Donovan’s score lifts U.S. team

Landon Donovan saved the United States from a shocking result.

Donovan scored the go-ahead goal on a free kick in the 88th minute, and the United States rallied to beat Cuba 4-1 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Thursday night at Seattle.

Donovan was tackled just outside the penalty box by Cuba’s Silvio Pedro Minoso. He then curled the free kick around the wall and past Cuban keeper Odelin Molina.

Two minutes later, DeMarcus Beasley scored, and Donovan netted another goal in injury time on a pass from Beasley that made the score look far more lopsided than the competition.

Donovan scored four goals in the last meeting with Cuba, a 5-0 U.S. win in the Gold Cup quarterfinals in 2003.

The United States improved to 17-0-0 all-time in group play of the Gold Cup, the championship of soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean region that is played every two years.

Lester More scored in the 18th minute for Cuba, the first goal for the Cubans against the United States since Sept. 21, 1949. The teams have played just four times since. The United States beat Cuba 5-0 in their last meeting – the 2003 Gold Cup quarterfinals.

The U.S. team will play Canada on Saturday afternoon. The Canadians lost to Costa Rica, which will face Cuba, also on Saturday.

Despite controlling play at the offensive end all night and having numerous scoring chances, Clint Dempsey was the only American to score until the final minutes.

Dempsey’s goal was his second international tally, and came in the 45th minute.

The U.S. team outshot Cuba 17-5.

•In the early match, Jafet Soto converted a hooking, left-footed penalty kick in the 30th minute and Costa Rica held on for a 1-0 win over Canada, which missed an open net in injury time.