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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 11:38 a.m., Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Beckham helps lead England over United States 2-0

By MATTIAS KAREN
AP Sports Writer

WEMBLEY, England — David Beckham is doing his best to dazzle American soccer fans with his precision free kicks. He also is making sure they don't forget about them back in England.

Beckham's perfect curling ball set up John Terry for the go-ahead goal in the 38th minute, and England outclassed the United States 2-0 in an exhibition game at Wembley.

While England may not have been good enough to qualify for the 16-team European Championship next month, it easily dispatched the Americans on the world's most famous soccer field.

Steven Gerrard scored the second goal in the 59th minute off a through-ball from Gareth Barry that exposed the U.S. defense. With 10 minutes to go, England's long-suffering fans were belting out choruses of "God Save the Queen."

The match drew 71,233 to Wembley, the lowest figure in any of England's eight games at the 90,000-capacity arena, which opened in 2007 following years of reconstruction.

The United States, whose five-match unbeaten streak ended, dropped to 2-7 against the English, winning at the 1950 World Cup and in a 1993 exhibition game at Foxborough, Mass. This matchup came three years to the day after England's 2-1 win at Chicago's Soldier Field.