US surprises, upsets Spain

The US soccer team is in the final of the Confederations Cup, beating mighty Spain, 2-0.

Even more stunning, the Americans were on the verge of elimination and ready to head home last weekend before a reversal of fortune. Yesterday, goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey led to an upset of the planet’s top-ranked team.

Call it a miracle on grass - maybe not the World Cup, but still an American soccer echo of the US hockey team’s upset of the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

By winning, the maligned US advanced to its first men’s FIFA final since starting play in 1916.

Altidore scored in the 27th minute and Dempsey added a goal in the 74th as the Americans became the first team to defeat Spain since Romania in November 2006.

“It goes to show what hard work and commitment to each other can bring,’’ said US goalkeeper Tim Howard, who made eight saves as he frustrated David Villa and Fernando Torres. “Sometimes football is a funny thing.’’

Now the US will play defending champion Brazil or host South Africa in Sunday’s final, which concludes a two-week tournament designed to prepare the organizers of next year’s World Cup.

“Regardless of whether we play Brazil or the Bafana Bafana, the challenge will be great,’’ US coach Bob Bradley said.

Midfielder Michael Bradley, son of the US coach, will miss the final. He received a red card for a late challenge in the 87th minute, the third American ejection of the tournament.

Still, American players had much to celebrate, given how slim the chances of such a US victory seemed just a few days ago. Or any victory, for that matter. The 14th-ranked Americans were soundly defeated in their first two games in this event.

“I think it just shows that we can compete with the best. Now we need to do it on a consistent basis,’’ US captain Carlos Bocanegra said.

Spain, the European champion, had set an international record with 15 straight victories and had tied Brazil’s record unbeaten streak of 35 games from December 1993 to January 1996.

“This is an accident, a little step backward,’’ Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. “We have to look forward with optimism.’’

Altidore got the first goal when he outmuscled Joan Capdevila, his teammate on Spain’s Villarreal, to send an 18-yard shot in off the hand of goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

“I told him, ‘Be careful of the USA.’ And he tried to say I didn’t understand Spanish, so it was just all fun and games,’’ Altidore said. “We’re teammates and we were just messing around with each other a little bit, but in the end we had the last laugh.’’

Dempsey sealed the victory, scoring from 6 yards when he pounced on Landon Donovan’s cross, which had bounced off Gerard Pique and the foot of Sergio Ramos.

“There will ups and downs in any cycle,’’ US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said. “I think this tournament makes that point very clearly. Tonight was a very big up.’’

The US opened the tournament with a 3-1 loss to world champion Italy, then was outclassed by South American champ Brazil in a 3-0 defeat. The Americans advanced over the Italians on the second tiebreaker - total goals - only by beating Egypt, 3-0, Sunday as Brazil defeated the Azzurri by the same score.