US beat Denmark 3-1 to give new coach big win

CARSON, California, Jan 21 (Reuters) The United States beat Denmark 3-1 in a friendly to give new coach Bob Bradley a win on his debut.

The game was the first for the US since their early exit at the World Cup seven months ago and it was their first win in five attempts against the Danes.

''It was a good way to start the year,'' Bradley told a news conference. ''A number of guys got a first chance to play for the United States and they all responded very well. There were some nerves in the first half for sure.'' The match, played in front of 10,048 spectators on an unusually frosty afternoon at the Home Depot Center just south of Los Angeles yesterday, featured players almost entirely from the US and Danish leagues as the top talent playing in the bigger European leagues was unavailable.

Denmark took the lead in the 37th minute when Dennis Sorensen escaped the attentions of US defender Jimmy Conrad to head home a Simon Busk Poulson cross.

Landon Donovan got the equaliser a minute before the break, cracking a penalty through the hands of goalkeeper Jesper Christiansen. It was Donovan's first goal in 18 matches dating back to July 2005.

Defender Jonathan Bornstein beat his marker and tapped in a fine cross from Justin Mapp in the 57th minute to put the US 2-1 up before Kenny Cooper, like Bornstein earning his first cap, made it 3-1 with a breakaway goal in the 79th minute.

Bradley, 48, was named interim coach in December after the US spent months trying to hire their first choice Juergen Klinsmann, the former Germany coach who lives just a short drive south of the Home Depot Center in southern California.

When the talks ultimately failed, Bradley was named as interim coach to succeed Bruce Arena, forced out after eight years in the job after a disappointing World Cup.

''To see the team step on the field with a good mentality, good energy and respond well to being down 1-0 is a good sign,'' added Bradley, who was 2006 coach of the year in the US Major League Soccer (MLS) and hopes to make his new job permanent.

Denmark coach Morton Olsen said it had been a good test and that for the most part he was satisfied with the performance.

''I don't want to lose but I can live with this. This was our B team. We only had two A team players,'' he said.

Reuters PM GC0919