Donovan ends up having a ball
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The way Landon Donovan figures it, his record-setting goal for the United States in a 2-0 soccer victory over Sweden in Carson on Saturday night should be worth at least something.
Perhaps not the kind of money Barry Bonds’ home run ball fetched, Donovan admitted, but at least something.
“Maybe 20 cents,” he said with a grin.
After slamming a penalty kick past goalkeeper Rami Shaaban a little less than three minutes into the second half, Donovan made sure he collected the ball, then ran to the Home Depot Center sideline and tossed it to U.S. equipment manager Tim Cook, who quickly tucked it away for safekeeping.
It was Donovan’s 35th goal in his 97th appearance for the national team. That surpassed Eric Wynalda’s mark of 34 goals set in 106 games for the U.S. between 1990 and 2000.
How important was it?
“I wouldn’t classify it as important, but it’s something I’m very proud of,” Donovan said. “More so than scoring goals, being a part of this team for a long time and contributing is something I’m proud of.
“That being said, I can still be better.”
The U.S. was the better team Saturday night, if only because it took its chances and the Swedes did not. There were solid performances by the American players all over the field, most noticeably by goalkeeper Brad Guzan, defenders Eddie Robinson and Clarence Goodson, winger Brad Davis, midfielder Ricardo Clark and Donovan.
Robinson made his national team debut, as did Jeremiah White, and celebrated by scoring the first goal. It came after a period of sustained pressure by the U.S. that had the Swedes back on their heels early on in front of 14,878.
A seventh-minute shot by Clark forced goalkeeper Shaaban into making a smart save.
Four minutes later, winger Davis, Clark’s teammate with the MLS-champion Houston Dynamo, floated a free kick that drifted just over the U.S. forwards and wide of the right post.
Less than 15 minutes into the game, another Houston player, Robinson, scored the first U.S. goal of the year, slamming a shot high into the net after the Swedish defense failed to deal with a corner kick by Davis.
Afterward, Robinson, 29, was still in the clouds.
“I told my wife yesterday, when I found out I was going to start, that if this is the only game I ever play [for the U.S.], I’m going to make sure that I give it my all and I’m going to come away happy that I got a chance to do this because not a lot of people do.
“It was a wonderful experience. It was awesome.”
Sweden fought back, but Guzan, who is heading to Scotland this week, supposedly for a trial with Celtic of the Scottish Premier League, made at least three outstanding saves to keep the Swedes off the scoreboard and begin the year with a shutout.
Bob Bradley, the U.S. coach, has a busy season ahead, what with World Cup qualifying and potentially troublesome games on the road against Guatemala and Cuba among the challenges.
“It’s a good way to start the year,” he said. “Sweden is a team that’s always a good match for us. It’s a game that has good tempo. It’s a game that’s physically challenging. I think to come out of it with a good result is important.”
Bradley, who appointed Donovan as team captain after his commitment and leadership during the two-week camp that preceded the game Saturday, said that the Galaxy star provided far more than goals.
“I thought that his all-around contribution to the game was very important for us,” Bradley said. “He helped set the tone early with his aggressiveness and his movement. So in all ways it was a good night.”
The U.S. team will regroup in Carson on Thursday to begin preparing for its next game, against Mexico in Houston on Feb. 6.
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