Argentina 4 - 1 United States

U.S. outclassed by Argentina

Updated: June 28, 2007, 8:00 AM UK

MARACAIBO, Venezuela -- After holding its own for a half in its return to the Copa America, the United States could only watch Argentina fly by the rest of the way.

Hernan Crespo scored twice, Pablo Aimar and Carlos Tevez added late goals and Argentina routed a youthful U.S. team 4-1 Thursday night in South America's championship.

Eddie Johnson put the U.S. ahead with a penalty kick in the ninth minute, but Crespo scored in the 11th and 64th minutes for fifth-ranked Argentina. Aimar connected in the 78th minute and Tevez scored in the 85th, six minutes after entering.

"We knew we were big underdogs coming into this game," U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller said. "They've got a world All-Star team and we have a group of kids getting their first caps. It was a little difficult, but I was very happy with the way we played for the first 60-65 minutes."

With Diego Maradona looking on in a national team jersey, Crespo raised his national team goals total to 34, matching the former captain's career total.

"For me it's a great honor to equal the number of goals by Diego," Crespo said.

The loss was the first for the United States since a 2-1 defeat to Ghana on June 22 last year, which eliminated the Americans from the World Cup. They had been 10-0-1 under Bob Bradley, who coached his first road game since replacing Bruce Arena as coach late last year.

"We put a lot of effort into the first 60 minutes, and I think when Argentina raised the level over the last 30 minutes, we weren't able to match that," Bradley said.

Keller made his 101st international appearance, moving ahead of Tony Meola for the record among U.S. goalkeepers, but he was overwhelmed in the second half as his defense tired. Argentina outshot the United States 10-6.

"It's disappointing because if we had gone 1-0 into the half, it could have been a different game," U.S. midfielder Benny Feilhaber said. "That's the way it goes sometimes, but taking that lead also gives us some confidence heading into the next game."

On Monday, the U.S. team plays Paraguay, which routed Colombia 5-0 in the opener of the doubleheader. The Colombians face Argentina.

The United States shocked Argentina 3-0 in the first round of the 1995 Copa America in Uruguay, but the Albiceleste already was assured of advancing and left many regulars out of its starting lineup. This time, Argentina fielded a full-strength lineup.

Defender Jonathan Bornstein and Feilhaber were the only holdovers from the U.S. starting lineup Sunday, when the Americans beat Mexico 2-1 in Chicago to win their second straight CONCACAF Gold Cup. Instead, the 13th-ranked Americans fielded a youthful side that included six starters with 10 international appearances or fewer.

Among them was Marvell Wynne, son of the former major league baseball player, who had his national team debut. Herculez Gomez, who replaced Taylor Twellman in the 69th minute, also made his first appearance for the national team.

Feilhaber, who had a spectacular winning goal against Mexico, created the play that led to the penalty kick. Feilhaber split the defense with a pass half the length of the field in the seventh minute, and Johnson ran onto the ball for a breakaway on goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri.

Johnson was knocked down from behind by Gabriel Milito, and Chilean referee Carlos Candia didn't hesitate to call the penalty. Johnson slotted the ball to the right post, with Abbondanzieri breaking the other way, for his 11th goal in 27 international appearances.

Argentina didn't waste any time in getting the equalizer. Juan Roman Riquelme took a free kick from about 35 yards out. The ball bounced through the defense and Gabriel Heinze got to it ahead of Keller. The ball went to Crespo, who put it in the open net.

Keller leaped in the 43rd minute to prevent a goal, using his right hand to tip Juan Sebastian Veron's blistering right-footed shot from about 20 yards off the crossbar.

Crespo scored his second goal off a pass from Lionel Messi, speeding unmarked into the penalty area and beating Keller from 8 yards. Aimar scored on a header from 12 yards off a cross from Heinze, who bent the ball back from near the corner. Tevez then collected a through ball from Riquelme on a failed offside trap, touched it ahead to himself and slotted the ball just inside the post to Keller's right.

"In my first cap we were actually on top of Argentina 1-0 for a little bit," Wynne said. "It was a pretty interesting jump into reality."