses to Italy and Brazil, two other titans of the sport, added to the fury.

"Three games ago it would have been impossible to think about a night like tonight," Howard told reporters at Bloemfontein's Free State Stadium.

The U.S. team needed an extraordinary series of events to occur just to reach the semifinals. Not only did they have to defeat African champion Egypt by three goals this past Sunday, but the Americans also needed Brazil to beat defensive-renowned Italy by three. It happened, setting up yesterday's meeting with a Spanish side that boasts two of the world's top forwards, David Villa and Fernando Torres.

The U.S. defense was bolstered by the return of Carlos Bocanegra, who missed the first three games while recovering from a hamstring injury. Usually a central defender for the national team, Bocanegra lined up at left back, a position he plays regularly with his French club, Rennes.

The Americans attacked fluidly at the start and didn't allow Spain to dictate the pace. After a few mild threats, they went ahead when Charlie Davies and Clint Dempsey worked a combination on the left side. Dempsey's entry pass toward Altidore was deflected but reached its destination.

With defender Joan Capdevila, his teammate at Spanish club Villarreal, marking him tightly, Altidore used his upper-body strength to turn and create space. With a clear look at the target, he drilled an 18-yard shot that caught goalkeeper Iker Casillas leaning the wrong way. Casillas reached back with his right hand and made contact, but not enough to prevent the ball from skidding into the left corner.

With the lead, the Americans became careful and deliberate. Spain dominated possession and searched for ways to unlock the U.S. team's composed defense. Wave after wave of Spanish attacks died inside and around the penalty area as Onyewu, Bocanegra and England-based pros Jay DeMerit and Jonathan Spector held their ground and Howard stopped two cracking shots.

Then in the 74th minute, on one of their few forays of the half, the Americans made it 2-0. Landon Donovan, a calming presence throughout the game, crossed from the right side of the box. The ball took a deflection and fell to off-balanced Spanish defender Sergio Ramos, who reacted too slowly, allowing a sliding Dempsey to steer it into the net from six yards.

"They had huge energy and caught us by surprise," Spain Coach Vicente del Bosque said.

The United States endured down the stretch, despite playing shorthanded for about five minutes after Michael Bradley, the coach's son, was ejected. He will serve a one-game suspension and miss the final.

"We knew it was a challenge, but we felt that we would have a chance and that we could win," Bob Bradley said in a postgame news conference. "We had a real confidence and that we had the weapons that could cause them some trouble."