China

US rout China in soccer warm-up

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-06-04 08:11

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.

Oguchi Onyewu (R) of the U.S. and China's Shao Jiayi fight for the ball in the second half of their friendly soccer match in San Jose, California June 2 , 2007. [AP]

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.