CARSON, Calif. -- Sacha Kljestan had a hat trick as the United States national team beat Sweden 3-2 in an international friendly at The Home Depot Center on Saturday night.
Kljestan, who spent a week in Scotland on trial with Celtic, scored on a free kick in the 16th minute and converted a penalty kick in the 40th minute and added a late insurance goal moments after Sweden scored.
The game helped the U.S. open its busy 2009 calendar with a triumph and now the Red, White and Blue will focus on their World Cup qualifying match against Mexico at Columbus Crew Stadium on Feb. 11.
U.S. coach Bob Bradley started seven players from Major League Soccer, including Kljestan, whom Bradley drafted fifth overall in the 2006 SuperDraft while Bradley coached Chivas USA. Also starting was Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein, another Bradley draft choice from that year.
Of the four foreign-based starters, three others plied their trade in MLS before heading to the Old World: former D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins, former Galaxy and Earthquakes defender Danny Califf and ex-Revs standout Michael Parkhurst.
All told, three players made their U.S. national team debut: Perkins, Columbus' Robbie Rogers and Real Salt Lake's Chris Wingert, who came off the bench late in the second half.
From the onset, the United States controlled the match. The Americans dictated terms by controlling the possession and kept the Swedes on their heels.
Still, the U.S. had nothing to show for their efforts until just after the quarter-hour mark. After the U.S. earned a free kick from 34 yards out, Kljestan stepped up to take it. Kljestan ripped a shot and buried the ball in the upper left corner of the net, past the outstretched arms of Swede goalkeeper Johan Dahlin.
With five minutes remaining in the first half, Toronto FC defender Marvell Wynne was taken down inside the penalty area. As soon as referee Silviu Petrescu pointed to the spot, Kljestan picked up the ball and walked over to position himself to take the kick. After the whistle, Kljestan ran up to the ball and slammed it on the open right side of the net as Dahlin dived to the left.
The goal marked the first time an U.S. player scored his first two national team goals in the same game since Frank Klopas, now the Chicago Fire's technical director, scored a pair of goals in a World Cup qualifier on Aug. 13, 1988 in St. Louis.
FC Dallas star Kenny Cooper replaced Charlie Davies at the start of the second half but was largely ineffective. Houston's Brian Ching did not score a goal but was far more active than his league rival.
The Swedes, however, sliced into the U.S. lead in the 73rd minute when Daniel Nannskog buried a header past Perkins and into the back of the net.
Kljestan, though, gave the Americans a two-goal edge seconds later. On their next trip into the Swedes' defensive third, Brian Ching took a long ball and deftly settled it near the top of the penalty area. Ching slipped a pass to Kljestan who easily beat Johan Dahlin to complete his hat trick.
Sweden made it close at the death, however, when Mikael Dahlberg scored on a free header in the 89th minute.
Ultimately, though the U.S. held on even as Cooper failed to score on a late breakaway.
