BRUCE ARENAOn the overall performance from the U.S.:''I thought it was a good game for us today. Beasley's goal was big, since the Polish team was putting us under a lot of pressure early in the game. They also put us under a lot of pressure in the last 15 minutes, and Friedel made two big saves for us. I was pleased with the way our team played. We were very composed and did a good job in the last 20 minutes to kill off the game and get the win. I also want to make a point to …

DaMarcus Beasley scored in the 26th minute to give the United States a 1-0 victory over Poland for its first victory of 2004 and its first victory in Europe since 1998.Beasley scored his fifth in 31 international appearances, finishing a nice combination passing play from Josh Wolff and Conor Casey, the lone player making his U.S. debut.Ggoalkeeper Brad Friedel picked up his 24th career shutout, returning to the U.S. nets for the first time since his 2002 World Cup heroics. The victory avenged a 3-1 loss to Poland at the 2002 World Cup.''I thought it was a good game for …

POLAND vs. USA Wednesday, March 31 in Plock, Poland ESPN2 (live) 1:30 pm ET/10:30 am PTThe USA plays its fourth game of 2004, Wednesday in Poland. The Poles beat the USA, 3-1, in their final group game of the 2002 World Cup. Poland had already been eliminated at that point and the USA advanced to the second round despite the loss thanks to a South Korean victory over Portugal.* NO U.S. WIN YET IN 2004. In its three games so far in 2004, all friendlies, the USA tied Denmark (1-1), lost the Netherlands (0-1) and tied Haiti (1-1)* DEFENDER OUT. …

Brad Friedel and Blackburn lost a crucial match in their fight against relegation from the English Premier League. Conor Casey scored twice in Germany, but lost at home. Daniel Hernandez scored his first Mexican League goal, but was ejected in a 2-2 tie with Puebla. ENGLAND* Brian McBride (Fulham, PL) at Manchester City, 0-0. Entered as a substitute: 70th minute. The Sun rating (1 low; 10 high): 6. Season league stats: 8 games, 1 goal. Fulham is in 9th place.* Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, PL) at Manchester City, 0-0. Started: 90 minutes. The Sun rating (1 low; 10 high): 5. Season …

First Round, First LegMarch 26Dominica (Casmir 88) Bahamas (Horton 66).First Round, Second LegMarch 27Surinam 8 (Kinsaini 6, 49, Loswijk 14, Felter 18, 65, 66, Sandvliet 42, Zinhagel 90) Aruba 1 (Escalona 24).(Suriname wins 10-2 on aggregate.)Cuba 3 (More 5, 50, 66) Cayman Islands 0.(Cuba wins 5-1 on aggregate.)March 28St. Lucia 9 (Emmanuel pen. 13, pen. 71, 72, Joseph 23, Jean 28, Skeete 47, 55, Elva 53, Baptiste 90) British Virgin Islands 0.(St. Lucia wins 10-0 on aggregate.)Bahamas 1 (Jean 69) Dominica 3 (Casmir 38, 86, Peters 85).(Dominica wins 4-2 on aggregate.)

March 23Colorado 4 Univ. of Denver 0Dallas 2 SMU 2March 24Charleston Battery 1 Columbus 3Wilmington Hammerheads 0 D.C. United 1March 25Los Angeles 1 Syracuse Salty Dogs 2March 27Columbus 0 D.C. United 0Dallas 1 Chicago 0Los Angeles 1 Kansas City 0 MetroStars 2 Colorado 2New Orleans Shell Shockers 2 New England 6

Former Rutgers University standout Denise Reddy played the full 90 minutes as Swedish power Malmo FF held German champion FFC Frankfurt to a 0-0 tie Sunday in the first leg of the UEFA Women's Cup semifinals.Reddy teamed with Swedish national-teamer Karolina Westberg in central defense as Malmo -- one of two Swedish clubs in Europe's final four -- shut down a Frankfurt lineup starring four German World Cup champions, including former WUSA stars Birgit Prinz and Sandra Minnert. The second leg will be played April 11 in Frankfurt. The game drew 2,150 fans to the Idrottsplats in Malmo.Defending champion Umea …

GERMANY* Julie Augustyniak (FFC Turbine Potsdam, D1), vs. FFC Brauweiler Pulheim, Sunday. Season league stats: 2 games, 1 goal.* Nancy Augustyniak (FFC Turbine Potsdam, D1), vs. FFC Brauweiler Pulheim, Sunday. Season league stats: 3 games, 0 goals.* Dianne Garza (SC 07 Bad Neuenahr, D1), vs. VfL Wolfsburg, Sunday. Season league stats: 0 games, 0 goals.* Tracey Winzen (VfL Wolfsburg, D1), at SC 07 Bad Neuenahr, Sunday. Season league stats: 2 games, 1 goal.SWEDEN (UEFA Women's Cup)* Denise Reddy (Malmo FF, D1) vs. FFC Frankfurt (Germany, D1), Sunday. UEFA Women's Cup stats: 5 games, 0 goals.

ENGLAND* Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, PL), at Man. City, Saturday(TV: Fox Sports World, delay, noon ET, repeat, 11 p.m. ET; Monday, Fox Sports Espanol, tape, 3 pm ET).Season league stats: 6 games.* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL), vs. Portsmouth, Saturday.Season league stats: 29 games; 1 goal.* Tim Howard (Man. United, PL), at Arsenal, Sunday (TV: Closed-circuit/PPV, live, 10 a.m. ET).Season league stats: 27 games.* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL), at Southamtpon, Saturday.Season league stats: 29 games.* Brian McBride (Fulham, PL), at Man. City, Saturday (TV: Fox Sports World, delay, noon ET, repeat, 11 p.m. ET; Monday, Fox Sports Espanol, tape, 3 pm ET).Season …

March 23Colorado 4 Univ. of Denver 0Dallas 2 SMU 2March 24Chicago 4 San Juan Jabloteh (Trin. & Tob.) 0, CONCACAF Champions CupCharleston Battery 1 Columbus 3, Carolina Challenge CupWilmington Hammerheads 0 D.C. United 1, Carolina Challenge CupSan Jose 1 Alajuela (Costa Rica) 0, CONCACAF Champions CupMarch 25Los Angeles 1 Syracuse Salty Dogs 2, Cary Pro Kickoff InvitationalMarch 27Columbus vs. D.C. United, Carolina Challenge CupDallas vs. Chicago in Ridgeland, Miss.Kansas City vs. Los Angeles, Cary Pro Kickoff InvitationalMetroStars vs. Colorado in San Antonio, TexasNew England at New Orleans Shell Shockers

March 24 in ChicagoChicago (USA) 4 San Juan Jabloteh (T&T) 0.(Chicago wins, 6-5, on aggregate)Goals: Ralph 42 Selolwane 51, 62, Armas 90.Chicago -- Ring, Whitfield, Curtin, Brown, Armas, Pause (Selolwane, 46), Williams (Gray, 92+), Mapp, Beasley, Ralph, Jaqua.San Juan Jabloteh -- Williams, Daniel, Elcock, C.Gray, I.Gray, Baptiste (Primus, 40), Eve (Peter, 66), Noel, Glenn, Noray (Bailey, 55), Whitley.Referee: Olger Mejia (CRC) Att.: 6,143March 24 in San Jose, Calif.San Jose (USA) 1 Alajuela (Costa Rica) 0.(Alajuela wins, 3-1, on aggregate)Goal: Mullan 90.San Jose -- Onstad,Waibel, Agoos, Dayak, Corrales, Mullan, Ekelund, Mulrooney, Alvarez,De Rosario, Walker (Ching, 61).Alajuela -- Gonzalez, Marin, Sirias, Chinchilla, …

The San Jose Earthquakes hit the crossbar twice and forced Alajuela goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez to make several spectacular saves while managing only a 1-0 win, which gave the Costa Ricans a 3-1 aggregate victory and a spot in the semifinals, where they will meet Mexico's Monterrey.San Jose forward Landon Donovan did not dress for Wednesday's game in San Jose, Calif., because of flu-like symptoms.Arturo Alvarez and Ramiro Corrales hit the crossbar while Dwayne De Rosario was denied by Gonzalez and had a goalward shot cleared by a defender, as did Brian Mullan.Mullan scored San Jose's goal in the 90th minute …

The Chicago Fire earned a CONCACAF Champions League semifinal spot with a 4-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago's San Juan Jabloteh. The four-goal win in Chicago followed last week's 5-2 San Juan victory and gave the Fire a 6-5 win on aggregate.Dispy Selolwane scored twice and assisted on the 90th-minute Chris Armas goal that decided the series.The Fire scored its four goals after the 36th minute ejection of San Juan Jabloteh's Ian Gray.Gray was ejected for a late shoulder challenge on Nate Jaqua that sent him into the Soldier Field wall and onto the concrete that rings the field.2003 MLS …

Coach Bruce Arena has named nine foreign-based and 10 MLS players to his 19-man roster for a March 31 friendly against Poland in Plock, Poland (1:30 pm ET, live on ESPN2).Included in a U.S. roster for the first time since the 2002 World Cup is goalkeeper Brad Friedel.''With the crowded club schedule and the approach of the MLS season, we are fortunate to assemble a group of players like this,ö said Arena, who is still looking for his first win in Europe since becoming U.S. coach in 1998. öItÆs always a great benefit to get as much of our team …

Tim Howard's honeymoon at Manchester United officially ended this weekend as coach Alex Ferguson has decided to go with Roy Carroll for the time being. Carroll played well in a 3-0 United bashing of Kasey Keller and Tottenham.Brad Friedel, meanwhile, blanked Aston Villa in an important 2-0 road victory for Blackburn that puts Rovers four points clear of the relegation zone. In Germany, Gregg Berhalter's club, Energie Cottbus, moved into first place in the Second Division with a 2-1 victory over Karlsruhe, whose goal came from Conor Casey. Clint Mathis set up a goal in Hannover's 2-2 tie with Schalke. …