US employs fast start to finish off Grenada

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada -- The United States advanced in World Cup qualifying yesterday with a 3-2 victory over Grenada on a soggy field.

Landon Donovan, Josh Wolff and DaMarcus Beasley scored for the US, which moves into the CONCACAF qualifying semifinals beginning in August. The US, ranked ninth in the world, won the opener of the home-and-home series, 3-0, in Columbus, Ohio, last week.

The US next will play in a four-team qualifying group with Jamaica, El Salvador, and Panama. The US is at Jamaica Aug. 18, hosts El Salvador at Gillette Stadium Sept. 4, and is at Panama Sept. 8. The top two teams will advance to a final six-team group from which three teams will qualify for the 2006 World Cup tournament in Germany, while a fourth team will face an Asian team for a berth in the 32-team field. Playing on a waterlogged field, the US pressed the attack, scoring in the seventh minute when Donovan put a shot into the lower right side.

Grenada tied it on a penalty kick six minutes later. Jason Roberts beat Kasey Keller for the goal.

Wolff gave the US the lead for good when he scored following a corner kick in the 23d minute. Beasley made it 3-1 in the 79th minute, only to see Ricky Charles score for Grenada a minute later.