FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — After allowing three goals in a 13-minute span, United States goalkeeper Tim Howard pounded his hands on his thighs in frustration.
And there was still another half to go.
“When you get knocked down, you see what you’re made of,” Howard said Saturday after World Cup champion Spain overwhelmed the U.S. 4-0 in a soccer exhibition that the Americans used to tune up for the Gold Cup. “I put it behind me. When you play the best team in the world, they can make you look silly at times.”
Santi Cazorla scored twice as Spain avenged a loss in the semifinals of the 2009 Confederations Cup, when the Americans won 2-0 to snap top-ranked Spain’s 35- match winning streak. Alvaro Negredo and Fernando Torres also scored for Spain, which started just six of the 11 players it began the World Cup final with last July.
It was the most one-sided loss for the Americans since a 5-0 defeat to Mexico in the 2009 Gold Cup final.
“We choose always to take these kinds of challenges, play these kinds of teams, because we feel it’s the best way to improve,” U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. “Look, when you challenge yourselves against the best teams, you have to accept that this is the way it’s going to be sometimes.”
Hall of Famer Johnson dies
TRACY, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers said in a release that Hall of Fame running back John Henry Johnson died Friday. He was 81.
Johnson, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 after a 14-season NFL career, was a member of the “Million Dollar Backfield,” Johnson played three seasons for the 49ers (1954- 56). A four-time Pro Bowler (1954, 1962-64), Johnson’s 6,803 career yards rushing trailed only Jim Brown, Jim Taylor and former 49er Joe Perry upon his retirement in 1966.
Georgia teams in NCAA final
STILLWATER, Okla. — Carter Newman birdied the first playoff hole to beat Oklahoma State’s Sean Einhaus and lift defending champion Augusta State into an all-Georgia final round at the NCAA men’s golf tournament.
Augusta State claimed a 3-2 victory in the match-play semifinal, beating the powerhouse Cowboys in a rematch of last year’s final. The Jaguars will face Georgia in today’s championship. The Bulldogs beat Duke 3-2.
Storm begins defense in style
SEATTLE — Sue Bird scored 13 points and handed out 10 assists, Camille Little led Seattle with 18 points and the defending WNBA champion Storm opened the 2011 season with a 78-71 win over of the Phoenix Mercury.
• Tina Charles had 18 points and six rebounds as the host Connecticut Sun beat the Washington Mystics 89-73.
• Katie Douglas had 19 points and seven rebounds as the host Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky 65-57.
• Sophia Young scored 20 points, Becky Hammon added 18 and the host San Antonio Silver Stars beat the Tulsa Shock 93-73.
