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Posted at 7:06 a.m., Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Soccer: Donovan goes for U.S. career scoring record

By STEPHAN NASSTROM
AP Sports Writer

GOTEBORG, Sweden — Landon Donovan could become the United States' career scoring leader when the Americans play Sweden in an exhibition game.

The 25-year-old forward is tied with Eric Wynalda with 34 goals for the national team. He also could break U.S. records for goals and points in a year. Donovan's nine goals equal the mark set by Wynalda in 1996, and his 21 points match Cobi Jones' output in 2000.

Up to 13 players from the United States' CONCACAF Gold Cup squad could be in uniform tomorrow night at Ullevi Stadium. The Americans won the tournament in June, beating Mexico in the final in Chicago.

The U.S. is 10-1-3 in 2007, and coach Bob Bradley is making his first trip to Europe with the team.

"We have two big goals," he said. "To challenge some experienced players to take bigger roles _ players like Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and DaMarcus Beasley _ and to get young players into the side _ players like Benny Feilhaber, Jonathan Bornstein and Michael Bradley."

European-based players make up all but three men on the United States' roster, with Donovan, defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni of the Colorado Rapids and defender Jonathan Bornstein of Chivas USA being the exceptions. Eight members of the U.S. squad play in England and four in Germany.

Sal Zizzo, a 20-year-old forward, is making his first international appearance with the national team.

The U.S. played its first official game in Sweden in 1916 _ an exhibition at Olympic Stadium in Stockholm that the Americans won 3-2.

This will be the sixth meeting between the countries. Sweden leads 3-2 edge, although the U.S. won the last game 1-0 in Orlando, Fla., in 1998.

The Swedes have won six times in seven games in European Championship qualifying. This will be their last tuneup before meeting archrival Denmark in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Stockholm on Sept. 8.

Sweden leads Group F just past the halfway mark of the qualifying phase, three points ahead of Spain and five ahead of Northern Ireland.

Sweden is trying to snap a 12-game winless streak in exhibitions. It is 0-6-6 since beating the Czech Republic in late 2005.

"I think it's always better to win games," Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said. "But it seems the results in those friendlies don't seem to be that important because we've managed quite well in competitive matches."