Kovalenko bringing edge to Galaxy

CARSON, Calif. -- Last week's acquisition of midfielder Dema Kovalenko from Real Salt Lake for a conditional 2011 draft pick was a no-brainer as far as Los Angeles Galaxy head coach/general manager Bruce Arena was concerned.

The roster he inherited when he came to L.A. last August and the roster he had at the end of last season was lacking in some areas, most notably at defensive midfield.

"We need to shore up that position," Arena said. "We needed some experience there. Dema is a good passer and a good communicator."

What Kovalenko also brings to Los Angeles is toughness, despite standing only 5-feet-8 and weighing 160 pounds. The 31-year-old once played with a broken nose with the New York Red Bulls in 2007, has been red-carded five times during his 10-year MLS career and has earned a reputation of perhaps going a bit too far in marking the opposition's best players.

"I like to play against players on other teams that are supposed to make a difference," he said. "That's what I enjoy. I get mad at that ... it gets personal to me. You take care of them, you'll have a chance to win."

Because of that take-no-prisoners approach, Kovalenko figures to be a welcome addition to the rebuilding Galaxy.

"I think you can always use some hard-nosed guys," forward Alan Gordon said of his new teammate. "I like playing with guys like that, and it's only going to make us better. It's going to give us more of a competitive edge day in and day out."

Kovalenko said that so-called "edge" simply is a product of his desire to win. He will do anything it takes to achieve that goal, but calling him "tough" is somewhat misleading as far as he's concerned.

"I'm not a tough guy," he said. "People say that, but I just give 100 percent every game. I just want to win. That's who I am, and I'm not going to change. The guys know I'm not the best player, but on the field I will do whatever it takes to win. I've always said that. If you compete in every game, you're going to be in every game."

Kovalenko said it was time for a change from Real Salt Lake -- "I guess it was not the place for me," he said -- and was pleasantly surprised when Arena called him last week and told him he had been traded to Los Angeles. He played for him two years ago in New York and knows exactly what Arena will be counting on him for.

"Whatever he tells me to do, I'll do it," Kovalenko said. "In New York, he told me to make sure we were defensively solid in the back. If he tells me to do that here, I'll do that.

"I know what he expects of me."

He said he's not sure what he expects of the Galaxy, only that it's time the club reverses direction. Los Angeles has not made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, and Kovalenko said he will do his best to make sure that downward trend has run its course.

"Three years ... that's a long time for this team, this franchise," he said of the postseason drought. "I think it's time for this team to do something, you know? Last year we scored the most goals, but we gave up the most goals. I think this team is too good to have those kinds of statistics. With that kind of mentality, you're not going to go anywhere. We have to be solid defensively. As long as we know what we have to do, we'll always have a chance to win."

Gordon said Kovalenko's mind-set may be just what the Galaxy has been missing.

"He's not going to let anybody slack off," Gordon said. "It's something that we need. I think last year, I think maybe we got a little complacent at times. In tough times, you need guys that can motivate people to do better every day.

"I think that's what he'll bring."

Sanneh hopeful for one more shot in LA

CARSON, Calif. -- His body may have been dropping hints for years, but Tony Sanneh wasn't ready to listen.

The former U.S. international and starter on the 2002 World Cup team wasn't interested in calling it a career despite signs to the contrary, which is why the 37-year-old defender is attempting to earn a roster spot with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Sanneh had been out of soccer for a year and most recently played in 2007 with the Colorado Rapids, and injuries had taken their toll. He had labrum surgery at the end of 2007 and then suffered a deep bone bruise while training in his hometown of St. Paul, Minn.

"I thought maybe that was a sign from God that said too many injuries," Sanneh admitted.

But he soon realized his urge to play had not dissipated. He decided to take it easy for a couple of months and "had a good time," as he put it, before he started to play in local pickup games. That whet his professional appetite again.

The only problem was what to do about it.

The Galaxy were a definite possibility, since he had played for coach/general manager Bruce Arena on MLS Cup-winning teams at D.C. United in 1996 and '97, and Arena knew what Sanneh was capable of. Sanneh also played for L.A. associate head coach Dave Sarachan with the Chicago Fire in 2005 and 2006.

Arena brought the veteran into camp this week for a trial, and Sanneh is confident he can stick around for a while, perhaps permanently.

"I would think that's why he's here, that he can still play," Arena said, "but only time will tell that."

Sanneh, who turns 38 on June 1, said he feels rusty and a little sore as the Galaxy's first week of camp comes to a close, but he also said he still has plenty to offer, despite his age, which he felt isn't that big of an issue. It's the intangibles he provides that are much more important.

"I think I can offer leadership, experience and a winning mentality," Sanneh said. "I know what Bruce wants, and hopefully I can lead by example. Bruce wants winners. He wants guys that fight to the end. He wants guys to be team players, and he wants you to do the little extra.

"And I think if you can get a group of individuals that's looking out for the next guy instead of themselves, you're going to win more games."

That would be a refreshing change in Los Angeles, which has not made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and led MLS in goals allowed last year. Sanneh, who is one of 11 defenders on the Galaxy's 33-man preseason roster, is hopeful he can be part of that turnaround in Los Angeles, provided his body cooperates.

All he has to do is look at Chivas USA coach Preki, who was the league's Most Valuable Player at the age of 41, and that's enough inspiration for him to give it another try.

"I haven't put that many miles on in the last five years," the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder said. "I was playing pickup games and most of the pain was gone, and I decided to get back in shape. I thought, 'Why not?' I'm not stupid and I know I'm very old for the game, but it's been done before.

"I wouldn't have come here to make a fool out of myself. I never thought of this as a last chance. It's going to take a lot of hard work, but I believe in myself and always have.

"I'll just take it a day at a time," he went on. "Right now, I'm with a great group of guys having a great time, and we'll see what works."

Purdy brings size, speed to FCD defense

FRISCO, Texas -- While the acquisition of midfielder Dave van den Bergh from New York made the big headlines around FC Dallas in the days leading up to the SuperDraft, it was a less-publicized signing, that of 23-year-old defender Steve Purdy, which could have an equally galvanizing effect on the Hoops.

Purdy might be remembered as a good bet to be a first-round pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft after a solid four-year stay at Cal. Prior to that year's combine, he signed with German second division side 1860 Munich. The Los Angeles Galaxy ended up drafting him and when his rights expired at the start of this year, he started getting phone calls.

In the end, Purdy ended up in Dallas, a place where the 6-foot-4 center back brings some much-needed size and speed to an FCD backline that warrants some shoring up. After missing the morning training session on Wednesday due to a physical, the California native practiced with his new side that evening for the first time and likes what he has seen.

"It's been great," Purdy said. "Coming from Germany, it's definitely been different. I've only been in Dallas a couple of times but I really like it. The team has been really receptive, really open, and the coach has been great. The training has been tough but that's the way it has to be in preseason. It's been very good so far."

He has already noticed several major differences between play in Germany and here in the States.

"The physical play over there is big but you have a lot more fast guys over here," Purdy said. "As a center defender, you've got to make sure you're with your guy and he's more of a check player. Here, you've got a lot of guys who could turn you and take you out wide with their speed. That might be a slight adjustment to make but I think I will do all right here."

FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman likes what Purdy has shown thus far.

"I did a crash course with him (Wednesday) because he didn't train in the morning, but he did train in the evening," he said. "He looked pretty good and that was after testing at Michael Johnson Center. Today, I thought he looked better and a little bit fresher. He's a big boy and really has some good soccer sense. He puts himself in the right position when the opposition is receiving the ball. He's hard to beat and has quick feet. Right now, I'm very pleased with what I'm seeing."

Before ever arriving in Frisco, Purdy felt like he already had a good idea about what to expect from playing for Hyndman. His coach at Cal, Kevin Grimes, played for Hyndman at SMU and was also an assistant coach for the Mustangs before taking the helm for the Golden Bears.

"He told me that he brings a lot of the same styles that Kevin has and I've already seen it," Purdy said. "Schellas is really willing to work with young players like myself to develop us and to just be very open in any type of area you need work on. That's something I'm really looking forward to. I'm trying to work on anything I can here. I see a lot of similarities with Kevin already after just a couple training sessions. He said that he's hard on you because he wants you to become a better player. But he also roots for you."

Grimes' glowing recommendation spoke volumes about Hyndman's new defender. But he also remembers watching him play a few years ago in person and being impressed even then.

"We played Cal when Purdy was a senior," Hyndman said. "I made a comment to Kevin that he was their best player and he agreed with me. Kevin told me that I would like him because he was my kind of player. He can defend, is quick, athletic, has a good soccer mind and can distribute the ball. With those types of recommendations, we were waiting for his rights to expire. At 12:01 that morning, we put in a discovery on him."

Purdy's new coach definitely made a strong first impression on him.

"He was really open, a really friendly guy and wanted to get to know me as a person," he said of Hyndman. "He told me that once he gets to know you and sees your personality, that personality will carry over onto the field also. I think that's what he really wanted to see, what type of attitude that I had like how competitive I am, if I'm willing to learn and am open. He was challenging me with some different questions. All in all, it's good in this challenging sport."

At Cal, Purdy was teammates with star goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who was taken 13th overall in the 2009 SuperDraft.

"I played with Stefan for two years at Cal," Purdy said. "He's a great person, a great goalie. I think he's going to become an excellent professional if he avoids injuries and stuff like that. He's a great person and is going to carry that onto the field. He's got a lot of talent."

He also recalls playing against new teammate George John when he was playing for Pac-10 rival Washington.

"I remember playing against him," Purdy said. "I remember him being the tall guy in the middle (at Washington). He's a great player. I'm just hoping that he recovers from his injury. I think it would be great playing with him, coming in at the same time. I hope for a speedy recovery and think he brings a lot to our team."

No real surprises at MLS SuperDraft

ST. LOUIS -- At the MLS SuperDraft these days, one always recalls Hugh Laurie's devilishly witty Golden Globes acceptance speech from a couple of years ago. The star of TV's House remarked about how everyone heralds their "magnificent crew." But logically, he noted, that simply cannot be the case. "Somebody, somewhere is working with a crew of drunken thieves."

So it is with the MLS draft. Not the drunken thieves part. Rather, the part about where claims of achievement collide with the realm of improbability.

See, every club official will always insist that they are leaving the draft with the very individuals they were hoping to secure all along. Most often repeated phrase: "We got the guys we wanted!"

Now I suppose it is technically possible that 15 clubs can do such a thing, since different teams have different needs. Still, it's highly, highly implausible.

  • Draft Tracker >
  • Full coverage >NEWS • Seattle makes Zakuani No. 1
• Zakuani embracing Seattle
• SuperDraft notebook
• Davis: No surprises
• Zakuani hails Gen. adidas
• RSL get athletic Alexandre
• Husidic goes home
• Rapids, Revs take big hauls
• Quiet Quakes add value
• Sounders attack two fronts
• St. Louis fans stay vocal
• Draft deals roundup
• Galaxy turn to Terrapins
• United flesh out roster
• Wizards accomplish mission
• Crew select Gerstenberger
• Cruz falls to round three
• Hoops address needs
• Chivas deal for LA's Jazic
• Prospect bios, stats
VIDEO • SuperDraft first round

• Zakuani on Seattle

• Garber on SuperDraft

• Zakuani taken at No. 1

• Cronin to TFC at No. 2

• Gonzalez to LA at No. 3

• Reds add White at No. 4

• Hoops nab Marosevic

• Wallace to D.C. at No. 6

• United select Pontius

• Besler goes to Wizards

• Lahoud goes to Chivas

• Revs get Alston at 10

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And besides, even if every club managed to tie up exactly who they wanted, they were really just guessing anyway.

With all that as a background, should we really be surprised about any of the "surprises" that unfold annually? Look at the this year's draft:

Should we be surprised that Seattle actually kept that No. 1 pick, even after rampant speculation that Sigi Schmid would wheel and deal away the top choice of this year's proceedings?

Should we attach some bewilderment to the fact that goalkeeper Stefan Frei, thought to be perhaps the most MLS-ready product at the draft, was still around for Toronto to take at No. 13? (Toronto was certainly a bit surprised, judging by the hardy back slapping and general joy-ness going around the TFC table when they managed to snag Frei at that spot.)

Should we be at least mildly astounded that Michael Lahoud's impressive play at the recent combine didn't elevate him into Top 5 status, as some suspected, or that Baggio Husidic slipped all the way to No. 20?

On the other hand, we definitely should be surprised that Daniel Cruz fell well into the third round. Cruz was easily the last of nine Generation adidas players selected. Since their compensation doesn't count against the salary cap, those guys are usually gold at the draft. Seven of the nine were gone by the 13th pick. Yet Cruz, who languished at the combine by most accounts, heard 40 names called before Houston finally selected him. Cruz, in fact, didn't even attend the draft.

Maybe we should register some mild dismay that a draft supposedly so deep in defenders unfolded initially in favor of goal-scorers. Three of the first five players taken were forwards. In fact, after Los Angeles took Maryland's Omar Gonzalez at No. 3, no defender heard his name called until No. 8.

We probably shouldn't even be surprised that an anonymous midfielder from Campbell University, Richard Jata, a long shot at No. 58 overall, had the audience in stitches with a clever, giddy performance at the podium.

So, that's how it went in St. Louis, where it was so numbingly cold a local TV weatherman was hammering nails with a frozen banana. And they say low-tech is dead.

"We all walk out of here feeling great about who we took," Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey said. "But how will we feel about them in early February, when they've been out on the field a few days? That's the question."

This year's draft did unfold with a little bit more predictability than last year's somewhat erratic proceedings. That doesn't mean it was "predicable." Not by any stretch. It just played out with fewer jaw-droppers than other drafts.

It was still a fluid process, with needs shifting for some teams in the 24 hours before Commissioner Don Garber assumed the podium to launch the big day. Los Angeles collected Mike Magee and Dema Kovalenko through trades in the pre-draft run-up, which surely altered the way manager Bruce Arena and assistant Dave Sarachan viewed the draft. With the midfield a bit more stabilized, they could feel better about selecting Gonzalez for help along the back line.

FC Dallas acquired Dave van den Bergh from New York, and then followed up by signing defender Steve Purdy on the eve of the draft. To get van den Bergh, the Hoops had to give up Dominic Oduro, who was third on the depth chart among forwards. That meant Dallas needed to look for a striker with its first pick.

Sounders manager Sigi Schmid made Steve Zakuani the latest name on the honor roll of overall No. 1 league selections. The prolific University of Akron striker will hope to join Freddie Ljungberg in energizing all those season ticket holders (18,000-plus and counting) at Qwest Field this year.

That Zakuani would be the guy was hardly a forgone conclusion. First, there was the matter of whether Seattle would even keep the pick or deal it away. As one coach said hours before the draft, "There's definitely a For Sale sign hanging on that one."

And why not? Without a clear consensus No. 1, would it make more sense for Seattle to pick up another first-round selection, even if it's lower in the order?

Even if you assumed Seattle would keep the pick, Zakuani was hardly as no-brainer as the opening selection. As late as two hours before the draft, Schmid was still considering at least two other options, including O'Brian White, who went to Toronto at the No. 4 overall pick.

Speaking of Toronto, the man they call "Trader Mo," a cheeky reference to TFC director of soccer Mo Johnston, was hard at it. The Reds came to St. Louis holding picks Nos. 2 and 4, but Johnton was jonesing to improve the lot any way possible. (Although, given his reputation and general inclination to shuffle the draft deck at every opportunity, he probably just desired that No. 1 pick so he could trade it for something else.)

In the end, TFC officials held fast. In fact, there was no draft-day shuffling of places in the first round.

A tactic employed infrequently in the past was introduced more prominently this year. Duke's Mike Grella and Wake Forest's Marcus Tracy would have been first-round contenders, but both opted to pursue soccer overseas.

That doesn't mean MLS teams can't select them. Plenty of teams had the same idea going into Thursday: select one of them on the chance that soccer in Europe doesn't work out as planned. (Teams retain their rights for 12 months.) It's not a bad play at all. If either one chooses to come back in a year's time, they've landed a great prospect with an absurdly low pick. The trick, of course, is properly assessing the value of the ploy. Pick too early and, realistically, it's a wasted draft choice. Wait too late, and somebody else has surely beaten you to the punch.

So Toronto took Grella early in the third round, No. 34 overall. Houston took Tracy with the 56th overall pick, late in the fourth round.

Something similar goes on with other players who have some limits or liabilities. Look at Maryland center back A.J. Delagarza. He's a good looking defender, quick and very composed on the ball. But is his slight frame (5-8, 140) going to hold up at the next level? Maybe it was too much of a stretch in the first round. But Los Angeles decided it wasn't too much of a stretch for the second round, and took him with at 19th overall.

Was he their guy all along? Sure he was. Remember, at the draft, everybody walks happily away with exactly who they wanted.

Change evident as Galaxy camp opens

CARSON, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Galaxy are barely into their first week of training camp under head coach Bruce Arena, and an air of change is unmistakable.

And it's not just because Arena is running his first camp since coming to Los Angeles last Aug. 18. There are 33 players on the roster, and only 20 of them were with the team at the end of the 2008 season. There are several absences, most notably David Beckham and Landon Donovan, who are on loan to AC Milan and Bayern Munich, respectively, and are not expected back until mid-March.

Defender Sean Franklin, the 2008 MLS rookie of the year, was lost to sports hernia surgery but is expected to return before the start of the regular season. Also missing is top draft pick Omar Gonzalez, who is taking final exams at the University of Maryland.

The revamped roster features two trialists, Tony Sanneh and Henry "Leo" Bautista, among 29 players at practice. The 37-year-old Sanneh is a veteran of the U.S. national team who was out of soccer last year. Bautista, 25, is a highly regarded defender from Caracas FC of the Venezuelan Primera Division. There also is midfielder Dema Kovalenko, who was acquired from Real Salt Lake earlier this week for a conditional draft pick in the 2011 SuperDraft.

But if you think the Galaxy's makeover is finished, think again.

"It's still very early in the process," Arena said, "and it remains to be seen how much more we need to do on the roster in terms of improving it.

"I think we're headed in the right direction. We'll just take it a day at a time in preseason and continue to examine what we think we have and try to improve wherever we can."

Forward Mike Magee, who played for Arena with the Red Bulls and was acquired from New York for a second-round 2010 draft pick on Jan. 14, said he is happy being reunited with his former coach.

"He's a player's coach," said Magee, a six-year MLS veteran. "He's going to make you work real hard, but he's not going to overdo it. He's the kind of coach who knows preseason is long and we have time to get people ready for the (season) opener. It's a very professional environment."

Magee said he expects camp to get even tougher next week, and whether that will feature more changes remains to be seen. Arena said he had no particular expectations at this point.

"Let's just wait and see," he said. "All we want to do right now is get the team better and do the things you have to do in preseason and continue to identify the issues within the team and try to make them better.

"It's too early to say where this team is and all of that. We're three days into preseason and two months away from the opening game," Arena continued. "I'm not real worried about today as much as how we can move forward in the process of getting this team better and making the changes we have to make."

The Galaxy, which opens the regular season on March 22 at The Home Depot Center against D.C. United, kicks off the preseason at home on Feb. 12 against Houston, followed six days later by the start of the Pan-Pacific Championship, which includes the Suwon Samsung Bluewings of the K-League, Oita Trinita of the J-League and Shandong Luneng Taishon FC from the Chinese Super League. The Galaxy's preason concludes on March 14 against the Chicago Fire in the inaugural PHX Soccer Clasico, which will be held at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

Rumors from overseas surround Galaxy

CARSON, Calif. -- The makeover of the Los Angeles Galaxy, which has featured the arrival of a dozen new players during the offseason, could reach epic proportions if overseas reports are to be believed.

And that has Galaxy head coach/general manager Bruce Arena shaking his head.

The latest item came out of an "exclusive" in this week's Daily Mirror in England and stated the Galaxy are interested in acquiring Newcastle United's Michael Owen, who is in the final months of a contract that reportedly pays him about $200,000 a week and is scheduled to expire on June 30.

If that's not enough, an earlier report in the Turin newspaper Tuttosport said the Galaxy were preparing to make an offer for Juventus standout Alessandro Del Piero, among the highest-paid players in the world at $14.3 million a year, according to Forbes.com.

Throw in the ongoing rumors about the possible departures of David Beckham and Landon Donovan to AC Milan and Bayern Munich, where they are on respective loan agreements, and it's enough to leave Arena just short of frustrated.

"Anything about me getting a job somewhere?" he asked jokingly. "I heard Chelsea was interested.

"Who else do you have? They're all sitting beautifully in our salary cap. I'm hoping for a Ronaldinho or Messi rumor as well. That would be nice."

Ronaldinho and Messi, by the way, reportedly earn more than $30 million and $11 million a year, respectively, according to Forbes.

Regarding Owen, Arena made it clear the Galaxy has had no contact with Newcastle United.

"There's probably zero percent accuracy in that report," he said, "which is kind of standard. If it's somewhere between zero to 100 percent accuracy, that one's closer to zero."

Donovan was quoted in the German newspaper Abendzeitung in which he said, "If I go back to the Galaxy, we have our first game March 21, so I'd have to return at least one week earlier. But that would be sad. I want to make it here. It is my dream. I want to stay here a few years."

Donovan has scored four goals in five exhibitions and has earned rave reviews from Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

Beckham also is doing well at AC Milan, where he has impressed coach Carlo Ancelotti. Club vice president Adriano Galliani was quoted as saying the club will try to make the transfer permanent.

The loan agreements for both players end March 8.

"A lot of this stuff ... you know the background of this stuff," Arena said. "A lot of it is inaccurate. There are times when it is accurate. But you can't react to every press report, you know?

"Somewhere between all this stuff is the truth. I'll say what we've said all along, we have two players out on loan agreements, and those end March 8. We've never said anything otherwise.

"I'm not sure it's appropriate if the biggest clubs in the world make comments without contacting us. Having said that, we don't know if there's anything accurate at the other end, either. I'll leave it at that. But I will tell you this: we will honor our end of these loan agreements, and we'll do everything that's proper," Arena said.

Kljestan's hat trick leads U.S. past Sweden

CARSON, Calif. -- Sacha Kljestan had a hat trick as the United States national team beat Sweden 3-2 in an international friendly at The Home Depot Center on Saturday night.

Kljestan, who spent a week in Scotland on trial with Celtic, scored on a free kick in the 16th minute and converted a penalty kick in the 40th minute and added a late insurance goal moments after Sweden scored.

The game helped the U.S. open its busy 2009 calendar with a triumph and now the Red, White and Blue will focus on their World Cup qualifying match against Mexico at Columbus Crew Stadium on Feb. 11.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley started seven players from Major League Soccer, including Kljestan, whom Bradley drafted fifth overall in the 2006 SuperDraft while Bradley coached Chivas USA. Also starting was Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein, another Bradley draft choice from that year.

Of the four foreign-based starters, three others plied their trade in MLS before heading to the Old World: former D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins, former Galaxy and Earthquakes defender Danny Califf and ex-Revs standout Michael Parkhurst.

All told, three players made their U.S. national team debut: Perkins, Columbus' Robbie Rogers and Real Salt Lake's Chris Wingert, who came off the bench late in the second half.

From the onset, the United States controlled the match. The Americans dictated terms by controlling the possession and kept the Swedes on their heels.

Still, the U.S. had nothing to show for their efforts until just after the quarter-hour mark. After the U.S. earned a free kick from 34 yards out, Kljestan stepped up to take it. Kljestan ripped a shot and buried the ball in the upper left corner of the net, past the outstretched arms of Swede goalkeeper Johan Dahlin.

With five minutes remaining in the first half, Toronto FC defender Marvell Wynne was taken down inside the penalty area. As soon as referee Silviu Petrescu pointed to the spot, Kljestan picked up the ball and walked over to position himself to take the kick. After the whistle, Kljestan ran up to the ball and slammed it on the open right side of the net as Dahlin dived to the left.

The goal marked the first time an U.S. player scored his first two national team goals in the same game since Frank Klopas, now the Chicago Fire's technical director, scored a pair of goals in a World Cup qualifier on Aug. 13, 1988 in St. Louis.

FC Dallas star Kenny Cooper replaced Charlie Davies at the start of the second half but was largely ineffective. Houston's Brian Ching did not score a goal but was far more active than his league rival.

The Swedes, however, sliced into the U.S. lead in the 73rd minute when Daniel Nannskog buried a header past Perkins and into the back of the net.

Kljestan, though, gave the Americans a two-goal edge seconds later. On their next trip into the Swedes' defensive third, Brian Ching took a long ball and deftly settled it near the top of the penalty area. Ching slipped a pass to Kljestan who easily beat Johan Dahlin to complete his hat trick.

Sweden made it close at the death, however, when Mikael Dahlberg scored on a free header in the 89th minute.

Ultimately, though the U.S. held on even as Cooper failed to score on a late breakaway.