Soccer

Quick goal stands up for Americans

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Brian McBride scored the second-fastest American goal in World Cup qualifying, moving the United States closer to its fifth straight appearance in the World Cup tournament.

McBride's goal 91 seconds in put the Americans ahead, and they dominated Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 Wednesday night.

"I hope we can do it," American forward Landon Donovan said. "It would be the best possible ending to our qualifying."

The Americans could have blown the game open early, playing with a man advantage after defender Dennis Lawrence was ejected in the 41st minute until USA's Bobby Convey was sent off in the 88th for receiving his second yellow card. USA outshot T&T 18-1 in the second half, wasting several scoring chances.

"We were saying in the locker room, if we got the second, it really could have been four, five," USA captain Claudio Reyna said.

Goalkeeper Kasey Keller didn't have to make a single save and got his fourth straight shutout in qualifying, extending his qualifying shutout streak to 417 minutes.

"We played very well. I think we felt guilty of perhaps making things a little bit difficult on ourselves," American coach Bruce Arena said. "We created a number of good goal-scoring opportunities and came up short, and that allowed Trinidad to hang around for 89 minutes."

With a win over rival Mexico in its next game Sept. 3 at Columbus, Ohio, USA (5-1) likely would clinch one of the three berths from soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean region with three games to spare. Mexico defeated Costa Rica 2-0 Wednesday.

"I think just showing up in the next two games, we could mathematically go through," Arena said.

John O'Brien, the oft-injured American midfielder, made his first appearance in a qualifier since Nov. 11, 2001, at Trinidad. He started the play that led to the first goal, taking a back pass from Convey, moving upfield and playing a 25-yard, left-footed pass that Convey ran to and crossed to McBride, who knocked the ball in from about 4 yards.

It was McBride's 29th international goal, leaving him five short of Eric Wynalda for the U.S. record. It was his 10th goal in qualifying, moving him ahead of Earnie Stewart for the American career lead. The only faster in qualifying was by Ante Razov, in 74 seconds against T&T on June 20, 2001.

[Last modified August 18, 2005, 01:06:07]