U.S. men

Bocanegra header is enough for 1-1 draw with Poland.

CHICAGO (Sunday, July 11, 2004) -- Defender Carlos Bocanegra snapped home a header two minutes from time, salvaging a 1-1 draw for the United States men in their friendly against Poland before 39,529 at Soldier Field tonight.

Bocanegra's heroics, the end result of midfielder Landon Donovan's corner kick, came 12 minutes later after Poland striker Piotr Wlodarczyk converted U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard's muff into a 1-0 lead.

The large crowd enthusiastically cheered both teams, but Chicago's large Polish population was well-represented and partisan at times. "It was good if you're from Poland," U.S. manager Bruce Arena joked. "It's good practice for qualifying."

The match was the last for the U.S. before it starts the semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. The Americans are undefeated in their last seven outings, going 5-0-2, but they failed to give Arena his 50th coaching victory. Arena is the winningest U.S. coach at 49-23-19 (.643) since assuming the helm in late 1998.

In the 88th minute, reserve defender Chris Albright earned a corner kick for the U.S. when his attempted shot from 12 yards was deflected by Poland over its end line. Donovan sent the corner to the top right of the six-yard box where Bocangrea, having separated himself from his marker Tomasz Jarzebowski, elevated to nod his shot from eight yards out to the far post.

Reserve Michal Golinski was perfectly positioned at the left post to stop the equalizer, but as Bocanegra's shot flew to his feet, the Polish midfielder botched his attempt for a left-footed clearance and instead had the ball go through his legs for a 1-1 tie.

"I thought it was going to squirt through his legs and I'm just glad no one was there to kick it out," Bocanegra said of his fifth goal in his 26th international appearance. "It was nice. I didn't have such a great clearance on their goal. I didn't completely see it, so it was nice to get one back and make it even."

The U.S. was primed to take a lead in the 11th minute after midfielder DaMarcus Beasley sent a pass into the left side of the penalty area for wide-open striker Josh Wolff. Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc raced out and Wolff went flying as the ball rolled away with Canadian referee Silvio Petrescu ruling a foul and awarding a penalty kick. Television replays showed Boruc made little, if any contact with Wolff.

Striker Brian McBride seemed a bit too casual in taking the penalty, pushing it just inside the right post with Boruc extending himself to make the save.

"It means that the game was 0-0 instead of 1-0," Arena said. "You know, if it is 1-0, Poland can't sit back with nine men behind the ball. I think it had an impact for them, but not for us. You make 80-90 percent of penalty kicks, so maybe we'll make the next eight or nine in a row."

Donovan came close to putting the U.S. ahead in the 58th minute. Beasley danced through and around four defenders on the left flank before changing the ball to Donovan on the right side. Donovan carried to the top right center of the box where he triggered an 18-yarder that would have slipped inside the left post had Boruc not stretched out to deflect the shot at the last second with his right hand.

"Poland came out and played hard, but like I said I think we dominated and had most of the play," Bocanegra said. The crowd "was great. It was almost like an away crowd and we get that everywhere, it seems, but it was an awesome crowd and a great atmosphere."

In the 76th minute, the U.S. defense broke down and Poland went ahead 1-0. Midfielder Marcin Burkhardt took a pass on the left flank and delivered a pass to just above the penalty spot. Retreating, Bocanegra stopped the ball with his left heel, leaving it for Golinski 16 yards out. Golinski drilled a low shot that Bocanegra blocked three yards out, the ball caroming into the left corner.

Poland midfielder Marcin Burkhardt chased the ball down at the end line and quickly centered, the ball going just beyond the foot of the backtracking American defender Eddie Pope. Howard, perhaps distracted by the sliding Pope, could only manage to stick out his right hand, knocking the ball down. Wlodarczyk was right there to promptly punch a right-footer into the right corner. U.S. defender Bobby Convey went feet first into the net, but failed in his effort to keep the ball out.

"I don't think the Poles were much of a threat during the game and they did well on the goal, making something out of that," Arena said.

While neither team produced many dangerous chances, the U.S. outshot Poland 15-7, but only 5-3 on frame. "We had a lot of chances to get a win from Josh Wolff, Brian McBride and Landon Donovan, and you could be critical (of not finishing the chances), but I feel good about the way we played," Arena said.

There was only one member of tonight's Poland side that was on the roster when the two teams met March 31 in Plock, Poland, a game the U.S. won 1-0. None of tonight's players were on Poland's 2002 World Cup team and few, if any, are expected to play an important role when Poland soon starts Cup qualifying

"Give our opponent credit. They played hard and stuck to a good game plan," Arena said. "We could be at fault for not finishing all of our opportunities, but at least we got a point out of this. The Polish goalkeeper was the player of the game for them. They defended well and the keeper had a heck of a game."

U.S. midfielders Eddie Gaven and Brian Mullan both made their first international appearances.

The Americans start the next round of World Cup qualifying August 18 against Jamaica at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Panama and El Salvador are the other opponents in the four-nation, six-match round robin in which the top two teams advance to the six-nation final round.

Compiled by Gary Davidson

Referee: Silvio Petrescu (Canada). Assistant referees: Amado DeLuca (Canada), Zoran Kristo (Canada). Attendance: 39,529 at Soldier Field in Chicago. Weather: Mostly cloudy, 80 degrees.