U.S. men

McBride puts away pair of Ralston feeds to beat Martinique 2-0, advance in Gold Cup.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Monday, July 14, 2003) -- Striker Brian McBride put away a pair of passes from midfielder Steve Ralston within a four-minute span late in the first half, sending the United States to a 2-0 victory over Martinique and the Gold Cup quarterfinals before 8,780 at Gillette Stadium tonight.

The U.S. finished 2-0 in Group C and is 16-0 all-time in Gold Cup group play. The Americans will play the Group D runnerup here Saturday at 3 p.m. with Costa Rica, Canada and Cuba the possible opponents.

"Obviously Brian McBride was the star of match with his two goals," said U.S. coach Bruce Arena hose team has not allowed a goal in the last 428 minutes. Steve Ralston also did extremely well with his service. We were a bit sloppy in the second half, I think due to the physicality of the game, a lack of sharpness and a little bit of fatigue. We've been through this before, and the objective is just to get through to the next round. We are just happy to be in a position to be playing on Saturday in the quarterfinals."

Three U.S. players reached career milestones. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who is 17-0-4 in his last 21 starts, tied Tony Meola for the most career shutouts with 32, including six straight in the Gold Cup, dating back to January 21, 2002.

"It's not important, but it's nice, especially since it took only took me 64 games," Keller said. "But I think the defense has always played extremely well in front of me. I had no idea I was even close until the game in Seattle (March 29). Until then I didn't' even know how many caps I had. Now that it's there, I'm proud. I'm proud of my career that I've had with the national team."

McBride's two tallies moved him into third-place all-time, giving him 23 career goals, two more than Bruce Murray on the U.s. scoring list. Joe-Max Moore is second with 24. Also, defender Frankie Hejduk made his 50th appearance with the team.

The U.S. controlled play for the majority of the match, outshooting Martinique 13-3, not allowing a shot in the first half.

After quietly possessing for the first 18 minutes, the U.S. had two solid scoring chances when defender Bobby Convey and midfielder Eddie Lewis worked an overlap down the left side to win a pair of corner kicks. In the 19th minute, Lewis won a corner and took it himself, sending the ball to Ralston, who headed it over the crossbar from about 12 yards. Three minutes later, Convey won a corner that was sent in to defender Carlos Bocanegra who was making a near post run. He connected with a diving header that was cleared just outside the post by a defender.

The U.S. thought it had taken a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute when forward Landon Donovan won a ball at the top of the Martinique penalty box. He carried in and finished with a low shot far post, but referee Roberto Moreno ruled Donovan had fouled the defender as he stripped him.

The U.S. continued to control the pace and in the 36th minute. McBride cleared the Martinique back line on the left side of the U.S. attack, and dropped the ball to Donovan who ripped a shot from the top of the box that was blocked by a defender.

Three minutes later, the U.S. possession finally paid off. Bocanegra switched the ball to the right side of midfield to Hejduk who played the ball down the line to Ralston. About 35 yards from the end line, Ralston played a combination with Richard Mulrooney that freed Ralston deep into the right corner.

Ralston, a late replacement on the roster because Josh Wolff was hurt, then drilled a low cross that found McBride streaking to the near post. McBride scored with a header inside the left post, giving keeper Eddy Heurlie no chance to prevent the U.S. from going up 1-0 in the 39th minute.

"Steve Ralston has been serving great balls, and it just so happens I get to try and get on the end of them," McBride said. "Eddie Lewis had been playing great, and having Claudio (Reyna) back has really helped everyone on the whole team. Hopefully things will continue to get better."

The U.S. padded its lead four minutes later with Ralston assisting a McBride goal for the third time in the Gold Cup. A long cross from the left found Ralston on the far side of the 18-yard box. Ralston waited to draw a defender before toe-poking the ball to McBride who finished with his right foot to the near post from about the same spot as his opening tally for a 2-0 advantage.

"I think it's a lot easier running in front of the goal when you know that the player on the ball is going to deliver it there," Arena said. "That's one of the things that Steve Ralston has demonstrated in the first two games here."

McBride, already with eight career Gold Cup goals, nearly notched a first-half hat trick in stoppage time. Lewis found space on the left side and slid a cross on the ground to McBride at the far post. Heurlie made the sliding save on the point-blank strike.

The second half was much of the same story, with the U.S. un complete control.

Lewis created a chance for the U.S. in the 49th minute when he took advantage of space on the left side. He found Donovan in the middle of the box for a header that sailed high over the crossbar. Six minutes later, Lewis was at it again, taking space on the left side. This time he dribbled in and shot far post on the ground. The shot was deflected by a defender before Heurlie made a diving stop.

In the 51st minute, Martinique managed its first shot and only credible scoring chance. Gorden forced Convey off the ball about 40 yards from goal and went in alone on goal. As Convey caught up to him at the top of the box, Gorden shot, but Keller sent it over the bar with a quick reaction save.

The action slowed for the next 20 minutes with the U.S. managing just two shots. In the 76th minute, Ralston sent a dangerous cross from the right which Donovan sent over the bar with his head.

The best U.S. shot of the second half came in the 85th minute on a set piece. Stewart took the restart from far in the left corner and the ball was punched out by Heurlie to Hejduk about 25 yards from frame. Hejduk then blasted a dipping shot over the traffic inside the box with a back-pedaling Heurlie making the save.

In the 89th minute, midfielder Yann Girier-Dufournier was sent off for Martinique after picking up his second caution of the match with a hard foul on Donovan at the top of the penalty area. Stewart drilled the ensuing free kick into the five-man wall.

Martinique recorded on final shot in the second minute of extra time when midfielder Miguel Duragrin took a low, turnaround shot from the top of the box that Keller saved with a dive to his right.

Referee: Roberto Moreno (Panama). Assistant referees: Rafael Herrera (Mexico), Roberto Alcantara (Dominican Republic) Attendance: 8,780 at Gillette Stadium at Foxborough, Mass. Weather: Clear, 67 degrees.