U.S. Soccer focused on Gold Cup

The information from U.S. Soccer referred to an "inexperienced lineup" and the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup as "more important."

Sorry, but the U.S. national team was playing World Cup champion Spain before 64,121 Saturday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., and its 4-0 loss can't be treated as an afterthought.

"Spain is a great team," understated U.S. coach Bob Bradley. "It's a tough test to play against them at any time and it becomes even tougher on the eve of the Gold Cup. It's what the game at the highest level is all about. It's the best way for our team to improve."

The last time the United States played Spain was at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa, and the Americans scored a spectacular, 2-0 victory, ending Spain's 35-game international unbeaten streak. Six players who played that night were in Bradley's lineup Saturday, and the rest of the U.S. team included players who play professionally in England, Germany and Scotland.

What inexperience?

The Spaniards used five Real Madrid players, three from just-crowned UEFA Champions League king Barcelona, and three from English Premier League teams.

Santa Cazorla (Villareal) scored two goals, Alvaro Negrado (Sevilla), and Fernando Torres, who could not buy a goal this past season for either Liverpool or Chelsea, each scored once.

"We got our butts kicked," said U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, who will face the Union with Everton at PPL Park in July. "If we win the Gold Cup in a couple of weeks, nobody will remember this."

And who do you think will remember anything about the Gold Cup?

Danny Mwanga was in the game for just 8 minutes when his 22-yard screamer provided the Union with a 1-1 tie at defending MLS champion Colorado Rapids on Saturday, keeping the Union (6-3-3) in first place in the league's Eastern Division. Next up is Real Salt Lake - not to be confused with Real Madrid, which the Union plays in July - at PPL Park Saturday.

The Independence (2-2-3) battled to a 0-0 tie with WPS cellar-dweller Atlanta Saturday at Widener.

Lauren Cheney's goal in the first minute of stoppage time gave the U.S. women a 1-0 win over Mexico yesterday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. The Americans' next game will be with South Korea at the women's World Cup in Germany on June 28.