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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 3:18 p.m., Wednesday, March 26, 2008

SOCCER
U.S. men's soccer team shuts out Poland, 3-0

By RYAN LUCAS
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

United States players, including Hale'iwa's Brian Ching (11), celebrate after Oguchi Onyewu (22) scored a goal during the friendly soccer game between Poland and the United States.

ALIK KEPLICZ | Associated Press

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KRAKOW, Poland — Carlos Bocanegra and Oguchi Onyewu headed in first-half goals, substitute Eddie Lewis scored in the second half, and the United States beat Poland 3-0 in an exhibition game tonight.

Hale'iwa's Brian Ching, a Kamehameha alum, started for the United States at forward.

The three-goal margin of victory was the largest for the Americans in Europe since a 3-0 victory over Austria in 1998. Since that match in Vienna, the U.S. team is 4-14-3 in Europe, defeating Poland three times and Switzerland last October. This marked the first time the Americans won consecutive games on European soil.

Landon Donovan, making his 99th international appearance, set up the first two goals. His free kick was headed in by Bocanegra in the 12th minute, and Donovan curled in a corner kick in the 35th minute to Onyewu, who scored in his second straight international game.

Lewis scored on a left-footed free kick in the 73rd minute.

Donovan touched a ball past defender Grzegorz Bronowicki four minutes into the second half and raced unmarked on goal but sent a right-footed shot from just inside the penalty area wide right.

Poland, grouped with Germany, Austria and Croatia at June's European Championship, struggled to find gaps in the U.S. defense. The best Poland chance came in the 56th, when substitute Radoslaw Matusiak danced through a host of defenders to fire a hard drive that goalkeeper Tim Howard punched over the crossbar.